Gone

Gone
are the days when travel meant taking a holiday in its most
traditional form. Now more than ever, seeing the world is
considered by many as a chance to spark creativity, ignite
inspiration and build professional contacts and portfolios.

For LA-based street style photographer, Tim Regas, the ability
to visit multiple cities each season is what drives his success.
Now boasting 14.5k Instagram followers on his account @wheresmydriver, and with a portfolio that
includes shots of Anna Wintour and Kendall Jenner, he’s a regular
at some of the fashion industry’s most prestigious events… but
where and when he books a trip is not up to him. “I have to go
where the designers show,” he says. “Generally that’s New
York, London,
Paris
and Milan,
but now smaller fashion weeks, such as that in Moscow, are really
gaining momentum. Going to different cities means I get to shoot a
diverse range of people and my work is more varied.”

His images depict a sense of place and reflect each
destination’s culture and personality without being overt or
cliché. Regular visits mean he has come to know certain areas and
their fashion locals well, and the sense of familiarity allows him
to be increasingly creative. “Some people know where to get the
best coffee, I try to learn when and where I can find the best
light,” he says.

Unlike Regas, Jordan Collyer travels with brands when and where
she pleases to create content for her travel and fashion blog,
The Collyer Twins, which she runs with her sister and
business partner, Loanne. Visually beautiful places are forever on
their radar and they leave home at least twice a month for
work-related trips. Itineraries are designed to inspire, and the
change in location helps to keep content and ideas fresh.

“When you immerse yourself in a new environment and spend time
experiencing different cultures you gain a fresh perspective. It
allows for new creative processes,” she says. “But being strategic
with time is key and you always have to have your phone ready.”

Having spotted the appetite for working travellers like Regas
and Collyer, hotels such as the Arlo and The Hoxton have incorporated work
spaces into their set-ups. Martina Luger, the CMO of Ennismore (the
group which owns The Hoxton) says: “Our lobbies have been used as
unofficial co-working spaces since day one, so we’ve created a
dedicated environment for those who want and need it. People are
spending less time in traditional offices now.”

Interiors play a huge part in making th ese areas feel welcoming
and encouraging the perception of normality surrounding work and
travel. Ennismore design director, Charlie North, stresses the
importance of keeping things relaxed. “From the art hanging on the
walls to the eclectic furnishings, there’s always something
interesting to look at. We want people to feel at home. Comfort
encourages relaxation and we keep things open-plan nature to
maintain a buzz which, for a lot of people, sparks motivation and
inspiration,” he says.

Yet Ennismore also stresses the importance of downtime. “Come
5pm the lights in each space go down and the atmosphere changes,”
says Luger. “Holborn is where we see the
hardest workers, while Paris feels like our most
leisurely location. Guests often use the space to eat, drink and
catch up with friends. Parisians have the right idea.”

Collyer, too, sees the value in taking proper breaks and,
despite her fast-paced lifestyle, the need to constantly be “on”
and the importance of travel to her work, she’s sure to book trips
dedicated to relaxation too.

“My downtime is phone-free, which doesn’t come into the equation
when I’m working,” she says. “I recently booked a silent Vipassana
retreat in Thailand. I had 10 days to myself with no distractions
and I was able to fully let my mind go. I had a lightbulb moment
and came up with a business idea which I’m putting into place
now.”

The balancing act between travel for work and travel for rest is
a tricky one to master. Social media rules and the rise of
content-related professions means that, like it or not, we are
almost always “on”. Yet while it’s tempting to see trips as a
chance to work – be it during the journey or throughout the stay –
there’s something to be said for letting travel in its purest form
rejuvenate the mind and encourage true inspiration.