My dream travel destination

As the world takes its first tentative steps towards the future, we find ourselves daydreaming about travel – the incredible journeys we’ve had and the ones that are yet to come. To fuel our mental sojourns, we asked three of our most stylish and well-travelled friends to share their own treasured travel memories and dream destinations.

Be inspired by fashion designer Natalie Knoll, brand founder Joel Bartfeld and writer Amanda Blakley’s globe-trotting adventures. 

Natalie Knoll

Co-creator and director of Australian fashion brand Bird & Knoll

Who’s your dream travel companion?

My husband – he’s always spoiling me and making me laugh. Although a trip away with Macayla [Chapman, Knoll’s business partner] is always fun and full of special moments.

What kind of destination do you typically choose for a holiday?

We love to mix it up and will often start and end our vacation in a city and enjoy a bit of resort and country time in between. It creates a certain pace to the holiday and allows us to ease into it, find our groove.

Where was the last place you travelled?

Within Australia, it was Brisbane and Byron. We followed our formula with a city escape exploring Brisbane and then headed down to Byron for some chill time there and in the hinterland. Internationally, we had an amazing time in Rome, Puglia and Sicily in July 2019. We absolutely adored every minute!

Can you share one or two special memories from your most memorable holiday to date?

In 2015 we took a six-week sabbatical and travelled around Europe with our two girls (then 8 and 10). We spent the most incredible week in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast, immersing ourselves in the local culture of this gem of a small coastal village before heading to Tuscany for two weeks in a 500-year-old farmhouse on a working vineyard. We’ve actually managed to source some of this beautiful wine here in Australia and always raise a toast to those magical summer days.

What’s the one destination you dream of visiting, once normal travel resumes, and what would you pack?

We have a bit of a love affair with Greece and Italy. There’s a certain pace and attitude towards life there that completely relaxes us, allowing us to switch off and just be present with each other and in the moment. These little moments of mindful escape not only allow us to reset but also inspire my design process. Colours and textures from these amazing destinations create a beautiful travel kaleidoscope and a rich colour palette that the design team draws from – shades of white from a Puglian alley; the antique rose façade of a Venetian palazzo; the rich café tones of a Roman trattoria. We’ve interpreted these evocative shades into many of our collections.

I would definitely pack my Ronnie dress and Elouise skirt, two of the pieces from our new collection. Easy, flattering and versatile – it’s the perfect city escape to resort wear. I also never go anywhere without my Tuscan Fig travel candle – it sets the mood and relaxes me after a long-haul flight. 

Be inspired by Natalie’s travels with Tuscan Fig Candle.

Images by Natalie Knoll

Joel Bartfeld

Director of the Joel Bartfeld Group

Who’s your dream travel companion?

This is going to sound cheesy, but I genuinely can’t imagine a better person to travel with than my partner, Ross Sabatini. We tend to take the same approach to our leisure travel and have the same field of interest, so all of our trips are memorable. He also has an incredible eye, so my secret to getting great content is to follow his eye and see where it lands!

What kind of destination do you typically choose for a holiday?

I prefer to visit cities when I travel and then head out of town for day trips or weekends.

Where was the last place you travelled?

I’m thankful to be back to regular travel to Sydney from my home in Melbourne, but hoping to get to Queensland soon, if the Victorian borders open. We were really lucky to do a big overseas trip in 2019, which we reminisced about for the entirety of 2020 (and beyond). We went to London, Milan, Tel Aviv, Madrid, Marrakech and Abu Dhabi, so it was an exceptionally diverse experience!

Can you share one or two special memories from your most memorable holiday?
On our last big trip in 2019 we visited Marrakech, and it was as enthralling and exotic as we’d been led to believe. Often places that are hyped up don’t meet one’s expectations, but we had an incredible visit, from being hosted in a gorgeous Riad within the walls of the Medina to some fascinating day trips. We were taken to a day market that moves from town to town around Marrakech. I loved experiencing a really authentic aspect of Moroccan life.

What is the one destination you dream of visiting, once normal travel resumes?

I was planning a trip to Brazil prior to Covid.  I’ve never been to South America, so this would have been the jumping off point to lots of new places. I’m an architecture buff, so to explore Brazilian modernism – in particular the work of Oscar Niemeyer – will be high on the list.

Be inspired by Joel’s travels with Desert Nights Parfum.

Images by Joel Bartfeld

Amanda Blakley

Writer

Who’s your dream travel companion?

I love traveling with my husband. We discovered early on in our relationship that our particular brand of humour could sustain even the most disastrous of scenarios. As a result, he is my forever fave travel companion. 

What kind of destination do you typically choose for a holiday?

We used to live in midtown Toronto, so most of our holidays would be to some bucolic countryside or remote beach location. But now that we live in a quiet beach town, I’m actually craving a city visit. I’m hoping to get back to NYC this summer and a London trip will definitely be on our travel itinerary for summer 2022.

Where was the last place you travelled?

Until recently, things have been so locked down in my home of California, we haven’t been able to venture too far. We’ve had some weekend trips up the coast to Santa Barbara and Montecito, but we’re looking forward to going a bit further afield this summer.

What’s the one destination you dream of visiting, once normal travel resumes?

India has been on my bucket list for far too long. My heart breaks for all the devastation Covid is causing there at the moment. I definitely want to see the Taj Mahal before I die and I’m keen to explore the palaces of Rajasthan and Northern India.

Be inspired by Amanda’s travels with Persian Rose Candle.

 

 

Written by Michelle Bateman