Viva Magazine (Manchester, UK)

Perhaps the most interesting part of Manchester Fashion Week is how much of it is designed for people who don’t work in fashion. The week opens with Fashion: The Conversation, bringing together Katharine Hamnett, Lynne Franks and journalist Sophie Benson to debate the industry’s direction and the changes it needs to make. Then there is Interwoven: Threads & Futures Connected, a free exhibition at Castlefield Gallery exploring the journey from fibre and materials to the clothes we eventually wear.

Although it was a long journey ahead, we began our travel day refreshed after an overnight stay at Dakota Manchester Airport – a hotel designed around the idea that your holiday should start the night before you fly. The seventh Dakota property is an impressive addition to Manchester Airport, with smart interiors, aviation-inspired artwork, and a fleet of Dakota-branded Mercedes and BMW people carriers that provide round-the-clock transfers to the terminals.

One of the sale’s standout pieces is a black-and-gold military-style jacket worn by Michael Jackson during the 1990s. The jacket has been photo-matched to appearances between 1994 and 1996, during the Dangerous and HIStory eras. Its distinctive 24-carat gold braiding can be seen in photographs and footage from the period. It was created by Jackson’s long time costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, before being given to Jackson by Norwegian rapper and dancer Omer Bhatti.

A gap year after university appeals to a lot of graduates, but the ones that go well tend to share one thing: the practical side was sorted months before departure. Finances, documents, health cover, and a rough route all need to be addressed while you still have time to fix problems. None of this has to be rigid. But the foundations should be in place before you board the flight. Choosing a Route You do not need a day-by-day plan, but you do need a general direction.

Forget the designer handbag. Right now, happiness looks suspiciously like a £14 mug. Or a new lip balm. A ridiculously cute keyring. A Korean skincare product you absolutely did not set out to buy. Perhaps a tiny bag shaped like a ghost. Welcome to the little treat economy, where we’re thinking twice about spending hundreds of pounds but will happily part with £10, £15 or £20 for something that makes an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday feel slightly better. And we are doing it a lot.

Forget the designer handbag. Right now, happiness looks suspiciously like a £14 mug. Maybe even a tiny bag shaped like a ghost, a new lip balm, a ridiculously cute keyring or a Korean skincare product you absolutely did not set out to buy. Welcome to the little treat economy, where shoppers think twice about spending hundreds of pounds,  but are happily willing to part with £10, £15 or £20 for something that makes an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday feel slightly better. And we are doing it a lot.

Forget the designer handbag. Right now, happiness looks suspiciously like a £14 mug. Maybe even a tiny bag shaped like a ghost, a new lip balm, a ridiculously cute keyring or a Korean skincare product you absolutely did not set out to buy. Welcome to the little treat boom, where spending hundreds of pounds makes us think twice, but £10, £15 or £20 on something that makes an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday feel a little better? That’s another story. And we are doing it a lot.

Of course, eventually somebody is going to suggest the ice bath. Cold plunging has somehow gone from something practised by professional athletes and exceptionally determined Scandinavians to an activity that seemingly everyone in Phuket is willing to try. Breathe’s cold baths go down to around 3°C. Three.

Then comes the sight that needs no introduction. The journey from Delhi to Agra is a long one, but travelling by private luxury taxi makes it considerably more comfortable. And yes, the Taj Mahal really is worth the early start. There is a tendency with world-famous landmarks to wonder whether they can possibly live up to the photographs. The Taj Mahal does. Seeing it in person is different.

Forget New York. Forget Miami. If you’re looking for an American city break with serious style, fabulous food, culture, shopping and a little bit of space-age magic thrown in, Houston, Texas, deserves a place on your radar. And what better way to start than flying there in British Airways First Class? My Houston adventure began at London Heathrow, where First Class check-in made the usual airport faff remarkably painless.