Design Royalty

Award-winning British designer, business entrepreneur and former fashion model, India Hicks shares her favourite home and away haunts

Favourite hangout close to home? 

Kamalame Cay, in the Bahamas. It's literally a skip across the bay from our home on Harbour Island by plane, but a world away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, with delicious food, using local products and perhaps more importantly, a sensational bar menu. Giant backgammon boards, swaying palm trees, and bone fishing, are all part of lazy afternoons and long weekends.

www.kamalame.com/exclusive-experiences

Best global getaway for design inspiration?

My heart is lost to Paris. I lived there when I was a struggling model in the nineties and have since returned for several extended stays. On our most recent visit, my partner, David and I found a lovely apartment. Once we were fully vaccinated, we were able to travel back and forth on the Eurostar and spend some quality time there. Nothing is more inspiring than a city made up of tiny villages with cobbled streets and monument lined boulevards, breath-taking museums, bistros, lamplit bridges, art nouveau cafes, glorious food and stylish shopping. The romance of Paris hasn’t been lost on us and after 25 years of not being married, it actually inspired us to tie the knot. We had a Parisian jewellery designer create a ring for me. Now to set a date.

At the beginning of the summer, I returned with two of my five children. We cruised down the Seine in a classic wooden boat, and marvelled at the burning wax sculptures in the Bourse de Commerce. We drank hot chocolate in Cafe Floré, wizzed by Notre Dame on scooters and sat on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur and felt excited by life again.

Luxury villa or swanky boutique hotel?

I would always prefer the privacy of a villa, and although I don’t cook very much, actually I don’t cook at all, but I love the informality, warmth and intimacy that a kitchen brings. Also with five children, it’s very unwise to risk a hotel. I speak from experience.

When I travel, I’m never without…

I wish my answer was something adventurous like a pair of binoculars, but it's inevitably my phone. I want to be able to call my mother at any given moment. I want to send photos to David and message the kids. I also want to read snippets of news, and watch ridiculous memes, check my calendar, search for an address or order pizza. So disappointing, I know.

Top destination on your bucket list?

The Galápagos Islands - my mother went there and lost her passport, but she also met one of Captain Cook’s tortoises.

www.indiahicks.com