María Ángeles, who came to Mallorca from Jerez at 18, has been approached more than once at the beach to be in videos and the press. She says she’s used to it. “It’s because I’m a people person.”
Biel studied cinema. He frequently visits the beach for inspiration. What type of movie would he like to make? A horror film with a touch of comedy and the Palma de Mallorca Cathedral as the setting.
Centuries ago, Mallorca was a land of pirates and valiant warriors, famed for their skilled use of the sling and feared across the Mediterranean. It was home to indigenous cultures such as the Talayotic, who left mysterious structures of superimposed stones dating from the Iron Age. Mallorca was also a territory occupied by Carthaginians, Romans, Muslims and Jews, who saw it as a place with fertile fields and a strategic location; an ideal center of operations for their military and commercial expeditions.
For much of the 20th century, Mallorca experienced a time of self-absorption, but today it has once again become a land of intermingling, welcoming new inhabitants from all over the world every year. Nearly half of those who live here were born off the island. In this melting pot of cultures, Camper has become one of the most emblematic Mallorcan brands of the last decades. This year, 2025, marks the company’s 50th anniversary since its founding in 1975, when Lorenzo Fluxà Roselló set out to modernize the century-old shoemaking tradition he inherited from his family.
This legacy originated with Lorenzo’s grandfather, Antonio Fluxà. Born in Inca, in the heart of Mallorca, where there was a thriving shoemaking guild, Antonio set himself apart from the rest by going to England in 1877. There he learned to use the English models of mechanized production and returned to Inca bringing machinery to open his own workshop. Thus, the first shoe factory on the island was born, and its success earned Antonio the nickname of ‘mestre’ or ‘master’.
Camper channeled this family heritage into a new firm, giving it room to experiment with designs made for everyday life. A company where professionals from creative fields as different as photography, graphic design or architecture could freely contribute to the brand with their creativity.
This happened in 1975, when a series of reforms and a desire to open up to the world swept through Spain, which was emerging from 36 years of dictatorship and was ready to embrace democracy. The goal set by Camper—the Mallorcan word for ‘peasant’—was to reflect the brand’s connection to its origins and to preserve its intention to be a line of comfortable and practical footwear for all occasions.
This industrious mission carried out over five decades has turned the town of Inca into the hub of artisanal footwear manufacturing in Mallorca. A legacy that continues to enrich the island’s economy, which relies primarily on tourism.
More than seven million travelers visit Mallorca’s coasts every year. They cross the sea by plane, ferries and cruise ships. They tour the island and its picturesque villages such as Estellencs, a hamlet in the western part of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that still preserves its cobbled streets and traditional cuisine.
Those who can afford it arrive in private boats, stopping off at secluded spots such as Cala Tuent, whose peaceful, crystal-clear waters are sheltered from the wind by pine-clad mountains.
On this island, time seems to pass by more slowly, and innovation advances hand in hand with tradition. Here, the artisan and quintessentially Mediterranean way of doing things inspires artists and companies such as Camper. An idyllic setting that the American writer Gertrude Stein summed up years ago in an enigmatic phrase: ‘Mallorca is paradise, if you can stand it.’
Bea, 43, is from Seville, but eight years ago, she bought an apartment in Palma de Mallorca to vacation and visit her brother, who works there.
“Portixol, the area where I live, is so beautiful!“
ROSSY DE PALMA
The Almodóvar girl tells us about her childhood in Mallorca and what she wants from her artistic career.
20
MALLORCA, AN IDYLLIC STUDIO FOR YOUNG CREATIVES
Six artists share how the island inspires them and what it offers to emerging talents like themselves.
32
ACHILLES ION GABRIEL
Camper’s creative director has found in Mallorca the peace and connection with nature that he longed for from his homeland, Finland.
LA SIESTA
LA BARAJA ESPAÑOLA
The Spanish deck of cards is still alive, and old and young alike find it hard to resist playing with it. P. 78
APAEMA ORGANIC FARMING
Organic food is becoming more popular on the island, where tomatoes and almonds are some of the traditional crops. P. 94
ALI GUTY
The Mallorcan influencer, who broke stereotypes at a young age, returns to New York to resume her career as a curvy model and work her way into new industries. P. 100
BIRDWATCHING
For birdwatchers in Mallorca, the black vulture is a rare prize. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FVSM foundation, the largest bird of prey in Europe can still find shelter on this Mediterranean island. P. 114
ELA FIDALGO MARC BIBILONI
The artist and her gallerist point out the complicity necessary between both roles for art to flourish. P. 126
FORN DES TEATRE
A couple reinvented themselves during an economic crisis, digging out recipes from the past to bring a historic Art Nouveau bakery back to life. P. 138
Nele is a 26-year-old German who came to Mallorca for work. She enjoys the great weather and spends her free time on a new skill she learned on the island: ceramics. Her goal is to make a chess set.
Thelma
Alex Sobrón, 24, grew up in a creative home. His grandfather founded a haute couture house, and his mother designed shoes. Alex followed their steps but in the jewelry sector, where he owns a brand.
Blanca, 25, is a cook at a hotel. She says that becoming financially independent in Mallorca is difficult, so she wants to move to London. What she’d miss the most from Mallorca: the night views.
People in Mallorca love walking along the seafront with the sound of waves in the background and feeling the marine breeze. They do it whether to reflect, disconnect, or, like Elena, walk their pets.
Matías is from Argentina and has been in Spain for 13 years but less than one in Palma. He never misses a gym session and loves listening to electronic music. He still has to make friends on the island.
Piero came to Mallorca aged one. He is the oldest of four siblings and the only one born in Ecuador. He dreams of being an audiovisual director here: “It’s the place I know, and that inspires me.”
ROSSY DE PALMA
AND HER DESIRE TO LIVE ART
Rosa Elena García Echave knew she didn’t want her real name mixed with her artistic life, so early on in her career she became Rossy de Palma, in honor of her hometown—Palma de Mallorca. She is known for being one of the “Almodóvar girls,” that select group of actresses who appear again and again in the works of the acclaimed Spanish film director. But Rossy says that she is an artist more than an actress. She can act in an Oscar-nominated film one day, as in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and star the next in the Fashion Freak Show of French fashion designer Jean Paul Gautier, who considers her his muse.
“I’m not a careerist, I don’t have a career focus. For me, it’s more of a life process,” says Rossy about her work. She seeks to live the experience of creating art more than the final work itself. That’s why she doesn’t hesitate to interrupt the interview to take a photo of the impressive sky in shades of pink, orange and yellow, which appears in front of Villa Can Pirata, where she has just caused a stir in a photo shoot with creative suggestions for wardrobe and backgrounds. And that’s also why, instead of a list of directors she wants to work with, she has a list of theaters where she wishes to perform: “I’m crossing them off, and I really wanted to do the Teatro Real, but it’s only for opera.” She overcame that hurdle recently with Tres mujeres solas y desesperadas, a show with two operas linked by a monologue in which Rossy puts on a bride dress to reflect on falling out of love.
