ARE LUXURY RETREATS THE FUTURE OF FASHION?
Jodie and I are coming up on ten years at DANNIJO, the fashion label largely known for its statement jewelry as much as its sisterhood and good vibes. Over the course of the last decade we've expanded into new categories including vintage clothing (#dannijovintage) and most recently fitness (#boxerina) and luxury experiences (#dannijotravels). We've always been organic and authentic and all those fashion conference buzz words, but as we've grown--both the brand and us as individuals-- our needs have changed and it's impacted the trajectory of DANNIJO and broadened the World of Dannijo.
The words lifestyle and influencer are two of the most overused words in our world. While for the purposes of a pitch deck we'd consider ourselves both of those (duh), we're moving more actively into the role of Culture Curator which touches on curating experiences, fitness programming, people and travel.
I've said it before and I'll say it here: The Future of Fashion Is The Luxury Retreat. Why, you ask? Because we buy items we want and don't need based on whether or not we're romanced, whether or not it speaks to our soul. One of the reasons we buy when we travel is because we're romanced by the wanderlust world we're visiting --we're amidst sunshine and turquoise waters with rosé in hand, and it feels right to treat ourselves and it feels good -- like we deserve this moment to splurge and reward ourselves. We travel for all kinds of reasons but often it's to get away from commitments, work, identities and our everyday lives full of obligations and responsibilities. 
In light of the above, we hosted and curated the first ever #dannijotravels retreat at one of our favorite places in the world, Hotel Esencia. A place where one is certain to be romanced: situated on 50 acres where the Yucatán jungle dissolves into the pristine sands of one of the only remaining undeveloped shores of the Mayan Riviera, the hotel was originally built as a hideaway home for an Italian duchess and reimagined as a boutique, luxury hotel. Hotel Esencia is described as a place where traditions of the past find a cosmopolitan sense of modernity. In addition to the epic rooms which each feature one-off art and luxurious amenities, the hotel features a one-of-a kind organic spa featuring tailor-made restorative programs using the purest ingredients harvested from the waters of the Caribbean and soil from the Mayan jungle. Basically, Hotel Esencia is heaven on earth.
We brought together an eclectic group of powerful women that hailed from different worlds and spoke to different audiences -- celebrity chef Mikaela Reuben, model-entrepreneur Bambi Northwood Blyth, business woman and creative director Jenné Lombardo, actress Abigail Spencer, journalist Karina Gonzalez of Vogue Mexico and marriage and family therapist, Vienna Pharaon to name a few. Most met for the first time on the retreat.
The retreat was crafted to combine physical activity and meditation with a three-day program consisting of Boxerina™ classes, a series of breathing, yoga nidra, conversation, water-related activities, and spa treatments - all mixed with leisure time and explorations of the local culture. Curated in partnership with Hotel Esencia´s Fitness and Beauty team, the Dannijo Travels x Experience Esencia retreat enhances the sensation of wellness by improving energy flow, elevating awareness, stimulating creativity and promoting relaxation.
This retreat was my first time ever instructing a class, moreover one that no one had ever taken before! Boxerina™ is a hybrid of boxing and ballet wherein you use movement to recenter yourself, sweat, feel and shed anything weighing on you. Boxerina‘s unique choreography celebrates and examines the Paradox of Women—our strength and sensitivity, power and elegance. The fitness concept stemmed from both our love for boxing and also our friendship with the ABT ballerinas (having collaborated with them in 2014 on our popular "Boxerina" collection). If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend taking a minute to watch it here. Regardless, stay tuned for Boxerina's debut in New York and beyond...
Travel is powerful because it forces you to be out of your element and to break patterns. Trying new experiences and meeting new people allows you to see new sides of yourself and inevitably have a better understanding of YOU. A retreat like ours reinforces the notion that when times are challenging, all you need to do is get out of our comfort zone, visit a new land, and be there so you can listen to yourself away from all the noise. You Are Your Own Light. Thank you for you continued support and for being our greateast inspiration. We hope you'll join us for upcoming Boxerina classes and one of our upcoming retreats. Until then, let our jewels transport you...
--xx Danielle --
