Caftans, Galleries, and Sunset Sails: How Four Artists Do Vacation in Hydra, Greece
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When the New York-born-and-raised photographer Mirabelle Marden invited a handful of her closest friends—the musician Diego Dueñas, Régime des Fleurs’s Alia Raza, and the artist Olympia Scarry—to visit her at her family’s retreat on Hydra, Greece this summer, the response was unanimous: “We all said, ‘Let’s do it,’” recalls Raza, who, between a recent transatlantic move and the launch of her new skin-care line, Topi Botanic, was long overdue for an opportunity to unplug. “I travel a lot for my job, but this was a rare thing for me,” she continues. “A trip that was an actual holiday.” Fast forward to July, Dueñas, Raza, and Scarry convened in Athens, where they dined at the Asian fusion bistro Nolan and took in art both old and new (the Benaki Museum and Rebecca Camhi Gallery were standouts, says Raza). From there, they boarded the two-hour ferry to the Aegean island.
Upon arriving at the car-free town’s port, the trio of travelers were met by donkeys, which carried their belongings (sheer silk caftans from Desert Vintage, in Raza’s case) up to Marden’s home—an 18th century, sun-soaked house overlooking the Saronic Gulf that her parents—the painters Brice and Helen Marden—happened upon in the 1970s, a decade after Hydra became a destination for the likes of Leonard Cohen and the Rolling Stones. (These days, Phoebe Philo can be seen strolling its crescent-shaped harbor.) The week of rest and relaxation that ensued was capped off with a sunset sail—and a power outage, which turned out to be the ultimate respite. “We walked home from the port through town, and we saw what the island looked like two hundred years ago before there was electricity,” Raza muses. Their final meal—an alfresco dinner in the property’s jasmine-scented garden—was lit by candles. “It was a beautiful last night.”
Below, Raza takes Vogue inside her Hydra, Greece escape (and perfectly stocked suitcase).
Alia Raza’s Packing List
Photo: Courtesy of Alia Raza1/24A corner outside the entrance to Downhouse. All the greenery creates the perfect dappled light throughout the gardens.
Photo: Courtesy of Alia Raza2/24Every morning we had cucumber agua frescas at the famous Pirate Bar. You can hang out at the tavernas on the port for hours and run into everyone you know on the island.
Photo: Courtesy of Alia Raza3/24We stopped at one of the best jewelry shops in town, Keramidas Lykourgos. They specialize in Greek gold. I got the thinnest gold chain and the owner’s charming son gave me a heart-shaped evil-eye pendant. I’m wearing my daytime layers—a 1970s Indian silk caftan from Desert Vintage, a Comme des Garçons man’s shirt tied around the waist, and a very protective hat Diego picked out for me from a local store.
Photo: Courtesy of Alia Raza4/24The view of the port from inside the shop.
Photo: Courtesy of Alia Raza5/24Mirabelle tries on some gorgeous strands of gems and pearls.
