May 2021 Editor's Letter
“I love all of the African continent; there isn’t one country I love more than another. Each place in Africa has something magical about it.” —Naomi Campbell
If you, like me, have sorely missed exploring other parts of the world this year, then this, AD’s international issue, is the ticket to some extremely satisfying armchair travel. Wondering where British megamodel and cover star Naomi Campbell, the ideal defnition of a professional jetsetter, prefers to unwind? For 20 years Campbell’s chosen escape has been the quiet seaside town of Malindi, Kenya, overlooking the Indian Ocean. “It’s a very calming place,” says Campbell, who was recently appointed Kenya’s official tourism ambassador but plans to champion all 54 of Africa’s countries in her new role. Campbell’s serene villa, set within a gorgeous resort, is the ultimate indoor/outdoor fantasy and offers many insights into the rich culture of Malindi.
I hope you will also enjoy a little jaunt to Melbourne, Australia, where AD pays a visit to the funky, cool, and ultimately sophisticated home of the young, super-successful singer-songwriter-actor Troye Sivan, who cites several global destinations as reference points for his design aesthetic. “I was living in the States for about five years, longing to be in Australia, before the pandemic brought me home,” says Sivan, adding, “There’s a strong affinity between Melbourne and L.A. in terms of climate and architecture. That strain of California midcentury modernism has been a big influence. I also love the time I’ve spent in Japan. The idea of wabi-sabi, the perfectly imperfect, really resonates with me.”
Finally, I relished getting a glimpse into ancient Korean traditions via senior design editor Hannah Martin’s fascinating story about designer Teo Yang’s traditional hanoks in Seoul, built around an interior courtyard. “These houses are all about living with nature,” says Yang of the wood, tile, and stone structures, which have stood the test of the time. “Those messages don’t stay in the past. They still speak to people living in the 21st century.” In these pages, a world tour and a history lesson, without leaving your own home.
-Amy Astley, Editor in Chief, @amyastley
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
