Postcards From...James Aiken in Mallorca
Photographer James Aiken has sailed the Atlantic solo and still has a list. We join him in Mallorca — on slow mornings, getting out on the water and why linen is the only thing that makes sense in the Mediterranean heat.
Photographer James Aiken has sailed the Atlantic solo, trekked the Cairngorms and still hasn't finished his list. We joined him in Mallorca — where the pace slows, the light is generous and linen makes perfect sense.
There are travellers who move through the world collecting experiences, and there are those who move through it paying attention. James Aiken is firmly the second kind. A photographer with a quiet restlessness and an instinct for solitude, he has crossed oceans and mountains largely on his own terms. Mallorca, with its clear water, unhurried coastline and long evenings, felt like the right place to slow down — and to ask him what he's learnt along the way.
The older I get, the more I value experiences over possessions and the freedom to follow curiosity wherever it leads.
Do you have a travel uniform?
I almost always fly in a linen shirt. It's comfortable, travels well, and I think it's a small sign of respect for the people around you to arrive looking reasonably put together.
Starting as you mean to go on. There's something to be said for the idea that how you dress for a journey shapes how you enter it.
Do you have any travel rituals?
I like to arrive early, find a good coffee, and spend a few minutes reading before a flight. It helps mark the transition from everyday life to the journey ahead.
A pause before the departure. The journey begins before the gate.
Does packing for an expedition differ from a holiday — and is there anything that makes it into both bags?
The packing list changes completely, but there's always room for a good book. I still prefer a real book to a Kindle, even if it isn't the most practical choice.
Practicality has its limits. A real book has weight, texture and a spine that cracks just so — qualities worth the extra gram or two.
Monaco Long Sleeve in Navy / Milan Linen Navy Blue & White Rose Motif / London Geo Cross Blue & White
You've sailed the Atlantic solo and trekked the Cairngorms. Where do you still want to go?
Japan and Peru are both high on the list. They're places I've wanted to experience for a long time, each with a strong sense of landscape, culture and craftsmanship.
Landscape, culture and craftsmanship. A good filter for anywhere worth going.
Solitude is often part of how you travel. What's the greatest gift solo travel has given you?
Travelling alone makes you more open to the people around you. Conversations happen more naturally, and I think you come home with a better understanding of other cultures because you're more willing to step into them.
The quiet paradox of solo travel — you go alone and somehow come back less so.
Any must-visits for anyone heading to Mallorca?
Get out on the water if you can. Whether it's swimming, sailing or simply taking a boat along the coast, I think it's the best way to experience the island.
Noted from someone who has crossed an ocean alone. The water recommendation carries weight.
What Derek Rose pieces did you pack for this trip, and why?
Lightweight linen pieces were the obvious choice. They were comfortable in the Mediterranean heat, easy to wear from the boat to dinner, and suited the slower rhythm of the island.
From the boat to dinner without changing. That's a wardrobe doing its job quietly and well.
At Derek Rose, we believe in living as you please. What does that look like for you?
Living simply and spending as much time as possible outdoors. The older I get, the more I value experiences over possessions and the freedom to follow curiosity wherever it leads.
A reminder that the best things to pack are harder to fold.
Mallorca rewards the unhurried. The mornings are clear, the evenings stretch long and the sea is always close. James moved through the island the way he seems to move through most places — with patience, a good eye, and no particular hurry to be anywhere other than exactly where he was.
Men's Resort Wear