“Now I’m more interested in performances because there is freedom in them. You don’t know what is going to happen and you interact with the audience, you create situations,” she explains. Another area she explores is dance, an art she practiced as a child despite being told she was “too big” to be a dancer. “I’m unable to stick to just one thing. I need variety, otherwise I get bored and when I get bored I get very naughty,” she confesses.
YOU WERE BORN ON THE ISLAND, BUT YOUR PARENTS WERE FROM ELSEWHERE, WEREN’T THEY?
My parents are from the North of Spain, from Asturias, so when I grew up here I didn’t yet speak Catalan, or rather Mallorcan. We were the outsiders, or as it is pejoratively known—although I claim to be one—: charnegos, right? So, every time I’d go to the bakery, I’d hear people say: “Aquesta és filla de forasters,” this is the daughter of outsiders, because we were from mainland Spain, we used to go to Asturias every summer.
I’ve just turned 60 and what I’m telling you is from when I was six, that is, in the 70s. They still had that mentality, but today, the neighborhood where I grew up has become Chinatown. So imagine what that baker who saw me as an outsider would say now. Things have changed a lot!
But it’s true that my mother, being from the North, always told me: “You have to understand that this island was a pirate haven. From the time of the Phoenicians, this place was visited by all sorts of people, so the locals had to keep their things underground.” So I have the two cultures within me, which is something that has enriched me a lot. I have the northern region with the Cantabrian Sea, which is not for bathing but for contemplating, and also the Mediterranean. The fact that I have parents from the North but was born in the Mediterranean has meant that I don’t have a homeland, but that’s also great, isn’t it? It’s hard for me to say “I belong somewhere,” but if I have to decide on one, I can say that I feel Mediterranean.
MANY MALLORCANS LEAVE THE ISLAND WHEN THEY REACH THEIR YOUNG ADULTHOOD TO SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE. WAS THAT THE CASE FOR YOU?
I left with a very well-known music group that was created here: Peor Impossible. It was made up of people from other places: from Andalusia, many Mallorcans. I was the drummer, percussionist, backing vocalist and dancer. We had a summer hit: Susurrando. At that time nobody thought about celebrity or money. There was a need to express ourselves, we were very young, we were 17 and 18. We made videos with... Mark Gómez, I think that was the name of that American director, and they cost us nothing because they were the beginnings of chroma and he wanted to experiment. So we made four videos that were very successful in Madrid and we were signed by a big record company. At that point we moved to Madrid. They were the last days of the Madrid Scene. We performed twice at the legendary Rock-Ola. It was the golden age of 80s music and Pedro Almodóvar used to come to our concerts.
We were a group of many people and we were very versatile: we’d do an africanorama or a medievo in each performance. There was a fusion of musicians and non-musicians and others who were called the Sindicato de Diseñadores, who were in Carrer Sant Feliu and made parades, stilts, masks. We were all, unconsciously, very creative and very funny.
YOU MET THE FILM DIRECTOR PEDRO ALMODÓVAR IN MADRID AND IT WAS HE WHO ENCOURAGED YOU TO GET INTO ACTING AND TAKE PART IN HIS FILM.
No, there’s always that story that he discovered me in a bar, but no, he didn’t. The thing is that we didn’t have any money so I worked in those bars where everyone went, that way I could see everybody while making sure that the next day I’d have enough to pay for lodging, buy a sandwich and survive. There were nine of us in the group, and after the gigs we’d split the money, so there wasn’t much left. Pedro used to come to King Creole a lot, the bar where I worked, which had a rockabilly vibe.
I had wanted to go to the Matador casting but I couldn’t because our group had a performance in Alicante. And one day Pedro came to King Creole with his costume designer, Cossío. I made my own clothes because we didn’t have any, we made the whole wardrobe ourselves. And that day I was wearing a very sexy dress, I was 19 years old and had a great body, and they said to me: “We’re looking for dresses like that, sexy,” for Carmen Maura’s character in the film Law of Desire. They asked me, “Where can we buy a dress like that?”
—I made it myself.
—And the earrings?
—I made them myself.
In fact, Carmen wears a lot of my earrings in the film. So they told me: “Would you like to play a part in the film?” And I said: “Of course!”
Pedro was always fascinated that I didn’t have a home but I had an agenda, because I was very mature at 20. I lived my adolescence at 30, from 30 to 33, but at 20 I was everybody’s mother, the most sensible one. It was also a time when there were a lot of drugs, AIDS... So in Law of Desire Pedro said: “Don’t do her make-up, don’t do her hair, don’t dress her because I want her to come as she is.“
WAS THAT YOUR FIRST FILM?
Well, now I’m going to give you a scoop: my first time in front of a camera was not with Pedro, it was here, in Mallorca. There was a German B-movie with the Miss Germany of that year and Manzanita, a flamenco singer who was very famous in Spain at the time. My friends and I turned up as extras but I was told: “Instead of playing part in the crowd, you and you“—another girl who was there—“are going to play nuns.” They dressed us up as nuns and there was a guy who was pissing on a tree so we’d go, “Ah!” in shock. And that was my first appearance, I got paid a bit more because I was a special appearance and not just an extra in the crowd. Then in Madrid I met Pedro, who was very happy with my work at Law of Desire. He asked me: “How was your experience?” And I told him: “Well, as I was dressed as myself, with my own hair and make-up, I didn’t feel like a character.” And Pedro
replied: “Don’t worry, in the next film I’ll give you a character that will have nothing to do with you.” That was Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING WITH PEDRO?
I’m known as an actress, but I’m more of an artist than a performer. I’m not about methods, I’m more about forgetting myself and letting the character take its place. I really liked starting with Pedro because he takes improvisation on the fly, he’s not one of those rigid directors with a script to follow. I always say that I don’t like the vanity of artists who think they’re doing something special: “I’ve invented this” or “I’ve created that.” I believe that artists are conductors of art, but we are not the art. My father, for example, who has been a bricklayer, a master builder, he hasn’t studied anything but he can do something with tiles in Gaudí style without knowing Gaudí. It’s like I always say, the cable and the plug can’t create electricity, they’re just conductors. So the more detached you are from vanity, the better conductor you are.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES PEDRO SAY: “THIS ROLE IS FOR ROSSY?” HAVE YOU EVER TALKED ABOUT IT?
We haven’t. But he always says: “Look, there is a part for you.” It’s something that comes spontaneously from him. And I like him to want it, I’m not one to force anything. If he doesn’t want it, I don’t want it either. It’s like love. We’re not going to make love if we both don’t feel like it. I want you to feel like it just as much as I do, otherwise what’s the point? I think I even said “no” once, or twice. I don’t know, but I think I even turned him down once.
SCIENTISTS SAY THAT WHEN YOU ARE IMMERSED IN A WORK OF FICTION, WHETHER AS AN ARTIST OR EVEN AS A SPECTATOR, YOUR BRAIN CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FICTION AND WHAT HAPPENS IN REALITY. HAVE YOU FELT THAT, HAVE ANY ROLES LEFT A MARK ON YOU?
