Alison Hope Murray On The Joy Of Creating, Her Holiday Capsule Wardrobe & Byron Favourites
We chat with creative director, content creator and friend of The Lord Byron, Alison Hope Murray. Originally from Australia where she ran her own knitwear business, Alison made the move to London ten years ago after being accepted into the Royal College of Art. The journey since then has seen Ali work in graphic design, art direction, beauty, and eventually come back to clothing. She lights up TikTok and Instagram with an infectious energy. More so, Ali looks at the personal side of getting dressed and inspires a growing audience on dressing for themselves, not for the rules of fashion.
Welcome to Byron, Alison! We’re just delighted to have you here with us from London. One of the (many) things we love about your online presence, is the way your passion and positivity shines. We’re absolutely left feeling uplifted and inspired. What fuels your passion to create what you do?
Thank you! Being here is heavenly. I think it took me a long time to work out how I wanted to be creative and what format worked best for me. Now that I’m comfortable writing, filming and being online, I always feel inspired knowing that if I felt something, someone else did too and being able to talk about the things I thought I never would, is more of a privilege than a job.
On Holiday Dressing, Fast Fashion & Wardrobe Mindset
Let’s jump straight into your suitcase, because many of us overpack when heading on holiday. How do you approach packing intentionally for a getaway? What are some of the key pieces that have formed your ‘holiday capsule’ wardrobe this trip?
Start with packing the things you would wear everyday at home. If you’re not comfortable wearing it at home, you won’t be elsewhere! For me, a key summer travel piece is always a pair of linen trousers. Then I always make sure I have a combination of dresses and separates, it means you have a couple points of difference but everything doesn’t feel too ‘samesy’. I think sometimes we think ‘oh just dresses will be easy’ or ‘I’ll just pack a pair of shorts then lots of tops’. You inevitably get bored or just don’t want to wear the same category on repeat!
Ali, you’ve spoken before about the speed of fashion and the endless ‘collections’ we’re told we need each year. What piece of advice do you have for how we can rethink the clothes we already own, versus buying into trends?
I keep my wardrobe on a rotation, meaning I put things away when I’m sick of them and then get to rediscover them later. I think this helps with feeling the need to replace something just because it doesn’t feel ‘new’ any more. New is a mindset! When you rediscover something in your wardrobe it often has that sparkle of newness without literally being new. When it comes to trends, never be afraid to have fun but do be wary that like the feeling of newness, a trend will fade so if you’re going to buy into it, don’t go overboard.
As someone who used to work in the beauty industry, do you have any go-to products or regimes that help you feel refreshed when travelling long-haul from London to Australia?
Long haul travel is primarily about fighting off dehydration. I’m a big fan of anything from Lanolips and then smothering myself in the Tatcha dewy cream throughout a flight.
On Byron Bay Favourite Finds
Let’s turn to Byron Bay now. Where have you loved spending time this trip – whether it be for eats, drinks, a shop, or time out in nature?
I had the most delicious dinner at Treehouse and have loved my sourdough crumpets with a coffee in the morning from Jimmy’s. Strolling back from a dip at the beach and dropping into all the great independent shops is always a highlight in Byron for me!
And what have you enjoyed most about your stay here at The Lord Byron?
The ease. I have wanted for nothing! From location to a great nights sleep. I can’t wait to come back!
On The Little Joys in Life
Finally, a little life snapshot: what’s bringing you joy at the moment?
FaceTime with my boys back in London! My husband is holding down the fort with my son and it’s been fun sharing the experience with them that way.
That wraps up our chat with the ever-delightful, Alison! To discover more of Alison’s creativity and find inspiration from her online world, you can find her @alisonhopemurray on Instagram and TikTok, and @alisonhopemurrayyoutube on YouTube!
