A fashion show designed by Alex de Betak at Jacquemus Menswear Spring Summer 2020 in Valensole, … [+] France. WireImage Runway design master Alex De Betak is responsible for some of the most opulent and luxurious fashion shows of the past 30 years for brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Victoria’s Secret, the Jacquemus (who can forget the hot – pink trail dividing the Provençal lavender fields?). His success comes from his ability to transform notoriously difficult places into fashion spectaculars, all under the aegis of Bureau Betak, a production agency he founded in 1990. With a unique perspective that has become indispensable in the industry, De Betak is a man of many titles (producer, creative director, father, etc.) with among them jet-setter. The 51-year-old production mogul shares his favorite travel spots and tips, and what it’s like to live between Paris and New York. Port de Soller, Mallorca getty What is your favorite destination anytime of the year? Usually Mallorca because it’s a dream and a break for us at any time of the year. We tend to spend time with family and get away from it all. Whether it’s a month or a week, this place re-energizes me when I need it most. What is your favorite hotel or place to stay? My favorite hotel is Chiltern Firehouse in London – I stayed there before it even opened. It always seems consistent on every level, from the excellent service and design to comfort. While I generally like very intimate and exclusive “non-hotel” hotels, with a few exceptions, I have a few secret addresses around the world. There is one in Istanbul, for example, Asli Tunca – a fantastic and charming low-key place, now perhaps one of the few places you can go during COVID. Aside from the big cities and for practicality when it comes to vacations, my family and I try to stay in places a little off the radar and intimate. Les Andes, Patagonia getty Where do you go to find inspiration for upcoming productions? What inspires you in this or these destination (s)? Discovery inspires me, all travel, especially new destinations. I would probably go back to Iceland and keep exploring more and more. I would also love to go back to Antarctica in general. I like the extreme. Plus, I like to go back to Patagonia every year. I am fortunate to have a family who love to travel as much as I do, so we love to explore. We not only travel a lot for work, but we also travel a lot for pleasure. We make sure to keep doing it. There are many destinations that we love to love in Southern Japan, Northern Japan where we can explore and experience different places to stay, preferably one or two bedroom hotels. My wife and I love to research and always find the right places. Everything is available online to see different places to explore; Airbnb is also a great resource. I recently found a house on a fishing island just off Naoshima via Airbnb. We stayed with the owners of the house and went fishing with them, and it was beautiful. An irreplaceable experience. Even though there was a huge language barrier and no tourism on the island, Airbnb allowed them to open their homes to people like me – we cherished a great time together. New York or Paris? I can’t choose between them; one complements the other so well that I couldn’t leave one out. The places work as a package for me. I have lived with a complementary routine for the past 25 years and have always had both. Once you get used to it, you can’t get used to it that easily. Yen in Paris Courtesy Favorite French restaurant? Surprisingly, I don’t eat a lot of French food. I prefer Japanese or Italian. My favorite Japanese restaurant in New York is Omen in SoHo, and my favorite Japanese restaurant in Paris is Yen in Saint Germain des Prés. What clothing do you take on all your travels? I’m lucky in this case – what I like the most is to travel as light as possible. Since I have personal belongings in both cities, I don’t even have to travel with hand luggage. Sometimes I travel with absolutely nothing; the only things that come with me are my passports, my blue light glasses, and my iPhone – which I don’t even wish I needed one day, in fact, I consider it a boring part of my life. My idea of ​​the freedom and pleasure of traveling is not necessary at all. Your favorite travel hack. What items do you always travel with? Travel light and discover the local: crafts, artisans, brands, factories, workshops. I don’t like buying too much. I prefer to buy vintage and love to find last minute local produce that will remind me of this place and help support local businesses. How do you find out about these local spots? Where do you do your research or is it mostly word of mouth? Usually, I open Google Maps in satellite view and move my finger across the screen to see the streets; I keep the addresses. One place takes you to another, especially as you explore the studios of local artists and learn about their cultural traditions. These elements are what makes an experience special. Even Airbnb, it’s really great to see how the families and owners who open their homes to you can sometimes give the best advice to local finds. A dish from Estela Courtesy What are your favorite spots or holes in the wall in New York? Estela and Omen are one of my favorites. Arcade Bakery (now closed) is a big hole in the wall cafe in Tribeca. Saturdays and O ‘Cafe Studio in Bushwick are also great for coffee. Another hidden find is Milon, a Bangladeshi restaurant with Christmas lights outside. I also love Sushi Azabu in front of the Greenwich Hotel. Even though I go to my friend Yann Nury’s for any special dining experience, he is a great chef. It has an amazingly designed travel kitchen that can go into your yard, house, or apartment and cook for you. He is truly amazing. Together we have organized many exciting events. If you had 24 hours to spare in New York City, what would you do? I have been here for over 25 years, and with all my love for it, I would probably go on an adventure outside of town, maybe somewhere closer to nature. Everything is relative to his life; I would like to enjoy a fantastic bed or run in the forest or the best. I love maybe exploring somewhere upstate in the woods. .



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