Yes, some roles have left their impression on me, but it is more in relation to the off-camera experience. In other words, I see a character and I remember what I experienced on that shoot. Of course you want a film to be good, but then, as a human experience, I don’t care about the result. Because no one can take away what I experienced during that filming: if there was a journey, the human group that made it possible, any events that took place, or the anecdotes, all of that is life. I am an artist who acts as an actress, so it is not the same thing. I’m not fragile like actresses in that sense or I’m not unhappy if I don’t shoot because there are many other artistic things I’m passionate about.
It’s a different approach. I don’t like working with people who are stressed out, I don’t think that stress is good for anything, right? But it’s true that there are other types of characters that I wouldn’t do, for example, real-life characters, like playing a murderer who we all know.
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF RETURNING TO MALLORCA?
Yes, and to various places too. Madrid is another place that welcomes everyone in a very natural way and no one there asks you where you come from. But the Mediterranean is always in my heart, just like this island.
“THE FACT THAT I HAVE PARENTS FROM THE NORTH OF SPAIN BUT WAS BORN IN THE MEDITERRANEAN HAS MEANT THAT I DON’T HAVE A HOMELAND, BUT THAT’S ALSO GREAT, ISN’T IT? IT’S HARD FOR ME TO SAY ‘I BELONG SOMEWHERE,’ BUT IF I HAVE TO DECIDE ON ONE, I CAN SAY THAT I FEEL MEDITERRANEAN.”
MALLORCA AN IDYLLIC STUDIO
FOR YOUNG CREATIVES
Artists need a place with stimuli that inspire them to create. However, this place should also provide them with all they need to bring their ideas to life, and every artist has a different concept of how this ideal setting should be.
The Irish writer George Bernard Shaw, author of Pygmalion, had a small rotating hut in his garden that let him
enjoy different views throughout the day. It also helped him soak up every minute of sunlight while writing. The Spanish Salvador Dalí, on the other hand, asserted that the true painter could work in a desert or surrounded by the “turmoil of history.”
Many artists have found their ideal studio in Mallorca. The Nicaraguan
poet Rubén Darío needed only a few short visits to set his creativity in motion and produce an abundance of works. It was here that he composed his poem La Cartuja, dedicated to the palace of La Cartuja de Valldemossa. His novels Isla de Oro and the autobiographical and unfinished El Oro de Mallorca were also written on the island.
MARCELLA BARCELÓ JORDI CLOTET SALÓ MARION DE RAUCOURT JAN HORCIK THOMAS PERROTEAU SARA REGAL
Another artist who saw Mallorca as a source of inspiration for his imagination was the Catalan painter and sculptor Joan Miró, who took refuge there after the Nazi invasion of France, where he was living in exile. Miró appreciated the light of the island, where his maternal family and his wife, Pilar Juncosa, were from. He described it as “imbued with pure poetry.” Here,
in the course of his life, he commissioned three buildings that he used to create and exhibit his artwork. One of them serves today as the headquarters of the Fundación Miró Mallorca.
It is here where we invited six artists who have chosen this island as a studio to experiment with different branches of art, from turning waste into sculp-
tures to rescuing typefaces from old posters. These six young people value the calm and slow pace of life offered by Mallorca, where the artistic community welcomes newcomers with open arms.
Marcella Barceló
Marion de Raucourt
Sara Regal
Jordi Clotet Saló
Thomas Perroteau
Pelotas
Ariel
S/S 2025
Jan Horcik
Marcella Barceló
Marion de Raucourt
Sara Regal
Jordi
Clotet
Saló
Thomas Perroteau
Pelotas Ariel S/S 2025
MARCELLA BARCELÓ
As the daughter of another artist, Miquel Barceló, Marcella never doubted that she could make a living from art, so she never stopped drawing. At the age of 32, her paintings seem to come out of a dream because of their colors, liquid forms, and reflections. She has exhibited them in several countries and in 2015, the young artist was awarded the Contemporary Drawing Prize by the National School of Fine Arts of Paris.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
MB Observing the sky reflected in water. The merging of what is underneath, the surface, and what floats on it, its reflections. It’s a beautiful summary of our world and our human consciousness.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
MB It makes it easier to escape into solitude and calm, two key elements in a workshop.
Your favorite material?
MB I would say water, because it is uncontrollable.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
MB I always include elements from here, the wonderful views of full moons and dramatic sunsets. But, more than landscapes, they take the form of feelings: desires, fears.
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
MB I don’t think it’s something you decide to do. It’s like possessions, I don’t think you can choose to be possessed by a demon.
JORDI CLOTET SALÓ
Metal structures that merge with trees and flowers are some of the elements featured in the work of Jordi, a 30-year-old artist born in El Masnou, Catalonia. After studying graphic design in Barcelona and obtaining a Master of Fine Arts degree in London, he moved to Mallorca in 2021, where he now designs sets and creates sculptures.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
JCS Nature, I grew up with the sea on one side and the mountains on the other.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
JCS Time, everything is slower here. And a culture that is not hidden, yet not as famous as paella. You have to be here to know it.
Your favorite material?
JCS Metal, because of its weight and because as you work it you can see how it will turn out. It doesn’t have to be fired, it doesn’t need molds, you start and finish it yourself.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
JCS The rust here is special, or at least that’s how I see it, and nature. Now I work with pine resins, a tree that is abundant on the island, and with chemical resins, which remind me of the sea because they are highly reflective.
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
JCS I still don’t know. On a professional level, it was not the best decision, but on a personal level, it was.
MARION DE RAUCOURT
When Marion sets to work, she always has an everyday object in mind: a vase, a plate, a spoon. But along the way her creations lose their function and turn into pieces of art. The 36-yearold French artist describes herself as a “ceramicist” although she studied fashion design and won the Camper Prize at the prestigious Hyères Festival. She has lived in Mallorca for five years with her partner, Thomas Perroteau.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
MDR Popular art. Mallorca inspires me a lot with its many festivals and traditions.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
MDR It’s a good place to concentrate and it makes you want to create. I felt very welcome, unlike Paris, where a new artist doesn’t get much attention.
Your favorite material?
MDR Clay. I love that there is nothing between your hands and the clay. It’s also very sensual.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
MDR Mallorca is all over my work. The cathedral is a good example: it is very ornamented, but it’s also kind of raw. I love that combination and I include it in my work.
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
MDR For me it was always very natural, I don’t see myself doing anything else.
Marcella Barceló
Marion de Raucourt
Sara Regal
Jordi
Clotet
Saló Thomas Perroteau
Jan Horcik
Pelotas Ariel S/S 2025
JAN HORCIK
Jan, 38, was born in the Czech Republic and came to Mallorca in 2016, following the woman who is now his wife. His specialty is typography: from graffiti to computer fonts. Together with his partner, Filip Matějíček, they create and sell all kinds of typefaces through their company, Heavyweight.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
JH Old posters that I see, not only in Mallorca, but all over Spain.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
JH Above all, calm and an excellent environment for perception and concentration. There are many sources of visual inspiration at every corner, also thanks to the multitude and complexity of the different cultures and nationalities on the island.
