Seatmates: Marianna Hewitt
On how travel shaped a cult-favorite brand, the city that reinvents her creativity, and the hotel stay that lived up to a fantasy
This interview is part of Seatmates, a Window Seat series where tastemakers and creatives share how they move through the world—what they pack, where they stay, and the travel rituals that shape their lives.
When you think of beauty brands that feel as aspirational as a Slim Aarons photograph and as effortless as a long weekend away, Summer Fridays tops the list. At the helm is co-founder Marianna Hewitt: content creator, tastemaker, frequent flier, and author of her own Substack, Life with Marianna, where she shares personal reflections and rituals beyond beauty.
Her personal love of travel has shaped everything from the cult-favorite Jet Lag Mask to Summer Fridays’ airport campaigns and shoots staged at iconic hotels like Cuixmala. She’s built a brand (and a personal world) that treats travel not just as inspiration, but as a language of self-care.
Read on to learn the destination and hotel still on her wishlist, the hack she swears by for winter travel, and the app she uses to beat jet lag.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Marianna Hewitt, co-founder of Summer Fridays, a skincare brand rooted in ease, effectiveness, and everyday rituals. I live in Los Angeles, where I balance running a beauty business, creating content, and traveling often. My love language is gift giving, and in many ways, I’ve turned what makes me happiest into a career. I care about creating products and experiences that make people feel good, whether through skincare, style, or the way they approach daily life. That’s my gift to others—it gives me so much passion and purpose to see how something I’ve created or recommended can bring joy to someone’s day, life, or memories.
I love how much travel is a part of the ethos of Summer Fridays, from the name of the Jet Lag Mask, to your airport marketing with TSA bins, to product shoots at iconic hotels like Cuixmala. How do you think about travel not just as inspiration, but as part of your brand’s language?
Travel has been core to my life since childhood. I grew up between the Midwest and Germany, and then later in my 20s started traveling frequently for work, and those experiences over the last 30+ years really helped form the on-the-go ethos that is at the heart of Summer Fridays. The brand was born from the idea of creating products that fit seamlessly into a busy lifestyle, whether you’re at home or on the go. We can all relate to that “jet lag” feeling, being busy, exhausted or not having enough time for daily rituals, and our products are designed to help reset and restore in those moments.
For me, travel is about curiosity, inspiration, and sometimes necessity, and that's woven into everything from our product names to our campaign imagery. Even our name, Summer Fridays, comes from the idea of taking time for yourself, or how some companies might give Summer Fridays off, or how in France there’s time in August for holiday. We wanted to bottle that feeling of pause and self-care year-round. Shooting at iconic locations like Cuixmala or in Antibes helps build that world, transporting you to a place where beauty feels effortless and restorative.
As someone who is very well-traveled, is there a destination where you feel most creatively charged? A place that resets your perspective or sparks new ideas for you or your brands?
Paris always reignites my creativity. It’s not only about the fashion and design, it’s the cafés, the people watching, the traditions, and history of the city. I go a few times a year, and I still always look forward to returning. For vacation, I usually go to Antibes and St. Tropez and that is where I feel completely reset. It can really be whatever type of trip you want it to be, from fun and lively to relaxed and beachy there’s something for everyone. I love the colors of the buildings and how the water looks just before sunset. It reminds me to slow down, and often my best ideas come from that space of calm.
Do you have a ritual or practice you return to on every trip that helps you feel grounded?
My morning routine is definitely my anchor, and journaling is the ritual that makes me feel most grounded. Even if it’s just a few minutes in the morning, taking time to write down what I’m grateful for and what I’m looking forward to helps me feel centered no matter where I am. I have a travel journal I take with me everywhere, and I love to look back at memories of my trips. I also walk a lot when I travel, and being such a morning person, I love to get up early and find a matcha to walk around with and see what I stumble across before the city and day get busy.
What’s been your most memorable stay?
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc is truly as special as you’d imagine. The first time I went, it was just for lunch, and eventually I returned for a single night. Each year since, I’ve been able to extend my stays a little longer, and it’s become the destination I look forward to most. I had dreamed of it for so long, ever since first seeing it in a Slim Aarons photo, and being there feels like stepping into that timeless image.
Amangiri is another favorite, and I love visiting Aman properties around the world for their beauty and sense of calm.
Is there a destination or property at the top of your wishlist?
Japan is at the very top of my list. I’ve been to Tokyo before, but I want to go back and explore Kyoto. The culture, design, and food are always things I am saving for to hopefully visit. On my hotel wishlist, the Aman Tokyo is a dream stay.
What are your must-haves when it comes to luggage and items you travel with?
Rimowa Essential Check-In L: Classic and durable. I prefer this style over the aluminum ones—I had one that broke so I never used it again, but this style has lasted me for years and many travels. Any color is good, just don’t buy white.
Patagonia Rolling Duffle: This is my travel hack for winter trips where you need to pack tons of coats and boots. It fits SO much stuff.
Slip Silk Contour Sleep Mask: I never board a flight without it.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask & Eye Patches: Always in my carry-on for hydration.
What is your go-to airport outfit?
I keep it simple but polished:
Enza Costa Satin Wide Leg Pants: comfortable but structured.
APL Traveler sneakers: easy to slip on and off.
Jenni Kayne Everyday Sweater: cozy for the plane.
YSL Sunglasses: because I always want to feel pulled together.
Do you have any rules or rituals when it comes to air travel?
I always board with a few bottles of water, and I use them to mix electrolytes, protein powder, or matcha that I keep in my bag. I keep skincare essentials handy. I also try to reset to the local time zone right away, which means adjusting my meals and sleep schedule to where I’m going, even on the plane. I use the Timeshifter app and it helps so much. (Ed. Note: See!? It’s not just me!) I always travel with Lemme Sleep Gummies and have to have cozy socks.
Last question: aisle or window seat?
Window, always.
For more from Marianna, subscribe to her Substack and follow her on Instagram. Oh, and why not treat yourself to something nice from Summer Fridays? (You deserve it). Interested in being featured in Seatmates or know someone who should be? Drop me a line here.
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Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.
This was such a dreamy read. I loved Marianna's reflections on Cuixmala and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc! That morning matcha walk with a travel journal is the energy I’m bringing into my next trip ✨
SO MAJOR! CONGRATS TORI and I swear the Enza Costa pants are an essential for every travel girly