And now, the end is here
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I travelled each and ev'ry highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
As the final curtain falls on the Ibiza clubbing calendar, hold back your tears. Like two star crossed lovers you and Ibiza will meet again. All great things come to an end.
In Ibiza the end is just the beginning. Deep... and you thought this was just about fashion...
Those clever Carthaginians knew they struck gold when back in the day (654 BC to be precise) they first landed on the mystical shores of Ibiza. I say mystical, as even back then they felt the magic of the island. They named it Ibissim after the God Bes.
This mighty God of Pygamys may have been depicted as short, furry, bandy legged and pug nosed but don't be fooled. Appearances can be deceptive. Bes was none other than the God of dance, fertility, women and sensuality. Reminds me of an ex funnily. With me standing at only 5'2” we were a match made in Hobbitsville. That was until he bust his seductive yet deadly moves towards my friend's longer legs.
Still, all is fair in Love and War and since those days both Ibiza and I have moved on to bigger and better things. After numerous invasions, Ibiza is now an incredible island where the spirit of Bes still lives on. The party Capital of the Universe; a place of music, love, art, fashion fun, frolicking and freedom. Blessed by Bes indeed.
So if like me, you've had the time of your life and you owe it all to Ibiza (love a Power Ballard when life gets too much) then we hope you enjoy this month's feature. A celebration and a few little gems to entice you back… as if you needed an excuse.
In the heart of Santa Gertrudis is the men's shop, Baron. Great for you blokes out there that are purveyors of the quick in and out technique. Baron stocks everything you could possibly need, from belts, leather goods, shoes, trousers, casual t-shirts to more formal wear.
Walking into the rugged, gaucho inspired interior, even I felt the need to man up. No bright white lights, girlie mirrors and clinical rails housing ridiculously expensive clobber here. This is a Yorkie size chocolate bar of a shop for men. Owner and fashion maestro, Walter Menutti is on hand to offer styling advice and tips. In a manly compatriot way of course.
Shoes maketh the man so gentlemen please feast your eyes on the image above. Italian designs (naturally) these shoes are a cool find. If you want something a bit less formal than a suit shoe but that still work with trousers as well as jeans then these shoes are the perfect fit.
Best bit about Baron?! It's the most sophisticated off-license I have ever come across! Walter also stocks a fine selection of wines. What could be more rewarding than a bottle of quality wine after a buying bender?
Thanks to innovative new fabric technology, leather has become one of this year's biggest trends. Butter soft, light weight and in an array of colours, it's soft enough to be moulded into T-shirts even.
However for the purpose of this article, I wanted to show you something gloriously glamorous and sexy… very Ibiza! This black studded leather dress was seriously soft and felt like second skin. That is after all the allure of leather… skin on skin. Cleverly positioned studs nip and tuck the waits and hip area. Wear with chunky ankle boots to toughen it up or go all out with some fierce gold spiky stilettoes (as seen in picture above). No jewellery required.
Waistcoats are a great way to add interest to a simple outfit and this orange leather waistcoat ticks more than one fashion box. This will add a rock chic luxe feel even to a simple black dress or white vest top. By the way the handsome man holding it up is the talented Mr Daniel Jacob Dali. Watch this space for a feature showcasing his designs.
Talking of innovative fabric techniques, how do you feel about felt? I was invited to view designer, Natalie Groeneveld, Felt show at Nagai. Flashbacks of being forced to make felt purses which even your gran left somewhere “safe” never to be seen again went through my mind. Let me tell you something…felt is the new silk, especially the way that Natalie lovingly creates it.
I stayed after and chatted to the lovely Natalie, who by the way could easily, have been a model for her own show. I have a real passion for ethical fashion, so was happy when Natalie explained how she made her clothes. Largely self-taught, Natalie uses the Ibizian landscape as a palette.
In order to achieve the transparency her pieces have, she infuses silks and wools with natural dyes made from plant, fruit and herbs locally sourced. Incredible technically, they are often seamless and appear ethereal whilst still remaining raw and sexy. Who'd have thought felt could be so sensual? Here are some photos from her show, judge for yourself.
Whilst I loved her interpretation of a wedding dress, I had saucy visions of wearing her bolero style top with nothing but stockings and heels just like the model on the night! Alternatively my top tip is to wear the bolero instead of a bulky gilet this winter – both options sure to keep you warm.
If you're looking for a little something Ibiza to bring back home and banish your holiday blues then take a look at this tie dye top. It's from Ganesha, Vicente, One of my absolute favourite stores – well if it's good enough for Kate Moss, Jade Jagger, Elle McPherson, then it's good enough for us. I'm going to be wearing mine with skinny jeans or leather trousers, chunky heels and some gold bangles as the temperature drops.
We met lots of stylish folk around the island this summer and this inspired us to invite you to send in your most fashionable snaps. Let's see how you do things. We'll look to publish
some to keep you reminiscing.
Please send them to me at : fashion@ibiza-spotlight.com
We hope you've had fun and oodles of it here on Ibiza. Whatever you chose to do... be it full on clubbing, to a yoga break or family time, we can't wait to welcome you back. Whatever you did, however you did it as long as you did it your way, it's all good.
Let's just finish with a bit more Sinatra….See you next time. Besos
I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way,
"Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it my way"
Location / website details:
Baron - Venda de Fruitera 5, 07814 Santa Gertrudis.
Black leather dress and gold spiky stilletos - EGB Beach, Ibiza town.
Felt by Natalie - for more information.
Tie dye Poncho style top can be found at Ganesha, Vicente Hernandez, C/Montgri 14, Bajo, Ibiza Town
