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Business Traveller

Hollywood Style: Keeping Individuality While Traveling; What Airlines, Hotels, Luggage Say About You; See Los Angeles, From the Getty Center to the Farmer's Market.

Aired March 08, 2008 - 09:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RICHARD QUEST: Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, this month reporting from (inaudible). We're in Hollywood because the show is all about style. As travelers of the world, we want to express our own individuality. To be sure, we want to fit in and look the part but at the same time stand alone. We know that a life on the road is no longer one size fits all.
Hollywood is the perfect place to look at this because in this city you see and be seen. Here, image is everything.

Coming up, whatever your style, this Hollywood stylist has the tips for you. Adds of style with your luggage, what it can say about you. And live like an Angelean (ph) from "Sunrise to Sunset."

Come to the top of Mulholland Drive just outside Hollywood and, yes, you get a glimpse of the million dollar homes that make up the movie lifestyle.

Now, of course, we can't all afford to live like this. But we do have our own individual style and image. And we can take that on the road with us. It influences the airlines that you choose to fly and, of course, the hotels where we choose to stay.

PILOT: Tower, 420 ready for take off.

TOWER: 420, you're clear to go.

QUEST: This is how our love affair with air travel began. Back then, few of us flew. It was expensive, a privilege for the elite. There was a sense of occasion when taking to the skies. And you made sure you wore your Sunday best.

Today, flying around the world has become second nature. With so many different airlines, there's fierce competition. It is the carrier that understands the passenger the most. In order to be in tune, airlines have to spend money.

JENNIFER COUTTS CLAY, COBAN (ph) INTERIOR CONSULTANT: Each airline has to decide on core values, color schemes, for example. Is it going to be a dramatic, glamorous carrier, Virgin Atlantic, for instance? Is it going to be a serious, business-like carrier, for example, Delta? Is it going to be a little more exotic, colorful, for example Thai International?

The airlines spend an absolute fortune. All of the effort goes into ensuring repeat business. That's why style is essential.

QUEST: Style, of course, is subjective and at the whim of the moment. But there are some airlines that stand out.

CLAY: right now, it seems that the style leader is Emirates. They use a lot of light colors inside. This is called the sunny honey look, this very gentle, rather warm cabin setting. It's almost like being in a very, very super hotel. And that's the feeling that the flight attendants manage to communicate.

QUEST: In this new world, it's just as important to stay in touch with passengers after they get off of the plane because that's how you know what they want next time around.

The all-business class carrier, Eos, built a corner (ph) in the market. It carved out a niche from London to New York. The airline even has a chief lifestyle officer.

ADAM KOMACK, CHIEF LIFESTYLE OFFICER, EOS: I spend as much time with the guests as possible. In any given week, I'm e-mailing back and forth with 20, 30 guests. What I want to know is, on the emotional side, did you feel appreciated. Did you enjoy the trip? Did we inspire you? Did our service inspire you in your own life? Would you go out for a drink with us if we asked you to come next week on a Wednesday, and come out on your own time and have a drink with us, which many of our guests do?

QUEST: British Airways recognized this shift when it redesigned Club World, calmer colors, more personal space and choice throughout the flight. These are the hallmarks. And the man who helped them find their way was the style guru, Tyler Brule.

TYLER BRULE, EDITOR, MONOCLE: There's no question that both style and travel go hand in hand. And there are many shorthands which, I think, perhaps say a lot about your business. What airline did you arrive on? What hotel are you staying at?

If you're going into a new market, for example, and you're doing cold calls even, yes, they might ring you back on your mobile phone, but there's also in something to be said in, I'm in residence at hotel X. And if that's a five-star property, it potentially means you're in business and you're a different type of player.

QUEST: The hotels we stay in are just as important in sending out the right image. Some look quirky in damage without compromising the quality of service, for instance, the triangular-shaped one Oldwich (ph) in London. And then there's the Haymarket Hotel, with its pool-side bar.

In the lobby of the Standard in Los Angeles, it may not be chic, but it's certainly cool. And it feels like a living room with its soft furnishings. And even that famous women in the box feels right at home in this hotel.

