Croatia-based Mirela Foric Srna leads a pretty fabulous life; she’s beloved by street-style photographers around the globe (they die over her effortless ‘cool girl’ style…as do we!), she’s a fashion mogul (she’s the central & eastern CEO of fashion & lifestyle powerhouse website Büro 24/7 (think Net-a-Porter meets Goop), and oh ya, she also happens to be drop dead gorgeous (beauty AND brains…some girls have all the luck!).  Here the glamorous jet-setter (“I think I’m on a plane at least once every 10 days”) talks to us about M&M’s, practical, black luggage, bucket-list destinations, and the travel souvenir she always keeps with her.

City you call home?

Zagreb, Croatia—even though I share my time between Ukraine and Croatia (since my husband is based there).  At the end of the day, home is where my family is.

How often do you travel?

Quite a lot—I think I am on a plane at least once every 10 days.

Favorite destinations to travel to?

If it’s for vacation then it would have to be the Maldives. I can rest there like nowhere else. I totally shift to my ‘zen place’, eat healthy, do yoga every day, get massages, and sleep well.  I also love to visit Paris and London—I have my favorite places and things I like to do in each city. I love getting lost wandering around Notting Hill and St. Germain. Actually, the truth is, I like to travel anywhere, anytime! 

Where’s your “happy place” to visit?

It really depends who I am traveling with, (if it’s with my daughter then it would have to be Disneyland!), But I would say NYC—I am always happy and inspired there. There is something about NYC that makes you feel you can do anything and be whoever you want.

What brand of luggage do you use?

I used to invest in luggage but I don’t anymore as all my suitecases get destroyed after their first few trips. With all my traveling, and the way airport staff handles baggage, they last at best 6 months. Now I buy classic, black Samsonite luggage.

What about your carry-on bag?

I use a Louis Vuitton monogram carry-on and a big, brown, Goyard, shopper bag that’s always filled with my daughter Kasia’s things—it has her name on it.

Do you bring a camera?

Yes, I have a few that I like to carry with me. I have a small Leica (with integrated wifi), or if I’m going to a destination where I know I’ll be inspired by the things around me I’ll pack a larger Sony camera.

Favorite airline?

I like British Airways for the luxury, Emirates for comfort and always being up to date, and Lufthansa gives me an extra feeling of safety.

Favorite airport?

London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 is great with all new designer shops. Dubai is quite amazing too—I love the business lounge that occupies the entire floor.

What are your in-flight travel essentials?

I always have tons of magazines with me—I buy them in bulk—I literally take everything from the stand! Face oil is also a must-have (I really like Fabulous Face Oil from Aesop), Sisley lip balm, CicaBiafine balm for hands, and a huge, Hermes, cashmere scarf that serves as a blanket.  Oh, and silk eye mask!

Aisle or window?

The aisle…for the simple fact that I can get up more easily.

Preferred in-flight beverage?

Water and Coca-Cola.

What music is on your travel playlist?

Whitney Houston, Coldplay, Celine Dion…

Gadget you can’t leave home without?

My iPhone!

Do you use any travel apps?

Nope…except the weather report, if that counts

Do you have any travel rituals or superstitions?

None.

How do you entertain yourself at 35,000 feet?

I either watch a movie or read a book. I just love when I have time to read—I just finished The Woman I Wanted to Be, by Diane von Furstenberg, which I loved.  Now I’m starting Thrive from Arianna Huffington.  The in-flight movies I prefer are usually blockbuster-hits that I missed in the theatre, or some drama/romance that just helps me to relax.

What’s your go-to uniform for the plane?

If I don’t have to present myself just after I land it would have to be my cashmere tracksuit, worn with a white, James Perse t-shirt underneath. Otherwise it’s jeans and a simple, comfy top with a jacket. When I’m traveling being comfortable is the most important thing.

What’s the one item you never leave town without?

My passport. 

How do you deal with jet lag?

The older I get the more problems I have with it. If I’m on vacation I just wait for it to pass, but if it’s for work, and I have a morning meeting, I might take a sleeping pill. I usually just drink a lot of water and tea—and I’ve found that a light workout and yoga also helps. Massages are great too.

