8 Tastemakers Reveal Their Insider Guides to Summer’s Top Travel Destinations
From the Atlantic to the Adriatic, summer is a time for travel, sun, and new experiences. Right now, we can’t help but find ourselves in a constant state of wanderlust. The options seem endless, and Pinterest boards don’t always cut it. There is nothing better than a personal recommendation, so we asked eight tastemakers from the fashion and wellness worlds to weigh in on the trips they’ll never forget, and the clothes and accessories that made the cut. From a newly minted hotel in Mexico to a Northern California hideout, to shopping in Marrakech and Mumbai, here is the ultimate vacation guide from our most trusted jetsetters.
The German fashion blogger Marie Von Behrens fell in love with Marrakech during a recent stay at Amanjena with her boyfriend. “When we entered the hotel it literally felt like we arrived in heaven.” It was a week of bliss tasting tagines, sampling spices, and getting lost wandering through the arches and passageways of Marrakech’s architectural wonders. Von Behrens beat the heat during day trips to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and while perusing the medina with a rotation of dreamy long dresses, drapey blouses, and wide-legged pants. When she wasn’t sitting poolside or dining by candlelight at the hotel, you could find her chowing at plus61 or perusing Mustafa Blaui, her new spot for traditional Moroccan interior pieces. “From hand-blown glassware to beautiful rugs there’s something for everyone to take home.”
Buy now: Pack this Magda Butrum white denim mini dress with fringe waist tie and exaggerated shoulders for evenings out, $585, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Wear these Burberry gold-plated brass hoop earrings, with ball closure, $390, farfetch.com.
Buy now: This Bottega Veneta clutch by new creative director Daniel Lee, is made with an oversized frame in buttery calf leather, $2,400, bottegaveneta.com.
Buy now: CVC Stones hand-picked stone and 18k gold ring, featuring two diamonds, $2,880, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Gift this Morrocan hand-loomed cream towel with tassels and nubby texture to those back home, $30, the-citizenry.com.
For the DJ-turned-fashion designer Peggy Gou, Bali is much more than a warm weather escape. “Before Bali, I didn’t really believe in spiritual energy, but I really felt it there,” explains the native South Korean, who heads to the Katamama Hotel each December to reflect on the past year and ring in the new one. “The Balinese people really believe that everything has a soul. I love their way of thinking.” Gou will take day trips to the ancient town of Ubud to explore temples and practice yoga and meditation. “I can really just let go of everything, cleanse, and be very meditative.”
As if a non-stop touring schedule and newly launched womenswear line called Kirin weren’t enough to keep her busy, Gou has added another job to her resume: interior designer. The Katamama is set to open a new property this year fronted by famed architect Rem Koolhaas, who asked Gou to help design one of the suites. “Once that is finished, there’s a chance I will be staying there from then on,” she says.
Buy now: This Prada button down top will help keep you cool, $1,120, farfetch.com.
Buy now: This Louis Vuitton pouchette fits easily into travel bags and features two fun LV prints on the outside and an easy-to-clean lining inside, $520, louisvuitton.com.
Buy now: Gucci’s bright orange oval-shaped sunglasses made in acetate, $375, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Wear this Dries Van Noten boxy blue and white print shirt over a bikini for a lazy day in the sun, $515, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Burberry classic camel, red and black check one-piece scoop-neck swimsuit, $390, farfetch.com.
Ever since she can remember, the New York-based womenswear designer Rosie Assoulin has spent her summers in Asbury Park, New Jersey with her family for some seashore R&R. “The town is so charming, everyone lives on their porch, and it’s a little over an hour from Manhattan!” she explains. Convenience is key for the New York native, who is now doing double duty helming her namesake line as well as her newly launched contemporary label, By Any Other Name. While her priority is maximizing beach time, she will never skip a breakfast at Cardinal Provisions (“they make their own kombucha!”), or a cone of vegan ice-cream from Cookman Creamery. To unwind at day’s end, she takes her kids to a sunset boardwalk and drops by a vintage arcade before indulging with a cacao-infused tequila cocktail at Barrio Costero with her husband. “I didn’t choose Asbury Park,” she says. “It chose me!”