Your favorite material?
JH Paper, pencil, aerosols, computer and camera.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
JH The morphology of certain typefaces that emerged on the island, whose population is very creative and this shows in this area.
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
JH I knew I wanted to be an artist when I was a teenager. The revelation came when I started doing graffiti and I learned the broader spectrum of art through it. It sparked an interest in painting and letters.
THOMAS PERROTEAU
Thomas is a French painter who came to Mallorca with his partner Marion. In their studio, they work on their individual projects, but sharing this space with her creates a dynamic and an atmosphere that inevitably influence his work and make it different. The 32-year-old artist studied architecture before entering the renowned La Cambre school of visual arts in Brussels.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
TP The city, its colors and architecture.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
TP It makes you feel good, and when you are in harmony with the landscape, its nature and climate, energy emanates and is transferred to your work.
Your favorite material?
TP Acrylic. I like it because it dries very fast and allows me to continue with the process.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
TP The colors and folklore of the island, such as the dimonis (demons, typical characters of Mallorca during the Fiestas de Sant Antoni).
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
TP Every time I work in collaboration with another artist.
SARA REGAL
Sara designs spaces and objects. This 34-year-old artist hails from Viveiro, Galicia, but has been creating art in Mallorca for more than six years. She initially studied industrial design, but soon realized that the profession didn’t fit her yearning for sustainable practices, so she decided to set up her own workshop to experiment. The result ended up falling more on the side of art than industrial design.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration?
SR Rubbish, there is a lot of it and of many kinds.
What does the island offer an artist who is just starting out?
SR I find it fascinating that, either because of tourism or the economy, the island has managed to keep its traditions alive.
Your favorite material?
SR I was obsessed with plastic, but it’s not easily pliable and you have to wear protection when handling it. Now I recycle fabrics, but in a month’s time I might tell you something different.
What do you see of Mallorca in your work?
SR The waste I use is from here and, being an island, Mallorca has very characteristic materials, as it’s not easy to move waste to the mainland.
When did you realize you had made the right decision to dedicate yourself to art?
SR When I’m in the studio and I can experiment freely, without having to follow set procedures as in an art institution.
ACHILLES ION GABRIEL
ON THE PEACE AND QUIET HE FINDS IN MALLORCA
Achilles, the name of the Greek mythological hero, is uncommon in Scandinavian countries. But soon before giving birth, a Finnish memorial sculptor thought it would be the perfect word to carve on the gravestone of her unborn son. So she named him Achilles Ion Gabriel.
At 37, Achilles has already envisioned what his tombstone will look like: a huge but “humble” cube with only his first name and the years of his birth and death. It’s the sort of plan you make when you’ve grown up in an atelier watching your mother shape gravestones. Like her, Achilles also has a knack for design but he applies it to a different industry: fashion. He has been the creative director of Camper since 2020, and also has his own eponymous fashion brand.
After studying footwear design in Finland, Achilles moved to Paris in 2009 to make his own luck. In the busy French capital, he ran his own shoe label while consulting, before being offered the opportunity to move to Mallorca to lead CAMPERLAB in 2019. A year later, he was promoted to creative director of Camper. His secret? “You need to trust your intuition and understand the market,” Achilles reveals. He confesses he loves data and numbers, which he always reads well in advance of collections he designs—he is currently working on the one for 2026-2027. “But you need to be a bit crazy to do this because there is no data about the future. And sometimes I’m scared because if it doesn’t work, it will be my fault,” he explains, “but I have to say that the track record has been very good. I can’t nail it all the time though, so I’m waiting for the big flop,” he laughs.
In the calm of Mallorca, Achilles has found the perfect environment to do what he loves: work. And he’s grown so confident that he says he can design a shoe in two minutes. “Now they’ll make me work more!” he jokes with good humour that is present throughout the interview.
YOU COME FROM FINLAND, A COUNTRY KNOWN FOR ITS SAUNAS, SNOWY LANDSCAPES, THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND FOR TOPPING THE “HAPPIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD” RANKINGS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?
Sometimes it’s surprising because it’s so dark in winter and you’re like: “Okay, how can you be so happy?” But then society and the government there really function, so I think that makes it easier for people not to stress so much about survival. It’s a small country so it’s easy to have things under control. I feel that Finland is one of those places where you have to try hard if you want to be a complete outcast from society. It’s easy to have a normal life in Finland because education is free, if you don’t have a job the benefits are good, so there’s less stress about survival and I guess people are happier when they’re not under so much stress (he laughs). I’m originally from Rovaniemi, all the way up in Lapland, next to Santa Claus. It’s above the Arctic Circle so it’s really cold. I remember we didn’t have to go to school if it was below −30°C.
SO YOU HAD TO GO IF THE TEMPERATURE WAS −20°C?
At −20°C, yes, we still had to go. I remember when it was −40°C, it hurt to be outside. But I didn’t have any worries in Finland, the basic needs are easy to fulfill and even as a student, you get money from the government. But it’s also the attitude. Finnish people are very sarcastic. Rodrigo, my personal assistant, knows I joke a lot. Everything is a joke for me (he laughs).
YOU LIVED THE BIG CITY LIFE IN PARIS BEFORE MOVING TO MALLORCA TO BE CAMPER’S CREATIVE DIRECTOR. HOW EASY WAS IT TO TRANSITION FROM PARIS TO THE ISLAND?
I lived in Paris for ten years, which is quite a long while. I found it more difficult to adapt to Paris than to Mallorca. But it’s true that I came here during the pandemic. I really love solitude and being alone, and I live in the countryside here, in the middle of nowhere. I have never lived in Palma. I enjoy the peace and quiet. Maybe the most shocking part was that I didn’t know anyone when I moved here. All my friends are still in Paris or in Helsinki, back in Finland, or somewhere else in the world. But when I’m here in Mallorca I usually just work. I don’t really meet many people. But for me it’s not a sad thing to be in solitude. We travel so much, we travel half of the time so when I come here I am like: “It’s quiet! Finally!”
THE ISLAND IS FAMOUS FOR ITS SUNNY DAYS, IDYLLIC BEACHES, AND PICTURESQUE TOWNS. WHAT IS YOUR ROUTINE LIKE?
I pretty much work, then I work. I work and sleep, then I work, work, skip sleep and work more (he laughs). I am trying to have more, like, the chill, but it’s so easy to work here because it’s so quiet and peaceful. There are no distractions. I know it sounds very boring! But in the summertime I swim
in my pool a lot. I was still swimming until not long ago, but now in November I consider it too cold. My best friend from Finland came to visit and she was swimming in my pool and I’m like: “It’s really cold outside, what are you doing?” She said: “This is warm in Finland“. And I’m like: “Yeah, but I’m not that Finnish anymore” (he laughs)
WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU GOT THE OFFER FROM CAMPER?
When they first proposed that I work for them, I was like: “Oh yes, I want this job!” And although the brand has such a fantastic history, I feel that it is a little bit more hyped now and there’s kind of a buzz going on. But it wasn’t like that before I took over.
