After four years of collaboration and extensive research, Leah Walker and Philippe Hertzberg co-founded Garnier Creations, a service for high-end travelers in Paris looking for authentic encounters with their favorite brands.
Inspired by the visionary architect Charles Garnier, who built the Paris Opera House, the aim of Garnier Creations is to produce exceptional memories that last a lifetime. The expertise of Garnier Creations is in bringing to life the heritage and DNA of top luxury brands, using the art of experiential travel, to develop bespoke and exclusive experiences for the most discerning clientele.
True to the best traditions of the theater and of Garnier himself, our Creations are organized as once-in-a-lifetime performances, with the most extraordinary locations as privileged stages – all developed with the greatest attention to storytelling and presentation.
Leah Walker has over a decade of experience in luxury travel and tourism, first as a travel and culinary journalist. Leah’s writing has appeared in media networks and publications such as CNN, USA Today, Forbes, and Four Seasons Magazine. This work took her to 40+ countries, during which time she was treated to a host of exceptional experiences.
With her expertise in luxury travel and tourism, Leah created a marketing consulting company specializing in strategy, education, content creation, and implementation for luxury brands and destinations. Leah’s well-rounded marketing experience makes her ideal for brands and destinations looking to reach the American and English-speaking markets.
Having an appreciation for premium goods and a luxury shopper herself, Leah keeps her finger on the pulse of the luxury industry in Paris and beyond. In fact, many of the Garnier Creations partnerships evolved because of her long-time personal relationships with maisons. Leah is particularly passionate about handbags, shoes, jewelry, and timepieces.
“Shopping can be a cultural experience when traveling. Many of our partners are multi-generational brands, centuries old. These houses are links with the bigger story of France. Encountering them is a unique way to follow that story and rediscover Paris and France through the lens of a brand.”
Philippe started his career in media and publishing, first for The Wall Street Journal. His passion for travel took him to Lonely Planet Publications before he joined The New York Times in Paris, where he spent over a decade heading its news agency operation.
Having traveled the globe extensively for over two decades, Philippe immediately thought that bringing the art of storytelling and the very best narrative journalism to the world of travel would be a way to create truly amazing and memorable moments. Philippe knew that Paris, where he lives and where he knows so many inspiring storytellers, was the ideal city to launch Secret Journeys, the sister company of Garnier Creations.
Today, with so much of our lives lived online, especially during the pandemic, the desire for genuine, in-person connections has been reignited. Our partners and ambassadors - premium hotels and travel designers - were approaching us to connect their high-end clients with luxury brands. That’s where the idea for Garnier Creations was born.