JASON DIBLER, THE STANDARD: This hotel is popping up with a boutique feel, which there's been boutique hotels for years now, but not something like the Standard has. But they are popping up all around but it's almost an empty feeling. It's like they're trying to make a copy of something but the soul's not there, the spirit of the whole thing. It is. It's organic. It's real here. It's not something that's -- it's not cookie-cutter. It's something that happens from the staff, the building, the image, the company.

QUEST: For the major chains, the boutique era has not gone unnoticed. They've ditched a cookie-cutter and got their hands dirty creating their own design hotels.

Starwood's (ph) W Brand led the way.

RUSSELL KETT, HUS CONSULTANCY: It's really taking off as being the lifestyle brand of the future but molded as part of a major hotel chain. And so it's a major hotel chains' answer to the lifestyle hotel and the smaller lifestyle brands that have evolved in recent years.

QUEST: To be sure, if we live in a particular way, we want the same when we travel. But, of course, it may actually be harder to deliver.

BRULE: I think it's quite tricky to be able to say, I'm walking in the front door right now and I want to have this seamless experience through flying, through hotels, which says everything about me. You can hire the best industrial designer to develop a cabin for your airline, but it's going to fall apart if the service experience is bad. No matter what happens, no matter what style cues or design cues that you put into the equation, it's purely going to come down to manpower and service every single time.

QUEST: Coming up after the break, packing for the road. Styles to suit every occasion.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive.

QUEST: They call this part of Rodeo Drive the Walk of Style. Here, they know a thing or two about dressing well. At home, it's relatively easy to keep your own image, your own style. On the road, it's much more difficult. As you cross time zones and continents, you don't have the luxury of your entire wardrobe at your disposal.

There are, though, some basic rules we can follow. They will always ensure we look chic, never shabby.

In Hollywood, there are helpers to make sure you always look your best. One of the gatekeepers of style is Negar Ali.

This shirt looks just the ticket for a trip.

I would like to take something like this along on the trip.

NEGAR ALI, STYLIST: No, no, certainly not. No. At home, you have the luxury of wearing this shirt. This may be your favorite shirt. You may love this shirt. But the truth is, you probably only wear it once every three months.

On the road, you want to pack pieces that you know you're going to wear at least a few times.

QUEST: Clearly, I have to be ruthless, downsize my wardrobe. Women have always had the little black dress. But now I'm learning that men also have a secret weapon. It's called the big gray suit.

We've got a gray and we're got a blue.

ALI: Yes.

QUEST: Now I would be tempted to go with the blue.

ALI: Really?

QUEST: I would always attempt to go with the blue because it's classic, it's conservative and it's boring.

ALI: Well, it's classic and it's conservative, yes. And you can wear it for your business meeting and you can wear it for business lunches. But the gray suit still has something that's very, very chic about it that you can work into evening wear. Whereas, I think the navy blue suit doesn't work as well for evening wear.

QUEST: You're right. You're exactly right. It doesn't. You look like you're wearing your...

ALI: You look like you're wearing your day time suit out at night.

Here you have four different shirts with the gray suit.

QUEST: When I pack, I would tend to pack mainly three or four of the same colored shirts.

ALI: Well, I think it's a good idea -- I mean, shirts don't take up a lot of space. So I think -- you know, just so that you can vary your look, especially, you know, if you're away for about two to three weeks. You don't want to wear the same white shirt. You don't want to wear the same blue shirt. You want to have another shirt that has a little bit of texture, maybe a stripe in it, maybe a pattern in it, just to mix things up.

I think it's a good idea always to take a black shirt, just so that you can put that on in the evening, maybe leave it without a tie, undone. And you have a very, very easy, but still very chic look for the evening.

QUEST: OK, so the first thing to pack should always be that gray suit with two or three different colored shirts.

ALI: The rules are very different when it comes to women's wear, especially in the business environment. You know, women have a lots more options when it comes to fashion.

QUEST: But the goal is still the same, isn't it? The goal is still to keep your individuality, the lifestyle that you wish to promote at home, you wish to show overseas.

ALI: Yes, absolutely. You don't have to sacrifice your individuality just because you're traveling and you only have one suitcase to do it in.

I think that people want to have pieces that are exclusive. And this is precisely why luxury brands are still doing well, even though our economy's going into recession. I think people want items that set them apart from others.