The first thing I designed was the Traktori boot. I wanted something very Mallorcan, so I thought of farmers, but in the most surreal way because I’m not Mallorcan. I’m not even Spanish, so I could never attempt a Spanish approach. I went for a surreal approach on Mallorcan farmers’ shoes. It was my interpretation of what a farmer would wear. But you know farmers are not going to wear them. We have them in all colors and textures.
YOU KNOW THE BRAND’S HISTORY AND ARCHIVE VERY WELL. WHAT KEY MOMENT OR SHOE MODEL DO YOU FIND MOST INSPIRING?
This probably depends on the season, because I sometimes take inspiration from the archive. I think it’s because of the way I see Camper, I have no desire to change the DNA. Of course, changing the brand, that’s a different thing. I feel I’m the guardian of Camper’s DNA and it’s my job to protect its heritage, but at the same time to be innovative and bring things forward, and that’s why I sometimes go back to the archive and rethink models: “Okay, how do I make this in a new way for 2026-2027?” And I have no ego so I have no problem bringing back something from the past. I don’t need to make the designs 100% new because for me they’re still new if I go to the archive for inspiration and say: “Okay, let’s redo this in a completely new way.”
But is there a significant model? It depends on the season. Of course, there are legendary ones. Pelotas, for instance, is a model that I almost don’t want to touch because it’s fantastic. So I want to guard this design and avoid changes. Sometimes people suggest: “Oh, let’s make it a new…” but I’m like: “No, no, no, no. This is heritage!”
YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR OVER A DECADE…
Are you calling me old? (he laughs) I’m kidding, I’m kidding!
AT LEAST OLD ENOUGH TO SEE A NEW GENERATION EMERGE AND DEMAND CHANGES IN EVERYTHING FROM MORE ETHICAL SOURCING OF MATERIALS TO ERADICATING GENDER STEREOTYPES IN PRODUCTS. EVEN THE SOCK LENGTHS WORN BY MILLENNIALS HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED BY GEN-ZS. HOW DO YOU KEEP UP
“THE FIRST THING I DESIGNED FOR CAMPER WAS THE TRAKTORI BOOT. I WANTED SOMETHING VERY MALLORCAN, SO I THOUGHT OF FARMERS, BUT IN THE MOST SURREAL WAY.”
WITH YOUNGER CUSTOMERS’ EXPECTATIONS WHILE PRESERVING LOYAL CLIENTS?
When it comes to sustainability and better materials, one of the first things I did, and I pushed really, really hard for, was for us to grow our better materials percentage. When I arrived, it was a smaller figure, and now we have made great progress. For me, that’s so important because when you produce more things in this world, you have to be responsible and accountable for what you put out there. Of course, there are things that are more difficult to replace, especially in shoes, they’re not like hats or T-shirts. Shoes are literally on the ground. But we have created amazing innovations. I’ve made the team work very hard (he laughs). And I think the expectations of different generations are not so different in the end. What I have discovered is that older generations are sometimes more progressive than we give them credit for. And the other way around. Sometimes younger generations are less progressive. But I never think of gender, ethnicity, age or any background when I design. For me, a good design belongs to everyone. But somehow, without thinking about it, we have managed to keep existing clients while gaining a lot of new clients.
GOING BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT, IF YOU WANTED TO USE ONLY SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS, WHICH PART OF THE SHOE WOULD BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
The most difficult thing is tearing the shoe apart. You have leather and rubber but they don’t go in the same recycling process, so how do you take the shoe apart? It’s not easy and this is where we’ve made innovations like Tossu and ROKU, both shoes that can be disassembled. They’re fantastic in terms of recycling. But when you combine all of this, sometimes the most sustainable action is to make things durable. You can wear the same shoes for years and compare them to shoes that are sustainable but not durable. In the end, the sustainable product might have a deeper impact on the environment if you are having to buy one every six months.
RETURNING TO YOUR LIFE IN MALLORCA, THIS ISLAND HAS BEEN HOME TO VERY CREATIVE PERSONALITIES. NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR A WHILE, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
You can go to Palma or the beach and have a very lively life, or, my favorite, live in the countryside and relax. Almost all the other creatives that I know on the island live in the countryside in solitude. When you have all this peace around you it’s easier to think and reflect on things.
It is considered a Spanish tradition, but the siesta exists in places as diverse as China, India and North Africa. And while only 18% of people in Spain admit to taking one from time to time, having a nap in the middle of the day stands tall in the collective imagery of Spaniards. The term, however, originated in ancient Rome. At that time, days were divided into 12 periods of daylight, unlike our customary 24 hours. Midday was the hora sexta, the sixth hour, the hottest time of the day, when everything stopped to allow people to eat and rest for a while. The word sexta evolved into the current siesta. Camilo José Cela, one of the Spanish Nobel Laureates in Literature, preferred to call it “Iberian yoga.” According to some scientists, the benefits of both practices are very similar: they lower stress levels, help improve concentration and mitigate the risk factors that lead to chronic diseases. Other researchers have even concluded that our bodies are designed to take a siesta. The ideal duration is 26 minutes, as longer than that can have the opposite effect, according to some studies.
LA SIESTA
Despite being so highly recommended, the siesta rarely escapes controversy. In industrialized countries with fast-paced lifestyles, many see it as a sign of laziness. And more recently, companies that provide areas where employees can lie down for a moment have drawn suspicions of demanding long hours. Others, however, have devoted entire books to praising it. One of them is the Spanish historian Miguel Ángel Hernández, who in El don de la siesta defends this tradition as “an art of interruption” in the face of today’s urge to produce relentlessly. Whether at home, in a hidden corner of the office or—with some luck—lying on the sand of a Mallorcan beach, taking a siesta, or fer l’horeta as they say in Mallorca, is a pleasure to be enjoyed without regrets.
Raquel is taking the perfect siesta: 26 minutes long. Many scientists believe it can increase alertness and performance. Naps longer than that, on the other hand, can make you feel tired and groggy.
Mallorca reminds Sami of his hometown, Whitley Bay, in the North of England. “Both are by the sea and have a chilled vibe. You can do the same things here as you can there but with better weather.”
In many countries,
the most popular time to take a siesta is after lunch. And one of the most preferred places to do it is at the beach, where you can sunbathe while catching some Zs, as Bea does.
The siesta is so deeply rooted in Spain that some local businesses establish their hours around it. Workers who have split shifts often use their breaks to take a nap wherever they can like María.
Alex is from Girona, Catalonia, and lived in Barcelona before moving to Palma a few months ago. He misses the city but loves living surrounded by nature. He says time here “passes differently.”
Sleeping under the stars may sound romantic for many, but others prefer siestas under the sun. Beaches like Portixol, where Nele lives, are perfect for fer l’horeta, as they call it in Mallorcan.
Henry Alejandro likes to go on adventures and run in the mountains. He came to Mallorca six years ago and likes it because it reminds him of his homeland, Venezuela: “I lived by the sea there, too.”
