London-based art consultant Rachael Barrett is home on the Rock to mix business with a little pleasure. Across the pond, the effortlessly chic Barrett, a former Observer lifestyle scribe, fronts Three Sixty Degrees — “a 360-degree cultural consultancy within the spheres of luxury and fine art” — as well as another enterprise, Quintessentially Art — an art advisory lifestyle service. We’re in catch-up mode on her working vacation, and only too happy to sip cocktails on a balmy Tuesday afternoon.

What are you sipping?

A good Barolo.

What kind of day are you having?

It’s a rather hot day, temperature-wise. I’ve been in Kingston for 10 days, which is not enough, so I’ve had to extend my stay for an additional 10 days. I’m here for both business and leisure. I’m here to see family and I am also here on behalf of my corporate client, Quintessentially Art, working on a special project with them in the Caribbean.

Can you give us any deets on the project?

Not just yet. It’s still in the planning stage.

Jeans or LBD?

LBD. In fact, a black dress, not a little one. I rarely wear jeans.

Flats or stilettos?

Always stilettos. I like feeling like I’m dressed to face the day.

Who does your hair?

In Jamaica, Adolph; Errol Douglas in the United Kingdom.

Who does your nails?

A salon on King’s Road in the UK.

What perfume are you wearing?

Jo Malone Red Roses.

Describe your personal style.

I like quality over quantity, I don’t like colour and I like things that are unusual.

Who are your favourite designers?

Meiling, Givenchy, Prada, Margiela, St John, Balmain, Alexander Wang and Hermès.

What is your idea of the perfect man?

Someone with a desire to lead a life less ordinary, with good values and a creative spirit.

What is your idea of the perfect date?

I don’t have a fantasy date. I’ve been on great dates, but each is different. It would be odd to have the same great date with two different people. There have been many memorable dates. It’s more about the person, so I have had dates where I have gone to eat fish locally in very humble surroundings and I have also had someone fly me to a different country on a different time zone for lunch and flown back.

Who inspires you?

Diana Vreeland. For me, she is the embodiment of grace, business savvy and fearless style. She was a visionary in her own way and lived a wonderful full life with grace and charm, two qualities that are increasingly rare in today’s world.

A Da Vinci or a Pollock? Which would you prefer hanging on your wall?

It’s impossible to compare, and I’d say neither — I’d take an Ebony G Patterson.

How do you unwind?

I watch Netflix and eat Nutella with a spoon out of the jar.

What’s the next big trend to keep an eye on in the art world?

The importance of an interdisciplinary approach. I think it can be hard for people to look at an installation, but they don’t necessarily understand what you take from it home with you, and I think it will be easier over time. The same way that a telephone a couple years ago was something that you made calls with, now it’s almost a way a life. In a similar vein, the way that art has evolved it will become less about looking at an object and it will move with you, and people will like to express themselves with an artist in a much more fluid way.

What’s next for Rachael?

Spending more time in the Caribbean working on a new project and exploring new frontiers.

What habit would you most like to put in your rear-view mirror?

Putting exercise last and over-juggling, which often makes me late.

Can today’s ambitious woman have it all?

She certainly can if she’s willing to update her idea of what “all” is. Living a complemented life with family, work, passion and drive balanced across one’s daily needs is, to me, having it all. That involves sacrifice across the board at some level as well; but I admire women who cancel bedtime stories to host cocktail receptions while bringing the baby to work in the afternoon to see that mum is proactive too. I’ll concede that means are necessary to make this work, so I think an ambitious woman can more easily have it “all” if she has the right partner who is supportive and on the same page. Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is a great case study in this respect.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Hopefully, remaining in the art consultancy field on a broader scale, with more wisdom and vacation time.