QUEST: When it comes to casual wear, the rules don't change. You take what you can wear most frequently. That means neutral is the key.

ALI: This is one of my favorite looks, actually. Put a white T-shirt under there, do it with a pair of dark denim and you're instantly chic and ready for any situation.

QUEST: Dare I say this works. I was going to say, the "B" word.

ALI: No. I completely disagree with that.

QUEST: B-OR-I-N-G.

ALI: No, Richard, it's not what -- because once you try these on -- what's very, very cool about this look is the cut, is the fits, where it's hung, and they have a very, very traditional fit. So this isn't your traditional boxy, tacky blazer. The way it's cut it's -- do you want to put it on?

QUEST: Let's put it to the test.

ALI: Oh, my. I've instantly hipified you.

QUEST: I beg your pardon.

ALI: You look great.

QUEST: It feels very good.

ALI: You look great. You look understated. You look handsome. You look chic and very, very fashionable.

But these are the basics that you need to travel with, these neutral tones that you can layers, that you can wear all at once or just a piece on it's own. And it's not boring. And you're still maintaining your individuality, keeping your personal style. But you can still travel in a very light way. You don't have to be bogged down with several suitcases. Just pack a few key pieces and keep interchanging them along the way.

QUEST: So we've got the clothes. Now we need something to put them in. It used to be any old bag would do. After all, surely, it's designed to protect the contents within. But in these image conscious days, that won't do.

As a visit to Fred Siegel Department Store on Melrose shows to me. Samsonite, Mandarina-Duck, all familiar labels to the frequent traveler. And all manufacturers have changed their design to recognize what we want - - different colors, different textures. We still demand a firm handle and a good pair of wheels. But now we want our luggage to say a little big more about us and our country.

Luggage has become an extension of our image. We want to ensure we look the part, not just for business, but for those extended days of leisure.

JOHN CROSSICK, LUGGAGE DIRECTOR, HARRODS: Tumi is the business person's case of choice and a lot of people recognize that as having certain kudos (ph) in the business, the fraternity.

Now they've come out, through David Chou, who's their new designer, with what I call a more aesthetically pleasing design, going back a bit more toward luxury, more leather on the pelisses.

QUEST: Tumi may be at the top but why not try other brands that offer something different?

CROSSICK: The more flamboyant businessman will be looking for Zero, someone that likes that design there. This is from a tanning company called Pecatra (ph). It's thematically continental European or Italian look. They're more designed probably more for the media businessman. For eyebrow bling and something that's just going to wow people in the airports, the new Zero Halliburton Texalium (ph). It's a lightweight, very, very strong case.

But otherwise, looking at other brands, which are more designed, whether it's Zero Halliburton -- Mandarina-Duck also has it's own -- has it's own kudos (ph) as well.

QUEST: I feel a CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER route is coming on. We found two business travelers to try some out.

Robert is using the Rimova Bolero, Julian, the Workbag by Mandarina- Duck.

JULIAN OUDART, BUSINESS TRAVELLER: I usually look for accommodation of design, practicalities. And it's got to be rubber (ph) but also it has to be good looking.

ROBERT BERGMAN: I think the most important aspect is the usability, you know, good quality. It's light. If it's eased off in the (inaudible).

QUEST: And the verdict?

OUDART: The recommendation is for a business traveler. (ph) But this one is glitzy, classy and it's black so it fits the business traveler's needs as well. I like the pocket in the front so you can store your own stuff and your papers. Here you can easily put your laptop and other papers. So it's very handy.

BERGMAN: I actually prefer mine for the simple reason that I don't particularly like these backs here on the outside. Ultimately, this seems to be the more robust, also with the way you can pull it.

OUDART: There's an expectedness with the brand, I think. But it also has to be robust and practical at the same time. So we didn't go for this one only for the brand or for the design, but I think it's in combination.

BERGMAN: The pricing of this one is over 200 pounds, quite expensive for what it is. But then, if you see the quality, you feel it will last longer for another one for less money. So you're happy to spend the extra money.

QUEST: So it's a thumbs up for Rimova and Mandarina-Duck. But how stylist are you on the road? E-mail us about your style and traveling light at the usual address, quest@cnn.com.