Juan Luis came to Mallorca just to do his military service, but he met a young lady in line at the movies and decided to stay... and get married! Now retired, he spends his time caring for his 16 birds. Pelotas
ESMENT
It is lunchtime and dozens of people walk into a high-ceilinged canteen in an industrial hall on the outskirts of the city of Palma de Mallorca. They joke and greet each other cheerfully as they sit at the tables with their trays. This happens every day in thousands of companies throughout Spain, but in this case there is something special, because almost all the workers, including those who serve coffee and attend the cash register in the cafeteria area, have some degree of intellectual disability. And here, in this building run by the Esment Foundation, they have found a job that, rather than focusing on their possible limitations, is adapted to make the most of their abilities.
“The foundation was created in 1962 by parents who wanted their children to have an opportunity to enjoy their free time,” says Mercè Marrero, its Communications Director.
“So it began as a leisure activity, until one of the parents, who owned a printing house, provided them with a machine.” That laid the foundations of an
entity that today serves 2,200 people and which, in addition to the printing house, includes restaurants, a placement agency, residences with apartments to enable autonomy, vocational centers to familiarize people with the world of work and schools to learn both trades and daily life skills.
One of the key principles of Esment is to avoid any concept of charity. Its employees have to perform useful tasks that satisfy their need to demonstrate that they are able to create value and participate in the economy.
In the printing house, Esment’s oldest line of business, the operators collect prints and take care of packaging under the supervision of a tutor. But the door to new roles is always open, as Gina Barrera has found. At 26, she has been working in various Esment programs for eight years, the last three in the printing house, where she has recently been able to use her artistic skills to create designs such as the tablecloths used in the canteen. “My mother
Not everyone might be ready for work when they first join Esment, so they can gain skills and learn to be more independent in one of the foundation’s occupational centers in the meantime.
Café Inca has developed a loyal clientele thanks to hefty dishes and tasty treats. Members of Esment work both in the front and backhouse areas, taking orders and preparing food with the help of supervisors.
loved the one I made with an ensaimada,” she says proudly. She loves to draw, in fact, she spent her first wages on drawing supplies. “I used to be a big spender because I used to get anxious, but now I have learned and I save for the future. I feel comfortable here because there’s a good atmosphere and it’s a stable job,” she says.
Gina, who prefers not to disclose her disability, does not see herself anywhere else but Esment. “I’ve been asked if I want to go to another company, but I said no. In a regular company I may have problems. I’ve been in a vocational training center, I’ve been in school and I didn’t feel comfortable. I suffered bullying in both places and the supervisors never reacted and said: ‘Hey, that’s enough!’ Here, on the other hand, when I had problems, I got help. A foundation is different from a company, where you just work. In a foundation you work and help people.”
A 20-minute drive inland, in the town of Inca, there’s another Esment building. It’s three
stories high and occupies the entire block with its large square windows. It houses studio apartments where people with disabilities can live on their own, with the safety that a professional is close by if they need support. But the star of the place is the Café Inca restaurant. There, every day from half past eight in the morning to five in the afternoon, you can enjoy rice dishes, grilled meats and desserts that are hard to find outside Mallorca, such as gató, an almond sponge cake with a scoop of almond-flavored ice cream.
Trainees from Esment’s courses, such as bar and restaurant waiter’s assistants, do their internships here. If they do not feel comfortable with the job, employees and students are offered another role, company or even another sector, rather than losing their spot in the program. According to Mercè, this is what allowed them to grow so much: “Regulations make it difficult to replicate our model in the rest of the country. We have worked hard to achieve a relationship
of trust, transparency and accountability with the regional government and to make them aware of the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. One of them is stability.”
That’s what Valentín Almirón, 21 years old and musically gifted, has found in Esment. In the occupational center located above Café Inca, he jumps and moves his hands as if playing the piano when he talks. These are his stereotypies, behaviors that
he cannot control and arise when he is nervous. He now folds the packets of chocolate sold in the restaurant and, before that, he was a guide at the Museum of Footwear and Industry and in the cloister of Santo Domingo, also with the support of Esment. He says that, “despite bumps in the road,” he enjoys coming to the center, where he often brings his keyboard to delight his colleagues with songs. “If I didn’t come here, I wouldn’t know what
to do with myself.”
Throughout history, due to its size and strategic location, Mallorca was inhabited by various cultures, from the Germanic Vandals to the Romans. Later, the island remained under Muslim domination for a little more than three centuries until 1229, when the troops of James I of Aragon landed on its shores to conquer it and take away the refuge it provided for the Muslim pirates who attacked the ports of his kingdom.
A repopulation process followed, leaving an imprint that is still carried by today’s islanders: mallorquí or Mallorcan.
Spanish and Catalan are the two official languages in Mallorca and the rest of the Balearic
Islands. Outside Catalonia, the different dialects of Catalan are also known by regional names, such as Valencian in Valencia or Mallorcan in Mallorca.
Catalan was spoken by the majority of settlers who came from the kingdom of Aragon, which then included Catalonia. The language took root deep in the island and is now considered one of its hallmarks.
While Spanish is the most widely used language in Mallorca’s homes, among friends and in workplaces; Catalan or Mallorcan is found all over the island.
The most popular beaches and tourist destinations are often called by their Catalan names. Like Pollença, a village with
narrow streets and a Roman bridge in the north of the island. Banyalbufar, with its steep terraces and Malvasia grape vineyards. Or Deià, considered one of the most beautiful Mallorcan villages with its bohemian atmosphere and cobbled streets.
You will find yourself looking for directions on the map to get to places that begin with sa, es or ses; such as the beaches of Sa Calobra, Sa Coma, Es Trenc, Es Carbó, Ses Covetes or Ses Dones. This is one of the main points in which the Mallorcan dialect differs from the Catalan spoken in Barcelona, where the definite articles are el and la for masculine and feminine words, respectively, in the singular
form; and els and les are used for their plurals. In Mallorca, conversely, sa is used for feminine words in the singular, es for masculine words of any number and ses for feminine plurals.
Mallorcan has many other peculiarities, such as not pronouncing the final a in some words or the different ways of conjugating some verbs. However, one of the most remarkable aspects is its wide vocabulary, which is made up of both words that emerged in its territory and archaisms that became extinct in the peninsula long ago.
Below are some of the terms one should become familiar with before visiting Mallorca.
Foraster is another useful term to know if you spend some time in Mallorca.
Although its meaning is the same as the English “foreigner,” Mallorcans often use it to refer specifically to people who are not from the island.
74 CAPFICO FORASTER
Capfico or dip in English. The word comes from the expression ficar el cap dins l’aigua (put one’s head underwater). If you make friends on the island, you will likely be asked if you want to fer un capfico or take a dip before seeing them running to cool off in the sea.
DA-LI CEBES BERENAR
75 CAPFICO FORASTER
CEBES BERENAR
Speaking of salads, the traditional salad of Mallorca is trempó , with tomato, bell pepper, oil, salt and, of course, onion. But don’t order it for berenar, which in Mallorca means breakfast or afternoon snack. In Catalonia, this same word is only used for the latter.
