Your Bag is Empty
a very bassike christmas with giuliana defelice
creative director and founder of luxury skincare label the travelista, giuliana defelice invites us into her surry hills office space to share her christmas traditions, cherished memories from her childhood in italy, and how reconnecting with loved ones is the perfect way to recharge in the new year.
what are you most looking forward to this holiday season?
we’re spending time in new zealand this year. my husband luca and i are always on a plane to visit family at christmas, either to europe or to beautiful hawkes bay.
i cherish the journey, alternating each year from the quintessential outdoor summer christmas to a super cozy, snowy celebration - both really magical.
Giuliana wears viscose stripe man style shirt, crepe cuffed hem tailored pant and leather hiker sandal.
above right: Giuliana wears linen longerline shirt dress, straight leg lined linen pant and suede lace up sandal.
above left: the travelista jetset antioxidant boost, omega and facial oil, nutrient rich body wash, nutrient rich body balm and conditioning lip balm.
what is your favourite christmas tradition?
visiting our local orchards to pick up fresh cherries, apricots and nectarines for christmas day. many have the ‘honesty box’ system set up at the farm gate, with fruit packed in paper bags and prices scrawled above a makeshift money box. one stall close to us sells fresh crusty bread and little jars of homemade apricot jam every saturday morning, it’s an early, pre-breakfast run for this.
what is your most cherished holiday memory?
visiting my nonna in napoli when we were little, she would always have a secret supply of sweets in her bedroom, and when my papa called ‘basta!’ on the sugar overload, she would give the magic sign to follow her for extras. i kept these treats for later, nonna’s secret sweets always seemed to taste better too.
what does christmas mean to you?
a steady flow of pop-in visitors that join the family, happy faces and hugs.
what will you be giving this christmas and how do you do so in a conscious and sustainable way?
wherever we go, i’ll bring gifts from home that are beautifully made and thoughtfully designed. well chosen, even the simplest gift can become a long-lasting favourite.
Giuliana wears boatneck circle top, motley cotton voluminous pant and cut out leather sandal.
how will your family be celebrating this christmas?
it’s into the poraiti hills for an extended family christmas this year. my mother will bring her famous peperonata as part of a lovely long-lunch that spills out across the garden. all crammed in for a place at the table - i love it! best friends, a tangle of enthusiastic labradors looking for treats and peering over the fence, a llama called kevin.
what is your favourite dish to prepare for christmas lunch?
whilst i’d like to lay claim to the peperonata as my own creation, i’m best for antipasti platters, lighting candles and topping up glasses.
what are your must-haves for holiday event hosting?
panettone, a great playlist and a space filled with the people i love.
what is your approach to holiday dressing?
we’re always out on adventures that evolve throughout the day, so i’ll reach for easy, minimal shapes that feel like summer to wear - fresh, soft and light.
how do you rejuvenate and refresh in the new year?
rest for me is sharing time with my favourite people. we arrive from everywhere with fresh experiences, different points of view and lots of stories. we talk ideas, make plans for our next journeys and as we move from the beach to the garden to the porch, the thread of our conversations continue, often late into the long summer evenings.
"
we’ll be celebrating with best friends, a tangle of enthusiastic labradors looking for treats and peering over the fence, a llama called kevin.
"
giuliana's wishlist
giuliana's gift edit
photographs by claudia smith