Travelling is addictive because every trip brings a new purpose – be it work, relaxation or exploration. What unites them all is the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture: how people live, eat, dress, and move through their day. This exchange of perspective is endlessly enriching. A standout memory is hiking up Yosemite Falls with one of my closest friends. The view from the top across the entire valley, with its iconic rock faces like El Capitan and the tallest waterfall in North America, is etched in my mind. Climbing from a misty pine-filled base to a snowy plateau complete with babbling rivers and sheer cliffs tested my fear of heights and rewarded me with unforgettable scenery.

For architecture and design, Maison Brummell Majorelle in Marrakech is breathtaking – a project built from scratch by New Zealand architect Bergendy Cooke alongside Moroccan architect Amine Abouraoui, for Austrian hotelier Christian Schallert. It was created to host friends, family and travellers with an eye for style and authenticity. For unbeatable city buzz, The Ludlow on New York’s Lower East Side is surrounded by incredible restaurants, shops and music venues – plus, it offers panoramic views of the city. In Europe, The Lydmar Hotel in Stockholm stands out for its stunning interiors and curation of contemporary art. When I need to disconnect, Le Jardin des Douars near Essaouira, Morocco, lets me completely unwind.

Italy has a special place in my heart both professionally and personally. I’m lucky to visit regularly for work and leisure, and every trip feels like a return to something deeply familiar yet always new. My first visit was to Puglia, staying in a farmhouse surrounded by fruit trees and vineyards. Every meal featured produce picked straight from the surrounding farm. Florence is my favourite city; I first went for Pitti Uomo and have returned countless times since for weddings, holidays and work. We manufacture MONC eyewear in Italy, sourcing everything locally from our two small factories. Visiting these sites isn’t just a chance to oversee production hands-on but also a way to recharge and reconnect with why I started the brand.

Setting up MONC was the result of wanting to do things differently. Coming into the eyewear industry as a designer, I was shocked at how unsustainable and opaque it was. I wanted to disrupt that. Of course, it hasn’t been easy – there’s a lot of resistance to change but the satisfaction that comes from making progress and hearing our customers' feedback makes it worth it. We're now planning to open a couple more London stores over the next 18 months and take MONC to a global audience.