Travel Style & Design with Jonathan Adler

11/02/23 • 51 min

Passport to Everywhere with Melissa Biggs Bradley

Potter, author, and renowned global designer Jonathan Adler joins Melissa to talk about travel style and design. Jonathan has created one of the leading design labels of our time through his colorful and modern American glamor patterns and designs. He left his day job in film to pursue his passion for pottery, and 10 years later opened his first store in SoHo. His namesake brand is now a leading global design company with stores in Chicago, New York and a new location in London. With humor, Jonathan shares his unexpected path to success with Melissa. He reveals how following his love for pottery redirected his life with purpose, as well as his inspiration behind the design of the iconic Parker Palm Springs in California, and who he identifies as his favorite muse.

In this episode, Melissa and Jonathan explore the idea of re-inventing oneself, both stylistically and in one’s career. Jonathan also shares the story behind his work with Aid to Artisans and how he stumbled into love with Peruvian weaving. As Jonathan says, “modern, clean design with soulful craft is about the magic” and Jonathan delivers magic through charm and wit. He also shares his favorite places to travel, including an intense enthusiasm for everyone to experience Japan, and where he wants to go next. Melissa ends the episode by sharing Jonathan’s favorite favorite hotels with design in mind.

For more information about Jonathan Adler and to view his collections and retail locations, visit www.jonathanadler.com. For Jonathan’s latest updates, and to see more of his Modern American Glamour vision, follow him on X, @jonathanadler, Instagram @jonathanadler and TikTok @jonathanadler. For more information on the hotels mentioned in today’s episode and for the latest travel news and hotel openings, visit Indagare.com to sign up for our newsletter.

Previous Episode

Exploration and Adventure with Former Patagonia CEO Kris Tompkins

Kristine Tompkins is the former CEO of Patagonia and the co-founder and president of Tompkins Conservation. Recently profiled by the prolific Academy-award winning duo Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Versalyi in the National Geographic documentary Wild Life, Kris’s daring, adventurous, bold endeavors with her husband Doug Tompkins continue to create ripples of lasting change. After serving as the CEO of Patagonia for 20 years, she uprooted her life and moved to Chile for her love of Doug and the wild landscape of Patagonia. They set out on a journey of creating and expanding 15 national parks and two marine parks in Argentina and Chile, and are celebrated as two of the most successful national park philanthropists today. After Doug tragically passed away in 2015, Kris has carried on his legacy through entrepreneurial, heart-driven activism.

On today’s episode, Kris details the daunting undertaking of creating and expanding national parks in Chile and Argentina, explains her remarkable rewilding efforts, and gives a glimpse of what it was like to have a film made about her life. She reveals how she became the CEO of Patagonia, and paints a moving picture of life in Chile. Kris and Melissa also explore the concept of nature-based tourism, the power of traveling to national parks for both the individual and the world, and the motivations for moving forward during harsh times. In this raw, informative and inspiring interview, Kris reminds us all of why we have an underlying longing for something wild. Tune in to learn the national parks she recommends visiting, discover her favorite outdoor activities, and listen to her advice for leading an extraordinary life. Melissa also shares a round-up of the top hotels Indagare members are booking in 2023.

For more information about Kristine Tompkins and her philanthropy work with Tompkins Conservation, visit www.tompkinsconservation.org. To follow Kris, her conservation efforts, and the latest adventures of the wild, check out @kristine_tompkins and @tompkins_conservation on Instagram. Wild Life, the National Geographic documentary starring Kris and Doug Tompkins, is available to stream on Huluand Disney+. To explore all Patagonia has to offer, check out our destination guides on Indagare.com. If you’re an Indagare member, reach out to your trip designer for more details.

Next Episode

Jasper Conran on Design and Morocco

Jasper Conran is one of the most celebrated and renowned British designers of our time. To name just a few career highlights... he designed the wedding dress for Lady Sarah Elizabeth Chatto, the granddaughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, clothing for Princess Diana; he created numerous sets and costumes for ballets and operas, and has designed everything from home decor to accessories and luggage. Later in his career, he turned his attention to Morocco - the subject of this episode - where he designed two historic hotels: first, L’Hotel Marrakech and, most recently, Villa Mabrouka in Tangier which just opened in June this year. In this episode, Jasper shares his storied and serendipitous career path with Melisssa; from realizing his childhood dream, receiving an unexpected Olivier Award in theater, to now finding himself immersed in the world of hospitality.

Through poetic passion, Jasper explores how Tangier and Marrakech fuse ancient and modern culture, and how the most “marvelous thing about Marrakech is that most of the secrets are behind closed doors.” He gives a glimpse of his journey in creating the historic 19th century riad L’Hotel Marrakech in the heart of Medina, and what inspired him to later renovate the former home of Yves Saint Laurent into the award-winning Villa Mabrouka. He shares his favorite spots in Tangier including Italian writer and botanist Umberto Pasti’s garden, the places he still wants to travel, and the countries that have impacted him most (for instance, Kashmir on a houseboat with flower sellers in the rain).

Plus, Melissa shares her latest discoveries from a recent trip she took to Florence, as well as tips for traveling with pets over the holiday season.

For more information on our 2024 Insider Journey heading to magical Tangier, explore here.

For more information about Jasper Conran and to see his latest collections and designs, visit www.jasperconran.com. To stay up to date with Jasper and his brand, check out his personal account @jasperconran and his shop account @jasperconranlondon on Instagram.

For more information on Villa Mabruka and to book your stay in Tangier, head to villamabrouka.com. To check out L'Hôtel Marrakech in the Medina, visit l-hotelmarrakech.com.

If you’re interested in joining the Indagare Insider Journey, Inside Tangier: Private Houses & Gardens, hosted by Melissa Biggs Bradley in May 2024, visit Indagare.com/InsiderJourneys.

You can read Indagare COO Eliza Harris’ personal reflection on her experience during the recent earthquake in Morocco and more on the non-profit, Education For All, in the article