How to Travel Like a Supermodel

How to Travel Like a Supermodel

The holiday season is upon us, and that means family time, heaps of Thanksgiving food, and one necessary evil: travel.

While traveling (and packing specifically) can be a headache for many, just because you’re jet-setting doesn’t mean you have to leave fashion by the wayside. Just ask Joan Smalls. The supermodel is such a pro at looking polished and poised right off a plane that W Hotels partnered with her to create an “Off Duty” closet collection inspired by her.

Seven emerging designers created pieces using Joan Smalls’s style as inspiration, and the results are impressive. They include Smalls’s hand-picked looks for an on-the-go woman, but that’s not even the best part. All the brands involved are fronted by women, and on top of it, Smalls is donating her portion of the proceeds to Puerto Rican disaster relief—and W hotels is matching it. Talk about a win-win.

“Joan and I came up with words that would describe her style: urban, feminine, and tomboy. She’s really very consistent in a picture from 2007 to 2017 because she always looks like herself when she’s off the runway,” said “Off Duty” Creative Director Sarah Easley. “She always has a cool leather moto jacket or distressed denim, and broken down it’s pretty simple pieces, but they fit her perfectly and then she does really feminine makeup and hair, so it’s a balanced look.”

You can shop the "Off Duty" pieces here, but before you do, check out our interview with Smalls below to hear her tips on how to travel like a supermodel, how to pack for specific abroad locations, and why she’s donating her portion of the project's proceeds to Puerto Rican hurricane relief.

VL TRAVEL: OJAI CALIFORNIA

VL TRAVEL: OJAI CALIFORNIA

After a few particularly busy weeks ( we're finalizing a big trip coming up in the next 2 weeks, getting ready for Fashion Month in September, and of course working on new content for VivaLuxury ), Emil and I reached a tipping point and decided that we needed to leave the hustle and bustle of LA for a little while.

We didn't want to travel somewhere far, and after considering a few of our all time favorites like Laguna Beach ( see our recent adventures here ) and Santa Barbara ( check out a recent post on our favorite SB wineries here ), we decided to try something new and headed to Ojai.

Just a quick drive from LA, we fell in love with Ojai the moment we saw it! The city is absolutely gorgeous, yet I think what we enjoyed about Ojai the most is the multitude of activities it offers like hiking, biking, dining, wine tasting and shopping of course! :) So, if you're considering a trip to Ojai, I definitely recommend it! There is so much to do and see, you won't be disappointed!

SHONA JOY Leticia dress | BETTEY MULLER Session espadrille flat | LACK OF COLOR Spencer wide brimmed hat | CHANEL Vanity case in grained calfskin | LARSSON & JENNINGS Lugano leather strap watch | COORDINATES COLLECTION Legend engraved cuff | SHASHI Swirl midi ring, Rebecca ring & Ava ring

Frankfurt snapshots

Frankfurt snapshots

When you constantly working on the photo shootings, editing is not your favorite thing to do. Folders, memory cards and hard disc are your best friends and there is always something that you haven't finished it. So, in the upcoming posts I will share some old photos from Frankfurt and Dobrota before I continue with the new ones.
And here are some of my snap shoots from Frankfurt made during the Christmas season last year. After I finished the shootings with Opel for Adamyourself campaign, I stayed for three more days with Jelena in Frankfurt at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof hotel (you will see more about it in the next post) which is ideally located to explore the city. It was even better than my first visit to this lovely city despite the cold weather. We enjoyed the Christmas market, Schokoküsse and mulled wine
 at the event which's history has been tracked back to 1393 year. A weekend of holiday spirit? Sign me up again, please! This video tells it all! ;)

WEEKEND GETAWAY TO BIG SUR

WEEKEND GETAWAY TO BIG SUR

I love weekend getaways! I'm sure this comes as no surprise to anyone who frequents my blog. Having a busy schedule doesn't always allow for a full blown vacation, but something about getting away for a few days just makes the biggest difference if I want a bit of relaxation and fun.

Since most of the time these getaways are completely spontaneous, I make sure to keep some of my favorite essentials in my weekender, like super comfy set of PJs, a good book and of course some beauty products like this mini sized Holiday Kit from Burt's Bees. It contains all the things I need in a convenient and very easy to travel with packaging which is a great plus as I like to travel light when it comes to trips like this one. Let me tell you, after walking around in cold and crisp air, my hands and feet appreciated a little moisture at the end of the day:) I love Coconut Foot Cream because I'm a huge fan of anything that contains coconut oil, and the Hand Salve restored my dry hands and cuticles in no time! The Vanilla Bean Lip Balm saved my lips from drying up and cracking because let's face it, dry lips are not a good feeling or a cute look on anybody! Having tried and loved these products, I'm thinking of getting this set for all my girls! So compact and cute, I think it'll be a perfect stocking stuffer!:)

This time around we decided to go a very familiar and beloved route, driving up the beautiful California coast. From San Simeon and Big Sur to Carmel, it's truly amazing what California has to offer! The views of the ocean from Big Sur alone take my breath away every time!

 Emil and I love going to familiar places, but we always try to do something new whether it's staying at a new hotel or trying a new restaurant. This time, it happen to be Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn. I fell in love with this place before I even tried the food because of the beautiful view it offers. It really is unbeatable. The fact that the food was exceptional was just a cherry on top! :)

What about you guys, where do you love to get away for the weekend?

CHLOE Hudson bag, Snoe Capsule intarsia wool sweater & scarf | ULLA JOHNSON Aggie suede booties  | J BRAND jeans 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt's Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.