And when we come back, forget the movies. Discover other scenes in L.A. from "Sunrise to Sunset."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Welcome back to BUSINESS TRAVELLER. As our life on the road as become more complicated, so we're carrying with us many more gadgets, anything from portable GPS machines, iPods, Blackberries, DVD drives, even the latest 3G modems. With all this machinery comes the risk of losing it.

It happened to me only last week. I was in a taxi in New York. My Trio PDA fell out of my pocket and I thought that was that, never to be seen again. Luckily, though, I had invested in a tagging service.

The person who found it was able to anonymously contact me. This e- mail protects my identity. The finder doesn't know who I am. And I don't know who the finder is. We can then communicate with each other to get my property back.

I use zReturn for my belongings, but there are plenty of others on line, if you just do a search for lost and found tags.

You basically buy the tags on line or in a store. And each tag has an individual number on it. You then go to that company's web site, register that tag with your property. And then, if the property is lost, and somebody finds it, you'll be informed about it.

Tagging your belongings, there's no guarantee that you will get them back. But it's a very good first line of defense.

So I've got no hesitation in saying tagging your goods is the CNN "Smart Traveller" tip.

The popular view of Los Angeles is it's a city of style with no substance, movies and mayhem. You'd be making a big mistake if you went home with that impression.

You need to make time to visit places like this shining beacon on the hill. It is the Getty Center.

Admission to the Getty is free. You just have to pay the car parking and that costs $8.

There are plenty of ways to fill your days in L.A. so we asked the documentary film maker, Morgan Neville, for his suggestions of what to do from "Sunrise to Sunset."

MORGAN NEVILLE, DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKER: This is the Farmer's Market. This is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. It's a great place to come for breakfast or lunch. And let's go look around and see what we can find.

It's called the Farmer's Market because you can come here and buy produce, as people have been doing for 75 years. From that, it's grown into this maze of stores and slodegas (ph) and coffee houses and butchers and this and that. Anything else you could need, you can find right here at the Farmer's Market.

Here you can witness a little bit of the bounty of California's produce, pretty much like the biggest apples you've ever seen and you can kill somebody with one of these oranges.

This is actually one of my favorite places for lunch. This is the Gumbo Pod, New Orleans style food, gumbo, estchufe (ph). I mean everything on the menu here is amazing. And the Jalapeno cornbread is to die for.

I think today we're going to go to Phil's Deli for the best eggs around. It looks good. So on the menu, it's pretty standard deli breakfast. But it's great.

Really, the thing that's so great about this place is just how eclectic it is. There's no place else I can think of where you can see such a mix of food, cuisine, people, culture, as you are right in this little area here.

Ah, that was a great morning out. And I think it's time for a little culture. Let's go over to Santa Monica and check out Bergamot Station.

I like to say that L.A. is a great place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit there. And that's because you actually have to find things that are hidden in this city. And one of my favorite hidden treasures is where we are now, which is Bergamot Station. Pretty much the top art galleries in L.A. are right here, as is the Santa Monica Museum of Art.

One of the great things about coming down to a place like this, the Bergamot, is that there are so many galleries. And until you open that door, you have no idea what's going on inside.

And one gallery next door might have incredible line drawings from the 1950s. And then you come into a visual place like this and it's street graffiti art from today from young artists in Los Angeles. And this is just so visual.

I mean, the incredible thing about this space, it doesn't look like much from the outside. It's just these corrugated, tin industrial sheds. But inside are these incredible art galleries that have just some of the most cutting edge art going on in L.A.

And L.A. has really been exploding recently as an art capital. I mean, that's really what the city has been successful selling itself as.

Pretty cool. That was fun.

QUEST: In a city where everyone drives, you need to remember L.A. is huge. Freeway rush hour starts early, in the morning, before 7:00. In the afternoon, by the time it's 3:00, it's gridlock.

And forget about flagging down a cab. Make sure you have a number to call because taxis can rarely be caught on the street.

Sunset over the Getty with the Pacific in the background -- now that's what I call style.

And that is CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER for this month. I'm Richard Quest, reporting from Los Angeles. Wherever your travels may take you, I hope it's profitable. And I'll see you next month.

END

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