What I Did On My Summer Vacation: Geren Ford Makes Us Jealous

A photo of Geren at the Berkeley Hotel in London.

Designer Geren Ford loves to travel. She even wrote a column for us chronicling her fabulous romps through El Bulli in Spain, to Doris Duke’s Shangri La estate in Hawaii, to Jamaica. So it’s no surprise that for her summer holiday she crammed five European cities into a month. She house-swapped for a lazy stay in the English countryside, rode bikes in Amsterdam, stayed at a super fun hotel in London that offers guests a trunk of vintage clothes to play dress up in, and fell in love with Stockholm. Have a read, take a look, and try not to hate Geren for having so many fun adventures.

From Geren:

This summer I stole away to Europe for a month. I was lucky enough to have friends in almost all the places I visited which made for a very off-the-high street experience. I ended up in London, Lewes in the English country, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Stockholm. It was both inspiring and relaxing and reminded me of when I was little and spent my summers traveling between familiar places and people while visiting my dad in NYC and my grandparents in the country in Northern California.

Click through to follow Geren on her European adventure and pick up some tips if you find yourself in one of these cities anytime soon!

A great vintage store in Stockholm–Lisa Larsson provided a good spot of inspiration among all the art and food and friends. Fashion in Stockholm is cool, easy and very chic. A grand dinner table set with the greatest Scandinavian design pieces in the most engaging haphazard way protected by the grates. I really really need to throw a huge dinner where we’re all caged in someday soon. It was very Henry VIII meets Alexander McQueen, sexy and divine. Possibly the best Kir Royal I’ve ever had, served to me by a French girl working at the Hotel Lydmore in Stockholm. If you’re in Stockholm in the summer ensure you make it here for an afternoon cocktail.
This is Dave from Manchester who works at B.A.R. in Stockholm, a great concept for a restaurant from the chef of LUX (Michelin stars and all). The meal I had here was so delicious I bought the signed cookbook in Swedish. Now I just need someone to translate it for me… This is the massive Calder installation at the Modern Art Museum–a 3 min walk from the Skeppsholman. The collection was impressive and VERY well edited. I went on my last day in Stockholm and would have regretted not seeing it. The pool at the top of The Berkeley Hotel where I spent the last two days of my month away. Friends came over to the suite each day and night, and it was the best possible farewell I could give to my summer holiday. You will be missed….both the holiday and the Berkeley!
The “Fashion Trunk” that was in my room at the Berkeley when I arrived. It’s a genius invention. Full of designer vintage accessories and treats that can be borrowed, worn and returned. I have to say after a month away and lugging my stuff with me I really didn’t want to see anything I already owned. But this trunk! I wanted it all! It refreshed my fashion for the last two days. This is a photo of me with a lovely fur stole on from the fashion trunk at The Berkeley Hotel the day before I headed home. Interior shot of Donlon Books in London. Marcus frequents this in search of inspirational photography and art books. Its proprietor (in the photo) Conor is a savant. Visit him and you’ll leave cooler and more educated than when you arrived.
Stockholm. Lots of water, lots of ships, lots of really beautiful people, lots of wonderful food, lots of great fashion. WHY didn’t anyone tell me 10 years ago? Alas I will be back ASAP. Dominic, Alex & I on a walk across the hills in south England. It was a gem of a day. We crossed paths with more cows, sheep, goats and hand gliders than expected for sure. Quinn in the car service as we headed to drop her off at the dog version of “summer with the grandparents.” She stays with amazingly close friends who spoil her more than I ever could. The hat was procured long ago on a holiday in Mexico City. (I might wear it later on the album…)
My wonderful friend Dominic allowed me to squat at his East London house for the first 5 days of my journey, these are two of his MANY tennis shoes being used to prop open the door of a vintage armoire so he can use the mirror on the other side. They looked like an installation the next day and I had to snap them. Me in Amsterdam on my trusty bike from the Dylan (stay here it’s AMAZING) heading home from a good friend’s housewarming party that I was lucky enough to be in town for. This was the bed in the master suite of the house. The suite ROCKED.
I left London by car–yes a car driven by me on the other side of the road–for my house swap in the English country side. This is a view of one of the three outdoor lounging areas. I took a quick trip to Brighton to check it out before my friends arrived from London and literally ran into these two on the street and couldn’t help myself–I had to take their photo. They were beyond sweet and gracious as I attacked them with my camera. The beach in Brighton–it’s rocky but it was cool.
Lots and Lots of cows. Me out on the rocks at the “Seven Sisters” on the southern edge of England.

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