Creed Viking bottles boundless exploration for the modern man. In celebration of this new scent, we hear from another Creed connoisseur who exemplifies what Viking represents. Read on to take in the latest in our Viking Diaries series.Leo Chan is a photographer and style blogger who travels the world seeking style inspiration. On his blog he captures styles for all occasions with a distinctly modern take on New York City fashion. Born in Hong Kong and raised in New York, Leo translates his style to adapt to new cultures and customs. With 41 countries down in the last four years, he and his Levitate Style co-founder, Alicia Mara, have plans for future travel and brand collaborations on the horizon.
You’re known to be quite the traveler. Tell us about your world cruise and favorite destination you’ve visited thus far? Anywhere still on your bucket list?
In January 2016 - we got an amazing opportunity for a project to travel the globe on a world cruise. We visited 45 cities across 26 countries on the 121 night World Voyage with Cunard Queen Elizabeth. It was such an incredible journey to explore places like Cape Town, South Africa, snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, visit eight cities around Japan, see our friends and family in Hong Kong and Singapore, and take in the sights in India and Jordan. To be able to experience so much in such a short period of time made the world feel so small. Aside from the world cruise, some of our favorite places are: Rome, Istanbul, Barcelona, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Egypt and Japan. We are just so blessed by the opportunities we’ve been given to see 41 countries in the past 4 years. Anywhere else now is really just a cherry on top. We would love to explore South America soon!
What does “Viking” mean to you?
Fearless and Strong.
How do you channel the Viking spirit in your everyday life?
I harness the Viking spirit by taking advantage of the good and bad life throws at me. Living every day to the fullest. Continuously find ways to be motivated and keep working hard at what I love.
What did you most enjoy about the Creed Viking Iceland trip?
Snowmobiling on a glacier to the top of a mountain was absolutely incredible and then finishing off the trip with a relaxing geothermal spa at the Blue Lagoon was the perfect fire and ice experience.
We love your take on style and travel. How did your website get its start?Levitate Style started on October 2014 as a platform to share my personal style and travel. I started the website with my girlfriend Alicia Mara. At that time, I came from a finance background and I had worked for Morgan Stanley and Barclays in New York City. I’ve always loved photography, fashion, and traveling so Levitate Style was my creative space to put all those interests and hobbies together.
Where do you look for style inspiration?
For starters, growing up and living in NYC – style inspiration is everywhere. From Midtown to SoHo, I come across all kinds of people expressing themselves through their own styles. I also look for inspiration from movies, magazines, and designers. Traveling around the world has opened my eyes to what the locals wear and the type of patterns and materials they value. Being inspired by that, I try to see how I can incorporate that into my travel style while I’m in that country and how I can bring it home in New York.
How does scent play a role in your personal style?
A scent is the ultimate finishing touch to my personal style. An outfit can be seen by pieces, colors, and textures. A complementing scent is what really ties the outfit together for the occasion. A woody outdoorsy scent would go with an outfit fit for that nature (no pun intended!). Whereas a bolder sophisticated scent would be the more obvious choice for a dinner event.
What’s next for you? Any fun projects in the works?
We’ll be going back to Italy in November for Alicia’s birthday! Then we’ll gearing up for a busy holiday season collaborating with brands.
