Editor's Note: July 2023

What a difference a year makes. Last year, we were all still sitting around talking about where we might want to go as soon as pandemic restrictions lifted. This year, not a conversation goes by without someone talking about where they’ve been or asking where someone is flying off to next

Discussions about passport renewals and how long the queue is to renew visas and passes occupy the public consciousness. Social media is once again proliferating images of overseas celebrities spotted around town and a cornucopia of stories and posts of everyone’s travels.

In this spirit, it’s with immense pleasure we bring you our summer travel issue. It’s the first time I’ve even been able to collect stories of visits to far-flung paradises that we can all actually get ourselves to since I joined almost three years ago. It’s also our first travel issue at #legend – nothing like a three-year pandemic to truly bring home the gift that is being able to go around and see the world. We’re not alone here.

Our cover star Ji Chang Wook finds nothing more restorative than trips abroad. He makes time, be it a few hours or a day, to take in every new city he visits – even if he’s there for work. We meet him this time in Macau for our cover shoot, celebrating the grand opening of The Karl Lagerfeld hotel. There’s something magical, he says, about soaking in the energy of a place, be it the unique mix of East and West found in the former Portuguese colony or from a campsite on Jeju Island. That’s why he had no problems taking the MTR when he was in Hong Kong last March.

Also see: A look at the new Karl Lagerfeld Macau hotel

You’ll find the travel features at the back of the book. From Project Mitico, a collaboration between Galleria Continua and Belmond, which, in its second edition, sees seven artists and their work installed across a selection of Belmond properties in Europe and Brazil, to the seamless integration of modernity and tradition at Park Hyatt Kyoto for an upgraded experience in everyone’s favourite ancient Japanese capital. And what travel plans wouldn’t take into account sand and beach holidays?

Stephenie Gee, our features writer, travelled to the faraway shores of Joali Maldives and the Zulal Wellness Resort overlooking the Arabian Gulf to confirm they’re options you won’t regret. With summer plans come summer beauty and this issue we’re also bringing you our first official Beauty Awards. Check out which brands have made the cut for your vanity and beauty bag. We also have a story on summer hair, where hairstylist-to-the-stars Ray Chan tells us how best to keep those locks luscious and lustrous come sun or seawater.

There’s so much more but I’ll leave you to discover the rest yourself because as legendary magazine sage Diana Vreeland once said, “The eye has to travel”. Even if you’re staying home this summer, we want to give you at least this opportunity.”

Also see: #obsessed: Top picks from Bulgari, Chanel, Montblanc and more