Buy now: Assoulin’s new collection, By Any Other Name, offers up a chic button-down tea-length striped cotton dress, $1,195, byanyothername.nyc.
Buy now: A sweet, scalloped-edge bikini is perfect for a sunny Jersey Shore weekend, Marysia bikini top, $150, netaporter.com and matching bottom, $150, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Roxanne Assoulin multi-color rainbow-hued enamel bracelet set, $210, roxanneassoulin.com.
Buy now: For when the kids are in tow, pack these cheeky swimming googles from Sunnylife, $14, thetot.com.
Buy now: Rosie Assoulin two-tone ruffle straw basket will fit everything you need for a trip to the beach, $450, netaporter.com.
Before wedding her husband in Tuscany, the Los Angeles-based fashion and wellness influencer Tara Sowlaty headed to Il Pellicano, the famed cliffside hotel in Porto Ercole, Italy. “The beach chairs alongside the rocky cliffs, the retro chic interiors, the spa, the fresh food —it’s perfection,” gushes Sowlaty, who does double duty as the co-founder of lifestyle company How You Glow and creative director of Maison Soba, a hair accessories company she launched last year. Throughout the week, Sowlaty picked up cooking and style tips, while indulging in Italian delights like truffled cacio e pepe, Aperol spritzes, and ocean sunsets. In honor of the special occasion ahead, the bride leaned into all white ensembles, sporting a Hunza G bathing suit that she paired with Hermés sandals and a Paravel weekender bag. “It was a glimmering example of the true La Dolce Vita.”
Buy now: Stay hydrated with Vintner’s Daughter’s Active Treatment Essence, $225, vintnersdaughter.com.
Buy now: Travel in style with the Paravel’s weekender bag, $295, tourparavel.com.
Buy now: Shade yourself from sun in Lola Hats, $505, mytheresa.com.
Buy now: New swim label Hunza G has become a hit favorite among the jet set, $190, hunzag.com.
Buy now: A sweet barrette is an essential summer accessory, $65 for similar styles, maisonsoba.com.
For Michelle Ranavat, vacation means re-connecting with her roots. The founder of Ranavat Botanics, an organic skincare line inspired by the beauty rituals of India, frequents her family’s hometown of Mumbai for a week of work and pleasure at the newly minted SOHO House overlooking the Arabian Sea. “I am always on a mission to uncover India’s lost beauty secrets,” says Ranavat, who can be found in Mumbai’s countryside markets sourcing saffron for her serums or searching for Kansa Wand, a sacred metal used to detoxify the skin. During her downtime, Ranavat will head to the beach, peruse local perfumeries in the Colaba neighborhood, or go textile hunting in Southern Mumbai. She’ll wrap her day with high tea at the Taj Hotel, decked out in coin pendants and a traditional Indian tunic. “India is always a dream vacation for me. My sons are starting to understand our culture—they love eating dosas and seeing cows roam the streets!”
Buy now: When visiting Mumbai, pick up a tunic from designer Payal Singhal, from $195, payalsinghal.com.
Buy now: Haati Chai pendants are Ranavat’s go to accessory, $805, haatichai.com.
Buy now: Illuminate your complexion while traveling with Ranavat Botanics, $90, ranavatbotanics.com.
Buy now: A vintage-feeling lady-like bag in summer rattan is a go-to, $650, netaporter.com.
Buy now: A Three Graces off-the-shoulder wrap dress is chic in any city, $929, matchesfashion.com.
