Spectacular destinations and familiar faces.
Since the beginning of travel there has always been a certain mystique surrounding it. Of course this je ne sais quoi, attracts the bold and beautiful, from movie stars and raconteurs to socialites and statesman. Enter lavish resorts and experiences in far-away destinations and you now have the perfect storm for flocks of the rich and powerful to migrate to. Once the recipients of the finest accommodations and service, these chosen few have become the purveyors. From movie stars like Robert Deniro and Leo DiCaprio, to celebrity chefs like Gordan Ramsey and Nobu, the travel industry has become the new frontier for excess and exploration.
I have had the pleasure of designing for and directing the creative on our luxury travel publication, The Affluent Traveler, for the past decade. It has instilled in me a love and passion for travel and given me a glimpse into a side of it previously unknown. In fact, most readers can only dream of stepping foot in these places or spending a night as royalty — but with a thoughtful eye for photos and fonts, perhaps I've brought them there, if even for a fleeting moment.
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The 'luxury' in luxury travel can mean a luxury of options and means. It can convey visiting places once taboo, seedy or downright illegal in previous generations. A growing trend in luxury travel is "experiential travel." Perhaps it's the younger, hip generation of adventurous 'well-to-doers' or just plain boredom with the stuffy, stodgy haunts of our parents and grandparents. Perhaps it's the lust for life that being out of your comfort zone can bring. I think I prefer the latter — both in my travel plans and design endeavors. Either way you perceive it, it proves the world is what you make of it and it isn't as small as we've been lead to believe.
My Role:
I was Creative Director & Lead Designer on the following editorial design.
“The ‘luxury’ in luxury travel can mean a luxury of options and means. It can convey visiting places once taboo, seedy or downright illegal in previous generations.”
My role:
I was the Creative Director working alongside our Senior web designer & developer, niall O'Neill, on the website below. The design is based on the initial sketches & InDesign Mockups I developed.
“Either way you perceive it, it proves the world is what you make of it and it isn’t as small as we’ve been lead to believe.”
My role:
I was Creative Director & Lead Designer on the following editorial design.
Famous Faces
Another recurring theme in The Affluent Traveler is the epicurean component of travel, which has always been of interest to the luxury traveler. More and more, with the rise of the "celebrity chef," people tend to look not only for the best locales and most exciting experiences when planning travel, they look for what's on the menu.
With the slow food movement and growing media focus on authentic world cuisine of the past decade as inspiration (such as Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern), travelers are more and more comfortable stepping out of their comfort zone and trying new things. Who better to guide them on where to find the best dishes in each region of the world than professional chefs and restauranteurs, most of which were trained in Europe and elsewhere and have first-hand knowledge of these regions? With each of these personalities comes a certain flair and style — the essence of which I try to capture when designing each feature.
“Once the recipients of the finest accommodations and service, these chosen few have become the purveyors.”
“With each of these personalities comes a certain flair and style — the essence of which I try to capture when designing each feature.”