But da-li cebes! Or, in Spanish: “¡Ánimo!” (Come on!). Actually, the literal translation of this expression is “Give them onions!” but it has nothing to do with preparing salads or omelets, as in Mallorca the expression is used to give encouragement to someone in need.
Speaking of trempó, try to taste it where it is made with a lot of esment, that is, with love and care. This dish comes in many versions, and the secret is in the seasoning. In fact, trempó is a term that only means seasoning in Catalan in Mallorca.
After eating, you may be overcome by xubec, the drowsiness that overcomes you after a good meal. If you succumb to it, you may end up losing the whole horabaixa (literally, low hour ).
76 XUBEC
TREMPÓ
HORABAIXA DAIXONAR
TREMPÓ
XUBEC HORABAIXA DAIXONAR
The most versatile Mallorcan term, however, is daixonar, derived from d’això or in English:
“that thing.” Mallorcans use it to replace any verb they don’t know or can’t think of when speaking, a concept that is impossible to translate into English. It will be on you to guess what they are telling you!
The expression means “evening twilight” in the rest of the Catalan-speaking regions, but in Mallorca it refers to the whole afternoon, so it is better to beat the xubec and make the most of the horabaixa
LA BARAJA ESPAÑOLA
ARTWORKS BY
BARAJA ESPAÑOLA
MAITE Y MANUEL
Perhaps one of the most curious cross-cultural confusions occurs when a Spaniard buys cards outside his country. He insists that he is looking for a “normal” deck of cards, and the seller does not understand what is abnormal about the one he offers. And the fact is that, while elsewhere in the world a plain deck of cards evokes the image of 52 cards with hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs; in Spain, the term refers to the local cards of coins, cups, spades and clubs. This is also known as the Spanish deck.
Among the most popular games are brisca, escoba and chinchón.
But perhaps the most emblematic of all is mus, with moves whose names have become part of the everyday vocabulary of Spaniards. Lanzar un órdago (“throw a challenge”) for example, is used today for an offer or an ultimatum in which there is the risk of losing everything.
The deck of cards is played with by both young people in a university quad and grandparents on a bar terrace. Keep it handy even if you don’t like to gamble: you can also use it to see what the future has in store for you.
Maribel is from Palma, and at 74, she meets her friends every morning at the beach in Portixol to swim in the sea. “In summer, we do 45 minutes, and in winter, about 15. It’s about moving your body.”
Twenty-five years ago, Mercedes traded Argentina for Palma following her family. She now has five grandchildren and a great-grandchild. “I have the peace of mind of having the sea and my loved ones with me.”
FARMING ORGANIC APAEMA
Mallorca is more than sandy beaches and a deep blue sea. The Balearic Islands are known for their tourist attractions, yet almost half of the island’s surface is farmland. A drive through the island’s interior unveils a contrasting landscape dotted with fields of barley, carob trees and vegetables such as tomatoes and onions. Almonds are another traditional crop, ever present in the island’s cuisine with dishes and drinks such as almond granita, a summer favorite.
Casi
How can you make a meal prepared with fresh, local produce taste even better? For many, the answer is: make it organic! Every Tuesday and Saturday, Mallorcans flock to Palma’s Plaza de los Patines to shop at one of Spain’s first organic markets. It was founded in 2010 by farmers’ associations, including Apaema, the consortium of organic farming in Mallorca. Don
Organic farming relies on the use of natural resources and processes. It aims at avoiding the use of pesticides or other chemicals in foodstuffs while trying to reduce the impact of the farming sector on the environment. Apaema was founded in 2006 by farmers committed to organic farming seeking a place to promote it. Today, there are more than 500 members.
The association’s projects cover different areas of agricultural and livestock production. From the affordable rental of machinery such as bio-shredders for vegetable waste, to the option of using industrial kitchens such as S’Obrador, where members can turn their crops into preserves or packaged drinks and sell them under their own brand.
Brutus Sandal
One fifth of the farming land in the Balearic Islands is already organic, and Mallorca is the island where this type of land is increasing the most. So if you find yourself in Palma, don’t miss the chance to try the organic version of the local produce.
ALI GUTY
AND HER MALLORCAN MANTRA
Alicia Gutiérrez, Ali Guty for her thousands of followers on social networks, sits at the table with a hat that reads: Make your own money and marry someone funny. “My philosophy of life right now,” she comments with a smile. The first goal has been fulfilled from a young age, and she still has time for the second. At 25, she is focused on consolidating her position in the international modeling industry as a curvy or plus-size model, where her image has been used in advertisements for companies like Jean Paul Gaultier or Fenty, Rihanna’s make-up line.
Ali left her native Mallorca to study journalism in Madrid with the idea of becoming a television presenter. “I knew what I wanted. I liked the world of entertainment, TV. Interacting with people and being myself,” she recalls. But she ended up trying her hand at modeling and, after finishing her degree, she went to work in New York, a city with a large ecosystem of modeling agencies eager for fresh, different and diverse profiles.
There, she goes from one job to the next, and in between she works on her own creative projects. “I take a photographer, a designer, a make-up artist, a hairdresser, and suddenly we create an idea together, and that’s what I enjoy the most because commercial jobs are more rigid or have less spontaneity,” she explains. They are all captured in her Instagram account. “I enjoy projects where you create real connections, the team is very talented and there is freedom to express yourself and you’re not just a model who follows directions.”
Despite the distance, Ali strives to preserve her circle of friends from school and takes advantage of visits to Mallorca to see them and get a supply of ensaimadas and Quelitas at the same time, the traditional salty crackers from Mallorca. She plans to return one day to “relax” on the island, where she grew up in a home with a hard-working mother, a father in the construction business, and a sister 14 years her senior who is like a second mother to her. In the meantime, she wants to continue to enjoy the uncertainty of living abroad in busy cities and does not rule out swapping the Big Apple for Paris or any other fashion powerhouse.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE AN AMBASSADOR FOR MALLORCA?
Yes, and I like it. Mostly because, lately, Mallorca has become a popular tourist destination. Two or three years ago, whenever I said I was from there people didn’t know where it was. But now I live in New York and when I say I’m from Mallorca they go: “Wow! I love it! It’s my favorite spot, I just came back from there.” I think there are many people who believe that no one lives in tourist destinations or that no one is from there, and they are surprised to find out otherwise.
WHICH PART OF MALLORCA ARE YOU FROM?
I’m from Palma. I was born and grew up there and then I moved to Madrid to study when I was 17. I studied journalism, and it was in the second year that I applied for an open casting of a lingerie brand and I was hired. From that moment on, I knew it was what I wanted to do.
HAD YOU THOUGHT ABOUT BEING A MODEL BEFORE THAT?
It was something I felt deep inside me. I always had a camera with me, taking selfies, so it was something I’d always enjoyed, but I didn’t know or I didn’t think I would be able to do it. I did not consider it an option. But it was a dream. Over time, I started to see some curvy models and I really saw myself in them. They inspired me deeply, and that’s when I realized how important it is to have people to look up to. So, at the age of 15 or 16, I began to have this idea of “What if I could?” and I believe that life just unfolded until I got that casting. I said to myself, “OK, this is what I needed and I’m not going to miss this opportunity.” And I grabbed it, because the campaign involved many other girls, but actually none of them are still modeling today.
