Friday, 7 June 2013

Interview with El Séptimo Viajero




I recently did an interview with the Spanish travel website, El Séptimo Viajero about the inspiration behind this blog.  The website has a lot of great content and is especially good if, like me, you're learning Spanish as it's serves as great practice. I'm posting the English version of the interview here but go check out the original version - http://elseptimoviajero.wordpress.com!

What gave you the idea of setting up a travel-fashion blog?

The idea of the blog came around when I got tired of revising for my exams and I wanted to focus on something other than grammar! So really the blog served as a bit of stress relief.  I love traveling and fashion is also an interest of mine so I combined the two to create a blog that was a bit different.  It's interesting to see how much the travel and fashion industries interlink, I think each industry has its own influence on the other. So far, I've had some good feedback from the blog and people seem to find it interesting.
     
      Which countries/cities most influence the fashion world in your opinion? 
   
      The fashion capitals of the world, Paris, London, New York and Milan have an undeniable influence over the fashion world because they are home to the biggest fashion houses. However I think Eastern cultures are having more and more influence over the main designers.  For example, one of last season’s biggest trends was the orient with Haider Ackerman and Prada leading the way with kimono-inspired silhouettes and Chinese embroidery.  I think every country has had its influence on a designer at some point, you can find so much inspiration in a country and its ‘vibe’.

    Do you think there is a gap in the market for fashion orientated holidays? 

       I think there is definitely a gap in the market for that kind of holiday.  I know shopping holidays to New York are very popular with a lot of women so I don’t see why you couldn't expand this idea further to other destinations.  I would definitely go on a holiday dedicated to shopping!

   What is the most fashionable city that you have personally visited?  

         I've visited some of the most iconic cities of the fashion industry like Paris and New York but I’d have to say that Barcelona had the biggest impact on me.  For me, Barcelona is such an underrated city in the fashion sense because the Catalans seem to pull off an effortless chic yet the city is not recognized as one of the leading fashion capitals.  Walking down the street I saw men and women of all ages looking incredibly stylish and it definitely inspired me.     

   What would be your ideal destination for a shopping trip? 

       This is the most difficult question to answer because there are too many countries to choose from!  I think my ideal shopping trip would be in London because it’s such a multi-cultural and diverse city, you almost get the best that every country has to offer in one place.  There are also a lot of vintage boutiques in London which I love-I could spend hours looking through racks of vintage items because the clothes are always so unique.

   What are your next travel plans and what type of fashion do you expect to find there?  

       After University I would love to travel around South East Asia, particularly Cambodia because of its ancient ruins and temples.  When I was little I always wanted to be an archaeologist so I think that aspect of Cambodia appeals to the historian in me.   As far as fashion goes, I’m sure it would be completely different to any other country I have visited before with the traditional dress consisting mainly of intricate embroidery and beautiful silks.

   Which items of clothing would you take to: Santorini, Goa, New York, The Alps, Marrakech and Tokyo?  
   
   Slide1

  For me, the Island of Santorini conjures images of white-washed buildings and clear blue seas.  My capsule wardrobe for this destination would consist of cool linen blouses, high waisted jean-shorts and boho inspired prints.  I think the dress from Mango would be perfect in Greece because of its bohemian embroidery and loose fit.

     Slide2

      When packing for this Indian destination I would take inspiration from the traditional dress of Goa by including a palette of vibrant jewel colours and embellished pieces.  I would complete the wardrobe with a pair of khaki jeans which are both practical and stylish.

    Slide3

      New York has such a diverse fashion identity that it’s hard to categorize it into one picture! Personally, when packing for New York I would take inspiration from the cool and preppy retailers, J.Crew.   Their signature combination of casual meets formal looks great on the streets of Manhattan.  I would pair the ASOS skirt with a casual slouchy sweater and the pink satchel for a truly modern and stylish look.

    Slide4

      In my Alps wardrobe I would include a lot of 60s mod inspired items.  I love the geometric print of this jumper and the contrast of the over sized coat with the skinny jeans creates a really stylish outfit.  I would stick to a palette of primary colours to offset the pure white surroundings.

Slide5

     For this capsule wardrobe I would take inspiration from the treasure trove markets of Marrakech.  I love the intricate embroidery and rich hue of this Zara waistcoat and I think it would look perfect in Morocco. I would finish the look with skinny jeans and stacks of gold bracelets.

   Slide6

     This is the city of cutting edge fashion and I could think of no better place to experiment with the latest trends.  My capsule wardrobe for Tokyo would consist of modern silhouettes and experimental fabrics.  I think the dipped hem of this blouse combined with the futuristic metallic shoes creates a really stylish and modern look.

    What would be your staple items of clothing in a mystery destination? 
    
       The first thing I would pack would be an LBD.  No woman’s wardrobe is complete without one as they never go out style and are easily updated to follow the latest trends.  I would also take a leather jacket because they can be dressed up or down and the mystery location might be cold.  I would keep the colour palette quite neutral so that I could mix and match different items and I would have to include a Breton style top and my favorite skinny jeans because they are staple items in my wardrobe.  To complete the capsule wardrobe I would include one brightly patterned skirt as a statement piece.
  
     Where do you see your blog in a year from now?  

     In a year from now I would like to see my blog archive full of posts based on all different countries.  Hopefully it will grow to become more popular and I could expand to posts about the best/latest travel gadgets and luggage.  This time next year I will be planning my year abroad and my ideal situation would be to intern for a fashion house in Spain, hopefully this blog will impress potential employers!

    Thank you Laura for all of your wonderful questions! 


   







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