Gregory Dava is has been covering men’s fashion weeks and other industry events for years, so naturally he’s constantly traveling. Based in LA, this full-time photojournalist knows what to pack for a last minute weekend away. Below, Dava shared his best travel and lifestyle tips ahead of a recent trip to the desert for a taste of the summer heat.
CAREER
I got started with blogging back in 2011 when dinosaurs walked the planet. I was working in a men’s wholesale showroom in downtown LA. At the time, “bloggers” had started going to Fashion Week and I saw there was a hole in the market for men—there weren’t that many men doing it then. I consider myself an early adopter. Prior to working in the showroom I was a personal assistant to a Swedish reality TV show DJ and so I had a little bit of a following from that already. I went full time in 2014. I always say that my life is 50 percent downtime and 50 percent holy shit crazy deadlines. I wouldn’t say my life is super hard or anything, but the biggest challenge is to stay on top of things. If you’re late to work and you work for yourself, there’s no one to blame but you. I’ve had to learn to be very responsible for my time and the finances that come with freelancing.
STYLE
I don’t own anything that I can’t throw in my suitcase at a moment’s notice. I dress for the destination I’m headed to, that way I can hop off the plane and seamlessly integrate to my new surroundings. I don’t believe in wasting time. For this trip it’s lots of linen and luxury skincare—I’m a Taurus, what do you expect?
GROOMING
My holy grails: Sonya Dakar Silver Clarifying Wash, Ole Henriksen Glow2Oh Toner, Pure Hyaluronic Acid, and Drunk Elephant Peptide Cream. I always take them all with me—I don’t believe in traveling light.
TRAVEL PHILOSOPHY
There are so many things I love about traveling. Time is my generation’s most prized possession and experience is its currency. Every morning is a new adventure when you’re on the road and you never fully know what the day has in store. Each time I board a flight, it grows me and I always come back home with a stronger sense of self. I’m not a destination snob, I’m literally down to go anywhere. I do have a soft spot for a good beach so Monaco, The Maldives, Cuba, and Cape Town are at the top of my list.
JET SET RITUALS
My favorite way to travel is asleep in economy because I have champagne taste on a beer budget. Hot tip: Kavinace anti-anxiety supplement. I always take this before I fly. Seat cushion plus a sleep mask, melatonin plus Headspace meditation one hour after take off. I can’t live without my phone, my travel playlist on Spotify, and my camera. I’m undoubtedly my best self at 30,000 feet, and I strongly believe in focusing on the journey.