Window shopping #29
A fashion-forward credit card, a full-circle press moment, and a hotel suite in a Florentine palace
This is Window Shopping, a weekly mini-letter from Window Seat—your stylish scroll through what’s new and noteworthy in the world of travel. Each issue blends timely headlines, personal favorites, and design-forward hotels to keep your wanderlust well-fed.
Hailey Bieber is now the face of your favorite travel credit card. Chase just tapped Hailey Bieber as the new face of its Sapphire Reserve card, part of a new campaign designed to court Gen Z and younger millennial travelers. The move comes as the premium card’s annual fee jumps from $550 to $795—a not-so-small increase they might be hoping to soften with star power. According to Chase, Bieber embodies the “luxury, travel, and Hollywood glamour” that the brand’s cardmembers aspire to. It’s the latest in a broader push toward fashion-adjacent marketing for Sapphire, following earlier campaigns with Claudia Schiffer and a roster of celebrity ambassadors.
Monos is giving away a custom Land Rover Defender and a trip to NYC. Yes, really. In a new collaboration with Brooklyn Coachworks, Monos is giving away a fully customized Land Rover Defender 90, finished in a rich new shade that’s also dropping as a limited-edition color in their luggage line. The winner will also receive a full set of Monos luggage, round-trip airfare, and a two-night hotel stay in New York.
Window Seat made it to Travel + Leisure! I was so honored to be featured last week as part of a column on epic trips booked entirely on points. Huge thank you to writer Chris Dong for including me, and to T+L for making one of my lifelong travel dreams come full circle.
Speaking of booking trips on points, I’m off to Europe this weekend, first for a few days in Amsterdam, then on to Portugal for a friend’s wedding (in case you missed it, I shared my packing list this week). One of the questions I get asked most often is how I budget for trips, so when I’m back I’ll be sharing a full breakdown of my process—plus exactly what I spent on this trip—exclusively for paid subscribers. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, Wednesday’s post will be my monthly Q&A. Drop your questions in the comments here and I’ll pick a few to answer! You can check out the last round here.
The James Firenze — Florence, Italy
I love a hotel with a story, and this one starts in 1564. Housed in a restored palace that was once a private residence, The James is the personal project of architect James Cavagnari, who transformed his childhood home into a space that still feels intimate and lived-in. Its 21 rooms blend original architectural details with eclectic, design-forward touches, and the property also boasts a romantic cocktail bar and a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of Florence. Located just a 10-minute walk from the Duomo in the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood, it’s the kind of stay that makes you feel like you’re truly settled in the city, not just passing through.
Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.
Such a fun roundup :) This series always makes me want to book something immediately. Congrats on the T+L feature (!!) and can’t wait for that budget breakdown post.
This... makes me want to use my Sapphire. Honestly.