Travelling to new places can reap all sorts of benefits; new experiences, meeting new people, learning about new cultures and broadening our minds. But there’s also a lesser known benefit which has even been proven by scientists: travel inspires our creativity.
Professor Adam Galinsky of Columbia Business School set out to explore this correlation and published research by the American Psychological Association. In it, Galinsky proves that creative directors from 270 of the world’s top fashion houses who had spent a significant time abroad produced more innovative and consistently creative fashion lines.
I can certainly believe that. Whenever I’m travelling to new places, I feel relaxed and happy, and new creative ideas flow more readily.
When I visited Murano, Italy in the Fall of 2016 to study under a Glass Master on the famed glass island across the lagoon from Venice, Italy, inspiration was everywhere. Murano has been Europe’s primary art glassmaking center since the 12th century, and the island seemed to buzz with creativity that permeated my very lungs. I learnt so much from my Glass Master during my time there, but I also found new creativity that has influenced much of my work since then.
When I travelled to Santorini, Greece, inspiration popped up around every corner. It’s a place that emanates romance with its beautiful sunsets and whitewashed buildings, and on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea “FOUND” was borne.
“FOUND” highlights the sanctity of opening up to new experiences and processing all that you discover.
Having travelled to so many different wonderful places, I know that it can change our perspective of how we view things. It’s hard to capture in words the moment when you see the sunset in Santorini over the iconic blue domes or the enchanting architecture in Murano above the lapping water of the canal. These moments are transformative; they take us out of our element and remind us of why we are here.