Last August, philanthropist Gisela Niedzielski traded downhill slopes for uphill hikes, when she discovered her favourite ski town was even better in the summer. The founder of the Bibi Fund, one of the largest pediatric cancer charities in Europe, swears by the healing powers of Suvretta Haus in St. Moritz. “In the summer the lakes turn turquoise and the views are just magical.” Niedzielski relies on hiking and biking gear for her mountainous adventures with her husband and four-year-old twin girls, Stella and Bianca. Come dusk, she’ll outfit her girls in matching dresses, and slip into her favorite Fabrizio Viti loafers and Muzungu Sisters dress for a slice of truffle pizza at Chesa Veglia, St. Moritz’s cult pizzeria. “It’s the oldest house in town and has the coziest splintered wooden walls.”
Buy now: Toss all you’ll need for the day in this convenient yet chic tote by The Row, $1,513, farfetch.com.
Buy now: These loafers from Fabrizio Viti are a must-pack, $660, fabrizioviti.com.
Buy now: This artisan-embroidered organic cotton dress from Muzungo Sisters goes from day to night, $813, matchesfashion.com.
Buy now: A soft cashmere cardigan from Khaite will keep you warm in case the temperatures dip, $1,250, farfetch.com.
Buy now: Take a quick dip in the pool in this OYE swimwear one-piece, $350, net-a-porter.com.
For the perfect rustic and romantic getaway, celebrity wellness maven Amanda Bacon heads to Mankas Inverness Lodge in Marin, California for a week of cabining with her husband. Marin represents the values the L.A.-based superfood guru cultivates with Moon Juice, her holistic line of organic supplements, snacks, and skincare—namely, caring for the self and the earth. “It’s been my dream to live in Marin since my early twenties. The air, the light, the food growing from the ground, it all makes me feel whole and at home,” she explains. For Bacon, it’s an annual body, mind, and soul retreat: She starts her day with a cinnamon bun (“they drop them fresh at your doorstep each morning!”) and heads to Bolinas Beach for lunch, followed by a surf session and a sunset hike around Tomales Bay. “It’s a special place for my husband and I.”
Buy now: An easy leather carryall is a must have for travelling, no matter what the locale. Bring this Celine Cabas Phantom bag in black leather, $1,950, celine.com.
Buy now: Toss on an easy printed dress like this one from Dôen, $305, netaporter.com.
Buy now: Add a rosy hue to cheeks and lips with Living Libations blushing balm, $30, livinglibations.com.
Buy now: Promote healthy hair with Moon Juice SUPERHAIR dietary supplement, $60, moonjuice.com.
Buy now: Post-surf, you’ll need this classic Mason Pearson extra wide tooth comb, $35, neimanmarcus.com.
When athleisure designer Tyler Haney founded Outdoor Voices in 2012, she had no idea the price would be no vacation for seven years. So when Haney did decide to take a long-overdue and much needed break, the Texas native headed to her friend’s hotel, San Cristobal in Todos Santos, Mexico, with her BFF, boyfriend, and dog Juice (“Jugo this trip”). She packed light for the week-long siesta, rotating swim sets with OV shorts and workout dresses when she wanted to cover up. For Haney, the trip was an opportunity to unwind and re-set, which meant morning jogs, afternoon dips in the ocean with Juice, many margaritas, and reading Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. “I came back with a new outlook that I’ve shared with Team OV.” Which is? “When everything is clear, everything is possible.”
Buy now: For workouts on vacation, pack the Outdoor Voices exercise dress with built-in shorts and sweat-wicking properties, $100, outdoorvoices.com.
Buy now: A great pool-side read: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, $12, amazon.com.
Buy now: Simplify the jewelry you plan to bring on your next vacation, and just pack a chunky chain that goes with everything, Vada choker, $1,290, vadajewelry.com.
Buy now: Get sun-kissed even-toned skin without the downsides of exposure to the sun’s harmful rays with Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronzing Tint, $45, dr.hauschka.com.
Buy now: For runs and workouts on vacation, pack a pair of Hoka One One Women’s OV Clifton shoes, $140, outdoorvoices.com.
