LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It’s probably because I have zero talent for manual labour (except on a keyboard, which I am using to write these lines), but I have a lot of respect for craftspeople and their handiwork. While the Maker Movement may be getting all the likes on Instagram, we’ve put together an issue that explores destinations where true know-how, far from being a mere hashtag, is ingrained in the culture – even in the way such places are sold to travellers.
France is one of the prime examples of this. For most people (especially the millions of customers who make the rounds of Paris’ luxury boutiques each year), the country is synonymous with chic. There’s nothing like visiting the workshop of a famous French label (which I recently did – see my story on page 65) to reveal the work behind the sumptuous marketing campaigns, and meet the artisans who show us what real luxury is. Whether they make perfume or leather goods, their craftsmanship is a national treasure that’s become a trademark for the country. And if, like me, you wind up not buying anything on your trip, I can assure you that high-end window shopping is still very satisfying.
On page 45, our journalist Wayne Curtis raises a glass to a completely different craft: the world of rummaking, for which the Caribbean, beyond the sun and sand, is rightly renowned. Wayne made his way through Barbados, Jamaica and Martinique to study the differences in terroir and production methods on these islands. (Yeah, we’re pretty hard on our contributors.) I was particularly interested in the St. Nicholas Abbey distillery in Barbados, only the second to open shop in the country in almost a century. They’ve been making rum in this part of the world for over 300 years, and it’s nice to see new producers continuing the long tradition. In his story, Wayne points out that any given rum represents the place it came from. I would add that it also reflects the people who made it, just like a great perfume, a fine champagne or a collectible piece of jewellery. Sure, they can be a little pricey, but the time and expertise that go into them are priceless.