Why Ibiza is having a fashion moment once again

(CNN) — There are two rather different perceptions of the Balearic island of Ibiza near Spain. One is as a nightlife and party destination; home to beach clubs, world-class DJs and all-night long raves for which the island became world-renowned, particularly from the late 1980s onwards. Another provides a counterpoint to these fevered nights — a sense of tranquillity and breeziness, a yogic haven of calm and counter culture nestled in the Mediterranean sea.

That mood can be seen through the lens of Ibizan style, characterized by bohemian inspired white dresses, airy fabrics, lingerie-like garments, linens and earthy colours. This look originated in the 1960s and 1970s, explained journalist Gala Mora, when Ibiza became “the center of (Europe’s) hippy universe,” playing host to celebrities including Freddie Mercury, Grace Jones and Bob Marley.

“A mix of people from all walks of life gathered here, finding a refuge on the island and discovering a place with rich artisan traditions,” Mora, co-author of a new coffee table book “Ibiza Interiors,” told CNN in an interview. “Today, (Ibizan style) still persists and is absolutely recognizable anywhere in the world.”

As well as on-island boutiques such as Annie’s Ibiza and Vicente Ganesha, Ibiza style is celebrated by Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson, who grew up vacationing in Ibiza, and since 2017, has spearheaded a high end collaboration between the luxury house and another legendary local institution Paula’s boutique. Together the brands produce a much-anticipated annual collection of womenswear, menswear and accessories capturing the bohemian essence of Balearic style. Summer 2024 also saw clothing brand Reformation launch an Ibiza collection, styled for going between the club and the beach (and the club on the beach).

But fashion is just one aspect of Ibiza’s growing international reputation as a creative hub once again.

Shane Fonner, senior vice president at L.E.R. public relations who represent chic agrotourism hotel Cas Gasi in the island’s center said the area is becoming increasingly popular with travellers from North America, many of whom are attracted by Ibiza’s reputation for allowing people to slow down, switch off and provide space to look inwards.

“When the pandemic happened, there was a chance to reframe what Ibiza was about: slow travel, wellness and mindfulness,” Fonner said. “The pandemic, alongside increasing geopolitical turmoil and the fast pace of (lives lived on) social media means Ibiza is (returning to) the place it was in the 1960s… In Ibiza, people are asking those questions of, ‘who are we? Who do we think we are? How do we want to live? Are there better ways to live?’ Ibiza serves as a template for this exploration, or a modern version of this exploration.”

A spate of new photobooks only endorse this view — Mora’s “Ibiza Interiors,” “Ibiza Bohemia” published by Assouline, and “Oriol Maspons Ibiza,” all celebrate the island’s long history as a hub for creativity, design and bohemian living.

Maspons’ book showcases the work of the acclaimed Spanish photographer who spent summers on the island from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, making hundreds of photographs showing Ibiza’s distinct aesthetic. The images capture the dichotomy of languid days spent lounging on beaches alongside riotous, glitzy club nights and evoke a sense that Ibiza was the place to be — and to be seen.

The island has a long tradition of being home to, or hosting, forward thinking creatives. The “Ibiza 59” group, so called for the year it was founded, was a collective of countercultural artists from different countries and with different styles who all coalesced on the island at the same time. This set the scene for the 1960s; the island’s first art biennal was held in 1964, and five years later, Ibiza’s Contemporary Art Museum opened in the town’s historic quarter.

The island is returning to the art scene that played such a part in it’s history, thanks in part to the Contemporary Art Now (CAN) Art Fair, bringing more than 30 national and international art galleries to the island to showcase the latest in contemporary and avant-garde art. “Ibiza reinvents itself, and I think this is a new wave in arts and culture for the island,” CAN Art Fair’s founding director Sergio Sancho told CNN in an interview.

Sancho is looking to highlight local creatives and craftsmanship as part of CAN Art Fair. An avid art collector, Sancho founded the UVNT Art Fair in Madrid in 2017, but during a visit to Ibiza during the pandemic, he found the unusually quiet atmosphere enabled him to truly see the island’s cultural offering, and the potential it had to host an international art fair.

CAN also hosts an OFF Program to accompany the main art fair which in 2024 comprised six exhibitions around the island showcasing the work of Balearic artists. “I think it’s important to give visibility to these local artists; I think this is one of the highlights of this year,” said Sancho. One such artist is Irene de Andres, who is from Ibiza and showcased a project called “Where nothing happens,” a series of video works, photographs, sculptures and models based on the memory of abandoned or temporarily disused discos and nightclubs on the island.

In some ways, “Where nothing happens,” alludes to the broader sense of change on the island and a movement away from the famed hard-partying lifestyle. Sancho attributes this shift to the pandemic: “It changed the vibe of the island, because a lot of people started moving (to Ibiza) and basing their first residence there,” he said.

The vibrant atmosphere of the 1960s and 1970s also influenced Ibiza’s architecture and interior design trends said Mora, giving rise to a unique and design aesthetic known as “Ibicenco” style which continues to go find favor in fashion. The look permeates the “Ibiza Interiors” book, which showcases characteristic home designs using local stone and materials including wood, color schemes involving white and earth tones, and rattan or wicker patio furniture. Mora said that these local materials are characteristic of the island, where locals have a long history of artisanal craftsmanship and added that this style has been shaped and adapted by those arriving on the island over the decades who blended tradition with modernity.

For journalist and author Mora, that throughline between Ibiza’s past and present has always existed. “I don’t really think (Ibiza) has gained popularity in recent years; I believe it has always been popular artistically,” she said. And Mora says that while people may come to seek out a certain lifestyle, what they find may be different to what they expect. “Many artists come, settle down, and interact with each other, seeking to merge their particular style with that of the island. It is not uncommon for them to arrive with a theme or way of conceiving work, and then, over time, mold their style until they discover a new one. It’s the magic of Ibiza.”

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