About Us

Through a quarterly print magazine, daily updated website, weekly newsletter and experiential events, we hope to change the way you travel, with an ultimate aim of bridging cultures and connecting people.

As a travel brand, we’re frequently asked how we balance a thirst for exploration with the negative impact that travel has on the planet.

Be it climate change from carbon emissions or the pressures of overtourism, the detrimental effects of globetrotting are undeniable.

So, should we all stop travelling? Making up over 10 per cent of global GDP and contributing to almost 320 million jobs, tourism is a lifeline for many people and communities, and to stop travelling completely would have differently devastating effects the world over. In an increasingly polarised world, it is perhaps more important than ever to explore new places. Of course, many travel to visit family and friends too.

But a careful, considered approach to the trips we do decide to take is paramount. At SUITCASE, our intention has always been to provide our readers with thoughtful, informed recommendations, encouraging slower and more mindful travel.

We hope we help you to travel better, and always love hearing your stories from around the world.

SUITCASE Magazine

The Team

SUITCASE Magazine

Serena Guen, Founder

Multi-national Serena founded the award-winning SUITCASE while in her third year at NYU. Her accolades include being named as Forbes 30 under 30 (2017) as well as one of 25 under 25 most influential Londoners by the Evening Standard. In 2018, she won a Woman of the Future Award for media and a Great British Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Queen of the long weekend, Serena is the team’s hotel aficionado. Her favourite micro-trip to date was Iceland and her most anticipated of the year is a road trip from Austin to Marfa.

Sebastian Bland, Creative Director

After leading a countryside existence, at the age of 18 Sebastian swapped the winding lanes of Shropshire for a faster pace in London. Always a creative at heart, he joined the SUITCASE team fresh out of Bristol University of West England having completed a degree in graphic design. As the first team member he has been fundamental in evolving the SUITCASE brand aesthetic, as well as those of Creative Studio clients. He has two German Design Awards under his belt to show for it. When Sebastian’s is not lost in the depths of Photoshop or InDesign, you can most likely find him playing cricket, in the pub or in the South of France where half of his family are from.

Fleur Rollet-Manus, Partnership Director

Fleur’s journey into journalism was accidental. After getting sacked – no fewer than five times – while working on a banana farm in the depths of Queensland, she needed to find a way to fund the rest of her travels. In between her (few and far between) farm shifts, she freelanced for publications such as Food and Travel, Huffington Post, TMRW Mag, and, of course, SUITCASE. After a five-year stint as SUITCASE’s Contributing Editor, she joined the team in-house. Switching her gumboots for a microphone, you’ll now find her co-hosting our conversation-starting podcast, The Upgrade by SUITCASE Magazine, where she deep-dives into travel’s latest trends, upcoming destinations and swapping tales with travel-obsessed guests like Emma Gannon, Olivia Lopez and Bruce Poon Tip. When she’s not plugged in, she’s leading editorial-first campaigns for partners such as Tag Heuer, Volvo and Tourism Australia. Her next adventure? Hiking in Pakistan, taste-testing tea in Sri Lanka and lion-spotting in Botswana.

Line Charles, E-commerce and Partnerships Manager

Thai-Norwegian Line had lived in four different countries by the age of 25. At four years old she was packed off to live with her grandfather, a chief monk in Northern Thailand, before moving back to Oslo where she (just about) survived the merciless winters. Next up, she hit Bali to study cultural understanding and tourism with a side of yoga, then she purchased a one-way ticket to Shanghai where she embarked on a Mandarin language programme. Now based in London, she’s thrown more money into the education system and has a law degree in the bag. Thanks to her heritage, she is as comfortable whizzing down a mountain on a pair of skis as she is whipping up a batch of tom-yum soup at home.

Grace Lee, Assistant Editor

A nomad by nature, Grace began her travel media career with a 360 approach, starting out in editorial before moving briefly into PR, and finally finding her niche in creative content at Studio Black Tomato. Marrying travel and communication, she now spends her time crafting brand stories and killer copy lines for SUITCASE Creative Studio’s travel and lifestyle clients. When out of office, she’s usually found scouring London’s streets for the next best Sunday roast or fresh pasta joint. Next on her travel hit list? Georgia’s wine country, the Norwegian fjords and The Mongol Rally.

Julie Alpine, Sub-Editor

Scottish-Lebanese Julie’s first experience of overseas travel was a trip to Beirut at the age of two, and she’s been obsessed with cedar trees, sunshine and a gold-encrusted 1970s French Riviera aesthetic ever since. Fired up by Judy Blume books, she spent senior year at Tavares High School, Florida as an exchange student, before gaining an MA in English literature and language from the University of St Andrews. Following a three-year stint teaching and writing in southern Cyprus, she moved to London in the late Nineties. She has worked as a writer and copyeditor for the past 20 years, with career highs including making a travelogue of a solo journey around Syria, Lebanon and Jordan for the Sparkling Productions series Crewless, winning the Arts Council of England’s Clarissa Luard prize for writing, editing novels for (and drinking whisky with) the late, great cult author of The Dice Man, Luke Rhinehart, and joining SUITCASE as sub editor. She has two amazing, daredevil kids and a cat called Rudy.

