JETSETTER'S GUIDE

Exclusive: See Photos from Fashion Designer Jonathan Simkhai’s Breathtaking Honeymoon in Greece

The designer, who has dressed the likes of Gigi Hadid, Yara Shahidi, and Emily Ratajkowski, breaks down all the details of his honeymoon.

by Lauren McCarthy

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As July slowly creeps into August, you’ll find that more and more of the fashion set start to flee their normal lives in favor of a far-off destination. Jonathan Simkhai‘s recent getaway wasn’t just a typical vacation, however; the fashion designer jetted off to Greece for his honeymoon, following his June wedding to fashion publicist TJ Allers. “We wanted to travel somewhere with beautiful beaches, blue waters, the option for adventure, and most importantly, amazing food,” says Simkhai. “The always changing scenery of the Greek Islands was an easy choice but we actually planned the trip around the baptism of my Goddaughter in Athens. Many of our best friends who attended the ceremony of the baptism were present for our wedding, and they joined us as we sailed the sea. It was definitely an unconventional but unbelievable way to celebrate our marriage.” Here, the designer who has dressed the likes of Gigi Hadid, Yara Shahidi, and Emily Ratajkowski, among many others, breaks down all the details of the honeymoon.

What was the most memorable experience you had on this trip? One of our first mornings at sea, we woke up to find our boat docked in a tiny cove on the island of Paros. There’s a small beach bar in Faragas only accessible by sea, which serves freshly caught fish. We all dove from the boat, and swam to the beach in the morning for breakfast. I will never forget that day.

What was the best thing you ate on the trip? One day after we had been exploring the island of Paros by ATV we found a seaside taverna call Siparos. They had the most phenomenal seafood and saganaki. We sat outside at a rickety table right by the water and stuffed ourselves with octopus, calamari, and fresh sea urchin served on slices of lemon. The food was just plucked from the sea and the freshest seafood I can remember eating!

What were the highlights of your trip? I had the wonderful opportunity to partner with Enny Monaco in Mykonos on an exclusive pop-up shop for my Pre-Fall 2017 Collection. The store concept is unreal and they threw an amazing party while I was in Mykonos. I love meeting my international customers and getting to know their style. It was so wonderful seeing my collection set in such a beautiful location.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Simkhai

Where are your must-visits for someone traveling to Greece? Hopping around the Cyclades by boat is a must. When you’re on the island of Mykonos definitely stop by Enny Monaco shop. Aside from the beautifully styled collection, the artwork they curate from local talent was worth getting lost in the winding streets for. Also, make sure you spend time at Alemagou! It is an amazing beach and restaurant that turns into a surprisingly cool party.

Where would you recommend people stay in Greece? Definitely charter a boat to take you around the islands. There’s nothing like the sea gently rocking you to sleep. And, I loved staying at Bohéme in Mykonos, our suite overlooked the sea and you have a consistently epic sunset every night. After spending more time there, I do think a lot of people overlook Athens in favor of the islands. We had an amazing time seeing the sites in Athens and hopping around the seaside towns. The mainland is not to be missed and the nightlife on the beach could give Mykonos a run for its money.

What did you purchase during your trip? I loved wandering through the little boutiques along the islands. We picked up a few traditional locally produced and hand-embroidered pieces for our moms and nieces and then some cotton tunics for ourselves.

Photo couresty of Jonathan Simkhai

How did your destination factor in when packing for the trip? I focused on packing light easy clothes. My suitcase was filled with basics that all went together. I think simplicity is key when traveling.

What were some of your favorite outfits you wore on the trip? My go-to outfit for being on the open seas was a light-weight white linen t-shirt with APC shorts and classic Ray-Bans. That being said, I probably spent 85% of my trip in swim trunks.

What are your packing tips? For myself, it’s all about versatile basics, linen and cotton for daytime and cool silks that feel soothing at night when the temperature drops and your skin has spent some time in the sun. I did make sure I packed some Simkhai swim for our friends on our trip. Throw in a couple of swimsuits with coordinating coverups and you’ll go seamlessly from dipping into the sea to sunset cocktails.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Simkhai

Semitekolo Nikolas

What are your must-haves for a long flight? Hydration is very important for me. I always pick up the largest bottle of SmartWater for my flight and I don’t go many places without Kiehl’s daytime reviving oil. And great headphones to go with a fully loaded Netflix queue!

Do you have any pre- or post- flight rituals? Selfies next to my sleeping husband’s hilarious facial expressions.

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