Hello, this is By Kate Blondet, where style meets destinations.
Welcome to the second episode of the Brand Boarding Pass series — where I match fashion brands with the destinations they were practically made for.

Because great style isn’t just about what you wear — it’s about where you wear it.
If you missed the first edition featuring four of my personal favorites, catch up [here].

This one’s dedicated to Dolce Vita dressing and destinations — whether you’re living out your Fellini muse fantasy or just matching your look to Lisbon’s pastel streets.

So, welcome on board.

1. La DoubleJ – Italian Dolce Vita

Destination Match: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Château de Théoule, Villa Treville, Rome (selectively)
Scene Match: Palazzo aperitivo, lakeside dinners at Le Luci, a Château de Théoule escape, and Roman nights that feel straight out of a Sorrentino film.

La DoubleJ is an Italian brand founded by JJ Martin — an American who spent over two decades in Milan and was very likely Italian in a past life. How else do you explain how perfectly she captured the country’s chaotic glam and spiritual flair in one brand?

Inspired by Renaissance churches and unapologetic joy, La DoubleJ already made an appearance in my Château de Théoule guide, where its maximalist energy fit right in.

But where does it really belong? Italy, obviously. The kind of places where Dolce Vita isn’t a moodboard — it’s just how people live. Think Lake Como strolls, Venice palazzos, or dinner in Rome surrounded by the cast of one of Sorrentino’s movies — or at least the kind of old-money elite who could’ve inspired it.

And the waiters? So good-looking you’re not entirely sure if they’re working the floor or waiting to be discovered by the movie director dining next to you.

But let’s be honest — La DoubleJ dresses are so bold and festive, they don’t wait for an occasion. The vacation is just your excuse.

Scroll through the moodboard, find your look, and let the rest work itself out.

Photos: Kate Blondet’s Travel Archives, La DoubleJ Lookbook’23

2. PatBo – Disco to Desert

Destination Match: Mykonos (Scorpios), St. Tropez (Verde Beach), luxurious desert resorts like Bab Al Shams (UAE), Dubai (DIFC & J1 Beach)
Scene Match: Golden hour martinis at Scorpios that turn into a headliner set, sunbathing and barefoot dancing at Verde, or making a grand entrance at Bab Al Shams — in a look with enough volume to compete with the dunes.

Brazilian brand PatBo doesn’t do subtle. Think high slits, metallic shimmer, and silhouettes that were clearly made for for nights that begin with a “light dinner” and end somewhere at the DJ booth, or for desert staycations where you’re basically cosplaying Sex and the City 2 desert scene.

Photo: Kate Blondet’s Personal Archive, Bronx & Banco Runway’25

3. Alemais – Cinematic Escape

Destination Match: Portugal (especially Lisbon), Barcelona, Villa Treville in Positano
Scene Match: A romantic vacation in Lisbon — the kind of story you’ll probably pass on to your kids. A long lunch in Barcelona that somehow ends at a gallery opening. Or dinner at Villa Treville, with just the right view and the company.

One more Australian brand makes the list — this time with roots in Lebanon — serving a bold mix of prints, patchwork, and embroidery. It’s dressy, but never trying too hard. While it had a major moment in the last season of The White Lotus, I’d skip the typical resort edit.

Instead, I am suggesting to try it for your next trip in such cities like Lisbon or Barcelona — places where the buildings look like they were lifted from a fairytale or an art book — and where wearing something bold and creative just feels right. Like something crafted by a local artisan, but styled with the polish of a ready-to-wear collection.

And Lisbon, surprisingly (or not), turned out to be a city where people really do dress up — despite everyone warning me it would be super laid-back. So yes, you’ll blend in — not just with the candy-coloured walls, but with the vibe too.

Photo: Kate Blondet’s Travel Archive, Alemais Runway’23

4. Rat & Boa – Siren Coast

Destination Match: St. Barth, St. Tropez (Kinugawa, Note), Miami
Scene Match: Table-hopping in St. Tropez in slinky satin, late dinners in St. Barth with statement earrings and sea-salt hair, or rooftop drinks in Miami where your outfit does all the talking.

Rat & Boa is pure, unapologetic vacation glamour — made for destinations where divas don’t just thrive, they run the guest list. It also happens to be worn by both my friend Svetlana and Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend. But between the two? Svetlana is my forever icon.

She basically owns every second dress they’ve ever made, so she’s become my unofficial brand ambassador — and, naturally, the headliner of this moodboard.

No one channels that seductive, modern Amazon energy quite like she does. So if you have a similar look or vibe, this brand won’t just suit you — it’ll highlight your beauty and give your wild side a little room to play.

And no, I don’t wear Rat & Boa myself — because good friends don’t copy. They match.