Georgina Groom, Editorial Assistant

A born sun-worshipper, Georgina’s love for chasing the sun started on the Greek island of Corfu (Agios Georgios not Kavos), where she spent summers with her siblings scoffing chocolate ice cream and attempting to surf the wave-free water. Fast forward to today. She’s borderline addicted to hunting down the nearest beach, settling down with a juicy rom-com and basking her afternoon away. Despite her obsession with getting her tan on, Georgina’s family come from a lesser-trodden town in Southern Ireland, Freshford. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when she’s not glued to her keyboard, you’ll likely find her relishing a rainy countryside stroll. Up next on her travel list? After joining the SUITCASE team just months after bagging her degree, she’s got her sights set on a road trip along the Amalfi Coast – taste-testing the gelato on route, obviously.

Lucy Kehoe, Digital Editor

Lucy’s journey into travel didn’t start with plane trips. Instead, she ventured abroad through books, charting America’s landscapes and Russia’s wintry steppe via a library that’s still growing. Fresh out of university, she landed a job in travel copywriting, before switching sides – and cities – to work at Food and Travel magazine. After a stint as a freelancer writer for publications including The Spectator, Geographical and SUITCASE, plus time working on digital content for leading agencies, she joined us in-house. Now, our resident botanist and bookshop frequenter is the team’s go-to expert on the latest bars, restaurants and hole-in-the-wall spots we should be booking. Her next trip? A return to Japan, after explorations were cut short by Covid, plus more trips to Liverpool, the Kehoe ancestral homeland, and a city she won’t shut up about.

Melvin Vella, Digital Marketing Manager

Born and raised in Malta, Melvin is well versed in travel and hospitality. Starting out at the Malta Tourism Authority while still a student, Melvin worked his way up the career ladder and joined their marketing full-time after education. Overseeing more than half a dozen markets in Europe, the itch to explore took its hold and Melvin packed up and headed to London in 2019. There, he joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green and City Club at CPG, developing his understanding and love for all things luxurious. Now at SUITCASE Melvin brings a breadth of experience in the luxury and travel industries to a publication he’s followed for years. Coupled with his passion for music, good food and even better wine, Melvin’s taste, positive outlook and critical-thinking abilities are what make him our star Marketing man.

SUITCASE Creative Studio

Alexandra Seitz, Head of Studio and Strategy Director

Alexandra has over 10 years experience working as a marketing specialist with a brand agency and startup background. With a strong focus on strategy, integrated communications and experiences, she has worked with clients across various sectors including Swire, ImagineX, Infiniti, Toyota, Club Monaco, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Blue Nile and more. Having lived in Hong Kong, the US, and the UK, the cultural experiences she’s had allows her to see the world and the opportunities at work with a diverse, global lens.

Husam Elfaki, Studio Creative Director

Working in the advertising, design and tech industries for over 12 years, Husam has helped shape flagship products, services and experiences for clients such as Nike, Beats By Dre, Google, Rolls-Royce, and several others. His work has won several industry awards such as Cannes Lions, The One Show & Webbys, as well as products featured in both the App and Play Stores. In his spare time, you’ll still find him creating in some form – from digital art and design to music production, he continues to pursue new inspiration that helps him explore culture from a creative lens.

Jacob Elwood, Art Director

Born in St Ives, Cornwall, Jacob grew up surrounded by the creative arts. He went on to study Visual Communication, specialising in print design and photography, winning a D&AD New Blood Pencil and D&AD Best in Show. With multiple disciplines of editorial design, branding and photography; he is a firm believer of looking at all angles of a brief to allow him to use the best discipline needed.

Lily Dixey, Business Development Director

Fresh out of university (many moons ago), Lily landed a job on the Condé Nast graduate scheme, working in advertising sales. Over the next nine years, she worked her way up the Condé Nast ranks to the role of Advertisement Director across Condé Nast Traveller working on campaigns with British Airways, Four Seasons and Tiffany & Co along the way. In 2017, she made the move back to her old university city of Bristol, taking on the role of Partnerships Director & Producer at Cereal Magazine. Here, she worked with brands such as Hermes, Cartier and LVMH, before moving back to London and joining the SUITCASE team in May 2022. When not immersed in the world of media, you’ll find her kitesurfing in Greece, skiing in Italy or hiking in Wales. And trying to teach her one-year-old son (who can’t even walk yet) to do all of the above