Fashion editor Deborah Brett
Fashion editor Deborah Brett

The Joy of Travel: Deborah Brett on the joy of unplanned wandering and why Venice is top of her travel agenda

Fashion editor Deborah Brett lets us in on the 2021 adventures she's hoping will come to fruition, and why Venice is top of her travel agenda.

What does travel mean to you?

Fashion editor Deborah Brett

Travel has always been a huge part of my job as a fashion editor. When viewing the fashion shows in London, Paris and Milan, these new creations would conjure up images in my mind of where in the world I could travel to, to bring them alive. It such fun travelling through Rajasthan or Cuba with my creative team in tow. It was a wonderful way of discovering new places.

Paris, France

What are you most looking forward to about travelling in 2021?

The year 2020 was meant to be the year of adventure for our family. Of course its ended up being an entirely different adventure for us all. So 2021 will hopefully have quite a few of those fantastic adventures in them instead. We wanted to try new things as a family from visiting different restaurants and galleries in our home city of London as well as discovering new destinations. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Olympics go ahead, we can't wait to discover Japan!

Japan

Describe a moment, that you only experience when travelling, that you can’t wait to experience again?

For me it's unplanned wandering. My life in London is so organised, with three children and two jobs my days are pretty regimented. So my favourite thing to do is an unplanned wander around a new city or destination, seeing where it takes me and what I discover.

Which European destination is first on your list and why?

Venice, Italy

As a treat, my husband and I love to take one child after their 11+ examinations and let them choose a European destination. They have to do the research and think about where they would like to go, just the three of us. My son chose Venice, but we had to cancel his trip twice. The first time because of the terrible flooding and then again due to Covid. I can’t wait for him to finally get to see how magnificent it is.

Venice, Italy

Which long haul destination are you longing to explore and why?

We are planning a three week adventure visiting Japan. Two weeks travelling round, cycling through bamboo forests, Samurai training, manga drawing classes and eating the most delicious food. I’ve ben developing my own range of ceramics during the lockdown so visiting some ceramic studios is high on my list. Finally we are ending up in Tokyo for a week of Olympics. It’s going to be the most wonderful adventure.

Japan

Name a place that you love so much, you’d happily return to time and time again.

There are two places that are firmly lodged in my heart. The first is the mountain village of Arosa in Switzerland. I grew up there as a child and the idyllic landscape and sweeping views over the Alps gives me a feeling of freedom like no other. The second is Ibiza. Again I grew up spending my childhood summers in the Balearics and I love the relaxed and carefree childhood I had there. I’ve tried to create the same for my children in the home we have built there.

Deborah Brett with her children, at home in Ibiza

Follow @DeborahBrett. Deborah travels with the Clifton cases in taupe. Read the next interview in our series, The Joy of Travel, with Hermione Olivia.

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