With a name so literal, you’d think Arizona Muse—a runway model born in Tucson—would lead a lifestyle as straightforward as her moniker. However, the constant travel that bounces her between shows, galas, award ceremonies, and family life—as well as the pace of the fashion industry, which keeps everyone guessing until the last moment—tells a different story. In her line of work, Muse has to be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for changes that come and go with the clasp of a dress and the click of a heel. While at Paris Fashion Week, for which she stayed at Chez Away, she told us about what and how she packs for life on the go, her fondest travel memories, and her support of ethical fashion.
“I like to make a mental map of where things are in my suitcase so I can find them easily.”
I often travel with more than one suitcase. For this trip I brought three, and that was a good idea because they’re not overstuffed—and thank god they weren’t, because I got here and there’s so much stuff I want to take back with me! You’re always going to get something on a trip, so it’s a good idea to make sure you have extra space. I like to make a mental map of where things are in my suitcase so I can find them easily, especially since I bring multiple cases. I also always unpack when I arrive, unless it’s like a one day trip, then there’s really no point. If you unpack right when you arrive, your clothes have time to hang out in the closet and they won’t be as creased. You feel like you’re at home when you unpack immediately, and you can move things around. I always move things around in the cupboards and move the mini bar items over and set up the desk.
“I buy most of my things in travel size”
I have the dragon’s blood eye masks by Rodial and they are so good—I don’t think they have dragon’s blood in them, but they really work! I really love all natural products, especially my all-natural face mask for overnight. It is really the most magical product I’ve ever experienced. You put it on and you wake up with baby skin. Even my husband uses it. I love the serum by Gazelli, it’s called White Oil Ultimate Firming Serum, and it’s really nice, too, but not for overnight. I have the Bumble & Bumble surf spray that comes in a little travel size. I buy most of my things in travel size actually because I travel so much that it’s easier just to leave everything in my toiletries bag, and then I don’t have to unpack and pack all the time. Rosehip oil is an all time staple. It’s like £14 ($18.50), which is really not expensive for the bottle. It smells herbal and medicinal so you need to be careful about when you use it.
“I don’t have a travel uniform”
Sometimes I travel in jeans but if it’s a long flight I really don’t like to because jeans are not comfortable. When it’s a long flight anything tight is really uncomfortable for hours and hours and hours. I don’t really have a travel uniform, though—I love traveling in long dresses, since they’re so comfortable and you end up looking really elegant, especially if it’s black. Then you can slip on your flight stockings under it without people noticing, and you can wear a jacket over it or a sweater, and that looks really nice.
“I love a colored suit.”
In terms of things that I pack, I have these cashmere tie dyed Zoë Jordan trousers, which are the coziest things ever, perfect for sleeping or playing. I wear them under my ski suit too. I’ll bring my Gucci leather pouch with fringes, which is one of my favorite bags. I particularly love it because two nights ago at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Milan, I presented Gucci with the award for supply chain innovation. They have made huge strides in their supply chain choices and made their company more sustainable and are making sure that the people who make their clothing are better paid and happier and not working in these horrible poverty cycles. They’re really taking strides to combat cyclical poverty in their production process so I’m really proud of them. I’ll bring something like my red suit from Stella McCartney, another really sustainable brand that I’m extremely proud of. Stella does things differently, she was the first major brand that said ‘Hey, there’s a problem with fashion and we’re going to tackle it.’ I love a colored suit. It’s a great thing to travel with because you can wear it to anything. If you’re going to somewhere fancy you can wear it and you can also wear it during the day to lunch and it goes equally as well both ways.
“I love Burberry makeup.”
I also pack by things based on what I love, such as exercise. I love to exercise, and I exercise a lot. My favorite right now for gear is the Gigi Hadid for Tommy Hilfiger line. It’s so stretchy! And when you’re moving it’s important, the stretch really makes a difference. They’re so stretchy they feel like air. I love high waisted things, especially if you’re going to do a midriff-baring top during class, because then it’s not like my WHOLE stomach is out. It’s a bit more modest. I also love Burberry makeup; it’s just amazing how they do color. This eyeshadow color is amazing, and it’s got purple and silver in it, and you can’t really tell it’s there but when you put it on it just makes your eyes pop. Wendy Rowe does the whole makeup line for Burberry and is really great with color. I have a lipstick by her and it’s gorgeous.
“I’m not quite confident enough to do a face mask in the middle of the flight.”
I don’t actually have much of an in-flight beauty routine; I do more before and after than during. I’m not quite confident enough to do a face mask in the middle of the flight. I just try to make my skin ultra moisturized before. I’ll put oils on (my rosehip oil), which, oddly enough, never makes me feel oily because it goes really deep down in my skin. Then after a flight, I’ll wash my face because I just feel dirty—especially after a long flight. And one of the most important things for my flight routine is flight socks. People laugh, but I should be the one laughing because you always need them. You don’t want to deal with varicose veins and all that stuff. I’ve talked to flight attendants about it and they highly recommend it. I had full-length flight tights that went all the way up, but they weren’t tight enough so they didn’t work correctly. In France I’ve heard you get surgery stockings, which are made to measure for you, and then you put them on before, and then no liquid goes to your legs. Blood flow stays but your body doesn’t drain liquid to your legs, because that’s what makes you bloated.
“Returning somewhere you’re familiar with is always so nice.”
My earliest traveling memory is coming to England. I’m half English and I always loved coming over to visit my mom’s side of the family. She was born in Berkshire and grew up in London. She went to boarding school there. I live in England now, I love it. London is a place that I’ll always return to—always London. Or Tuscon, Arizona. I was born there and I love going back to there. Returning somewhere you’re familiar with is always so nice. I don’t go back often since my parents don’t live out there, but I do get a sense of home when I go there. Here in Paris, however, I love the buildings, the weather, the excellent food—especially foreign food. Indian food in Paris is amazing, the Peruvian food is excellent as well. The Chinese food I’ve had here is just the best I’ve ever had. I have a bunch of favorites here in Paris, but I really like Café Marley. It’s very touristy but it’s so good. It’s in the courtyard of the Louvre, and they have really nice food and it’s a beautiful place to stay because it overlooks the glass triangle.
“I don’t always get jet lagged”
Melatonin is great for jet lag. It’s natural, as we already produce it, but you just take it at the appropriate time of day and you can adjust to that new time zone much more easily. I don’t always get jet lagged; I’m really lucky in that sense. I’m a great sleeper, and I need a lot of sleep, so generally whenever I’m given the opportunity to sleep and given a bed I fall right asleep. If I’m in the bed and still lying down I’ll stay asleep. Jet lag has never been that much of a problem for me, but it does disorient me. When I came back from Japan I had a really hard time knowing what day it was. There was real confusion. I’d go the whole day thinking it was Wednesday when it wasn’t.
- 1Dragon's Blood Eye Mask by Rodial, $49
- 2Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask by Kiehl's, $35
- 3White Oil Ultimate Firming Serum by Gazelli, $99
- 4Travel Size Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray, $16
- 5Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil 20ml, $26
- 6Zoë Jordan Printed Hitchcock Knit Sweatpants, $481
- 7Gucci Pouch With Fringe, $980-2980
- 8Stella McCartney Suit, $1170
- 9Burberry Eye Colour Cream, $30