What’s your exercise routine when you’re on the road?

I’ll either use the hotel gym or at the very least do some stretching in my room. I also try to walk as much as I can in the cities I’m visiting.

How do you manage your health/eating routine when you’re away from home?

I always try to have at least 3 meals per day—I can’t bear being hungry. If I was out all day and didn’t get a chance to eat a full meal I wouldn’t mind ordering a proper steak for dinner from room service.

What’s the first thing you do when you get into your hotel room?

I wash my hands and take a shower. Then I like to unpack and rest for a few minutes before I check my email and call my family. 

Are you an over-packer or under-packer?

I used to be an over-packer, especially after my daughter was born (I thought I needed everything extra ‘just in case’), but for myself I’ve learned to take just the right amount of things I need. I am almost a pro now!

Do you have a packing strategy?

I used to make lists so as not to forget anything, but I am so used to it now that I pack in literally 10 minutes, and almost never forget anything. Practice makes perfect. 

One surprising thing you always pack?

There’s no space for surprising things, only necessities.

What are your favorite items to travel with?

I like J Brand or Current Elliott jeans, and I always pack white and grey James Perse t-shirts for every day. Simple cashmere sweaters from Equipment are also fantastic. That’s really my day-to-day outfit.  I also like Petit Bateau pajamas for their softness, and Nike track pants.  I always pack my Saint Laurent black leather jacket because I can wear it with everything.  For bags, I’ll often take a red Louis Vuitton bag or my black Sofia Copolla bag. When it comes to shoes I like Golden Goose trainers, and for heels I prefer Gianvitto Rossi or Alaia.  A classic, black dress is also important. Overall I usually pack practical things that can work back with the other pieces in my wardrobe, and that I can easily wear from day to night.

What beauty-essentials do you travel with?

Joëlle Ciocco Cleansing Milk for washing my face, Biologique Recherche P50 Lotion, La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream, Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation, Kerastase shampoo and hair mask, Sachajuan Dry Hair Shampoo, Mason Pearson Popular Mixture Hairbrush, Hampton Sun SPF30 Lotion, Moroccan oil, The Eye Concentrate from La Mer, Coqui Coqui Orange Blossom parfume, Borotalco deodorant, Santa Maria Novella body lotion, Chanel Rouge Allure red lipstick, Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara, Mac Eye Kohl, Bobbi Brown eye shadows pallete, Benefit brow gel, Mac blush and Bioderma micellar water.

Favorite item to order from room service?

Pasta or steak.

Favorite item from the hotel mini-bar?

M&Ms.

Have you ever had a travel disaster or mishap?

A few of them. Once our small plane had to force land in Bucharest—we had a quite rough sleepless night without food and diapers for our 6-month-old daughter.  And once I landed in the Maldives only to realize that the agency we booked our trip through, had gone bankrupt never actually transferred our money, nor confirmed our reservation. We had to pay everything again and change our hotel room 4 times in 7 days!

If your luggage was lost, what are the 5 items you’d buy at the drugstore?

It was lost many times, in fact to this day one of my bags has still never been found. Another time I was on desert island without my things for 5 days and realized you can manage without anything. But if it happened again I would buy: toothpaste, moisturizing cream, shampoo, a hairbrush, and soap.

Favorite find/souvenir from your travels?

I found a perfect, white, coral heart at the beach in the Maldives that I carry with me. There is also a hat I like very much that I bought on a Sunday in the Marais in Paris at a charming, little street-stand.

Favorite childhood memory of traveling?

My earliest childhood memories would have to be seaside travels with my parents on the Adriatic Sea, which is still the most beautiful and by far my favorite. Since Yugoslavia was a communist country at the time we didn’t get to travel much further than Italy or Austria. I very much enjoyed all our trips to the Italian city of Trieste, where I was amused by watching all the stylish and glamorous Italian women I saw on the streets.

Travel destinations still on your bucket-list?

There are sooooo many places that I would like to visit like China, Singapore, Japan…I  haven’t explored much of the east thus far. I also want to go to Australia. We are launching Büro 24/7 there soon, but sadly I will have to skip it since my due date for the birth of my second child is very close to the launch—but it’s still on my bucket-list of places to visit.