Womenswear designer, Kaelen Haworth of KAELEN may be based in NYC, but her job doesn’t keep her in one place for long. Last spring she was in Paris for Fashion Week and often heads to L.A. for work. Plus the Canada native also frequents her hometown of Toronto. The jet-setting lifestyle is all part of the gig and Kaelen admits she can’t see herself doing anything else, “I love it because I love that I get to be creative and make things. It’s such an amazing outlet and I honestly don’t know what I would be doing if it wasn’t this.”
When it comes to downtime, Mexico is one of her favourite destinations (she has a soft spot for the One & Only Palmilla) and recently tried a more rustic-style adventure in Colorado. From her super chic carry-on to her to-die-for foodie recommendations, read on to find out how this innovative designer travels in style.
Why are you always travelling? Work, personal, both?
Both. I will be travelling to Chicago and L.A. next for work, but before that I have some weddings in Toronto to come back for. I am a bridesmaid in my friends Katie and Tom’s wedding in two weeks, and I made the dresses for it so I’m excited to see it all come together. My last trip finished yesterday, and it was for the wedding of my friends Dan and Roslyn. It is definitely wedding season!
What’s your carry-on bag?
A massive Givenchy bag that has rollers and juuuuust fits as a carry-on. Although I have to gate check it on Porter every time.
What are the top 3 essentials you put in your carry-on?
A book, Headphones and lip balm.
Travel app you can’t leave home without?
Trip It is the best app. I usually don’t use apps for traveling because it seems like an added element to worry about, but this one is incredibly. You just email your itinerary, hotel reservations etc. to the app email, and it creates a detailed itinerary and calendar that has all your travel info in one place. Genius.
How do you kill time waiting for your flight?
Honestly, I’m usually in the bar. I’m actually terrified of flying so a drink helps. Otherwise I’m reading. I’m not big on exploring airports, I just try to relax.
Favourite hotel?
I love the Chateau Marmont although it’s 100% haunted. The Charlotte Street Hotel in London was really charming.
It’s not a hotel, but we used One Fine Stay for our trip to Paris last March and it was incredible. We had a beautiful apartment in the Marais for eight of us during Fashion Week, and it was a great way to travel. It felt like home. I’m listing too many things, I know, but I also love the Palmilla Hotel in San Jose del Cabo. I am there a lot because my family has a house nearby, and it has so many memories for me. We have been going there for 10 years or more.
Hotel amenity you can’t live without?
Good shampoo and conditioner! It would be so great to actually leave that at home when you travel but you never know. If a hotel has great shampoo and conditioner I’m all about it.
Best meal on your last trip. Where and what did you have?
My last big trip was Paris, so we had a lot of good meals, but two stand out. Omar’s in Le Marais was incredible. Great Moroccan food and charming waiters. On our last night we went to Auberge Pyrénées Cévennes and the food was amazing. I ate salmon and it was next level good. I ate at a tiny restaurant around the Piazaa Navona with my parents in Rome and I have no idea what it was called but we had an incredible meal.
Travel music playlist/reading material?
I like to catch up on all the magazines when I travel. If I am reading during my day to day life, it’s usually a book. So when I fly I like to get a huge stack of magazines and blow through them. It has to be physical magazines though — I can’t deal with a kindle.
Favourite travel-friendly beauty product?
Egyptian Magic. It’s actually magic. And it’s not quite a liquid, nor is it a gel, so it’s easy to travel with. It’s a moisturizer, lip balm, salve, whatever you need it to be. Magic.
Tell us what your airplane style is.
I’m usually wearing a slouchy sweater from SS14 because it’s incredibly soft, and my drop-crotch Rick Owens track pants. If it’s summer, I’m probably wearing my Adidas slides for ease during the security checkpoints.
Favourite destination to shop. What shops should we check out?
To be honest I don’t shop as much when I travel as I used to — although now I look for stuff that is more distinctive and one of a kind. There is an antique store on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach that I am in love with. It has such amazing stuff. in L.A. I love Tenoversix, they have such a great mix of fashion and objects.
Travel & Style’s Pick: Haley Ann Midnight Stacked Wood Geo, $320, tenover6.com
What’s the one fashion item you consider an essential no matter what the destination?
A black dress that doesn’t wrinkle too much. Always useful.
Travel & Style’s Pick: Isabel Marant Deena Stretch Wool Jersey Dress, $660, net-a-porter.com
Most eye-opening travel experience?
I went to Rawah Ranch in Colorado last spring, and it was a totally different vacation than I’ve ever taken. We went hiking, stayed in beautiful cabins with huge fireplaces, we went fly fishing in the river (catch and release) and just did a lot of things that I don’t generally associate with vacationing, but loved.
Most memorable souvenir?
This is tough. I honestly can’t remember. Can I say memories without sounding like the worst?
Where was your last vacation and what was the best thing you did?
My last real vacation was San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico. I went to stay at my family’s house and the best thing I did was chill. It is so relaxing there and such an amazing place to get away from everything. I think the best thing we did was take a boat out later in the afternoon to watch the whales and dolphins. It’s incredible.
Dream destination?
I really want to go to India. I think it would be an incredible place to visit. But that will take some planning so I probably won’t go for a while, but it’s up there on my list.