IT WASN’T A CASE OF DOING THE CAMPAIGN AND THE OFFERS FOLLOWED LATER?
No, not at all. Deep down I thought, “Now it will be easier.” But it wasn’t. Besides, I’m short and there was always the height issue.
HOW TALL ARE YOU?
1.63 meters. I had to build my image and the way I wanted to be seen in the fashion world to be given a chance. In fact, the first agency I signed with said, “OK. We’ll give you a shot. We’ll give you a chance and we’ll see what happens.” It wasn’t, “OK. Yes, we want you. We have a vision for you.” From the start, I had a vision for myself and, as a result of that, I got everyone else to see me that way too.
WAS IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE LEAP TO NEW YORK?
As I was finishing my degree, I knew that I was going to focus on the world of fashion and I knew that I wanted to go abroad because opportunities in Spain are scarce. I had London in mind because it is closer and it was easier to get a visa and agencies. But I thought about going big first and then working down.
So I had been contacting agencies in New York for several years, but they constantly turned me down. But then I had some cool photos taken for a magazine editorial and I think that made them think, “You look so cool, we want to represent you,” because that’s when one of these agencies I had been contacting for a long time said yes. They prepared the visa for me, and that year I had to take quite a bit of documentation to get it approved because showing a couple of
work experiences —which is what I had at the time—wasn’t enough. So I moved to New York in January of 2022.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO MODEL THERE?
Absolutely, 100%. Of the big fashion cities, London and New York seem the most inclusive to me. Especially the United States. It was there that I started to see models with less slender bodies. It’s not just that there are brands with more varieties in sizes, but there are also more brands that are purposely plus size or include 5XL or 6XL sizes.
There is obviously also a much bigger market there because it’s a much larger country with a bigger offer. But I also think that you feel more integrated there. When I work in Spain, even today, I still have problems because clothes don’t fit me or the company might not have my size, but it still wants me for a campaign because of my previous work, even if I don’t fit in with the brand. On the other hand, in the U.S., I haven’t had so many experiences where I don’t fit in or feel that I’m not in the right place. I feel more comfortable there, because it is more common for plus-size people to model, unlike in Spain. Only one or two girls get to work here.
WE’VE ALL EXPERIENCED A TIME IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE HAVE NOT FELT COMFORTABLE WITH OUR BODY. HAVE YOU ALWAYS FELT COMFORTABLE WITH YOURS?
I firmly believe in the saying “fake it till you make it” or make it up until you believe it for real. Because both the good and the bad things you believe about yourself will come through. When I started with the lingerie brand, which was my first job, I had to change my mentality because I literally leaped on TV wearing lingerie. There was no turning back.
I don’t know if I changed my mindset, but I did start that work of coming back to myself, accepting myself and loving myself as I was, because I had been selected among many girls for being special, and I felt that way. Until then, I was ashamed to show myself shirtless in front of my friends, but there it was like, “That’s it. This is the end of the veil of shame and let’s move forward.” It helped me a lot to build that self-confidence.
TODAY, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT, IN YOUNGER GENERATIONS, IN YOUR GENERATION, THE OPINIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN ARE INCREASINGLY DIFFERENT…
I also believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that I’m not someone who repeatedly seeks men’s validation, which is what in my view often conditions us women the most: “Will the boys like me?” Because, often you have to be too perfect, too beautiful or stylish. And in this job I dress in so many ways, with so many looks, with so much make-up that in the end I have fun and I don’t care what other people think.
…BUT WHAT WE WERE GETTING AT IS THE ONE CRITICISM THAT ALWAYS APPEARS IN THE PROFILES OF CURVY
MODELS, USUALLY FROM YOUNG MEN WHO REPROACH THEM FOR “PROMOTING” OBESITY.
It’s always the same comment! And it’s the people who really don’t care about your health and don’t know anything about it. There are many people who are thin and have other problems. I’m perfectly healthy, this is my body type, and even if it wasn’t, nobody knows what kind of situation anyone is going through. And I also have the right to exist. In other words, I’m not promoting anything, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do sports, or that you should or should not eat. I’m simply existing, doing something I like and giving visibility to people who have this type of body and are simply living their lives. There are many ways of looking at this and there are many extremes, but I’m not promoting one thing or another. I’m simply being myself and often you see that you have to justify why you do what you do or why you show yourself the way you do simply because you don’t have the standard body type.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON?
I’ve been out of work for nearly a year because I was renewing my United States visa. I just got back there two months ago. I’m reconnecting with campaigns and projects. I’m very focused on enjoying this and I’m redefining my goals and what I want for the future because I just signed with a new agency, so I’m rebranding.
AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT WITH THAT NEW BRAND?
I want to feel that I’m doing things with more purpose as opposed to doing things just for their sake, which is something that at first is very necessary: saying yes to many things to allow you to say no later. I want to do things with more purpose and with more intention.
ANY INTENTIONS IN PARTICULAR?
Well, I don’t know about intentions, but now I’ve started to study acting.
ACTING IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH?
I’m taking a distance learning course in New York, but it’s in Spanish. I want to lay the foundations in Spanish, and then, since I’m in the United States and I speak English, I will probably end up doing something there, but first I want to be trained in Spanish. This is my new goal.
BIRDWATCHING
Most visitors come to Mallorca in search of idyllic coves and tasty dishes such as arrós brut, a rice dish so brothy that at first glance it could pass for soup. But there’s a new type of tourists who are increasingly seen on the island. They are armed with binoculars and hiking boots, and explore gorges, forests and trails on foot, always with their eyes turned up to the sky: birdwatchers.
Birdwatching is a hobby that is gaining followers all over the world, and Mallorca is no exception. Places like s’Albufera de Mallorca, the largest marshland area on the island, even have huts for camouflaging and spotting some of the more than 300 birds that stop there throughout the year. But on the opposite western coast, you will find the birdwatcher’s jackpot: the black vulture, the largest bird of prey in Europe. Mallorca is the only island in the Mediterranean where it can still be seen, and the Serra de Tramuntana has become its last island haven.
“There are now 45 breeding pairs, and each year they give birth to about 30 chicks,” explains Austrian biologist Evelyn Tewes, director of the wildlife foundation FVSM. “But when I first came here in the 1980s, there was only one left.” She came to the island after deciding to devote her doctoral thesis to black vulture conservation. Today, thanks to her work, the extinction of this species in Mallorca has been averted through the foundation. More than one hundred volunteers help monitor nesting areas and educate the population about the local fauna.
Black vultures were persecuted decades ago by local farmers, who feared they would kill their partridges and chickens. The legacy of this past is reflected in their nests, which in Mallorca are built in the nooks and crannies of sea cliffs rather than high up in trees, as on the rest of the continent. This is where they found shelter and where today they can be seen circling in mating flights or feeding their chicks.
MARC BIBILONI ELA FIDALGO
THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN THE ARTIST AND HER GALLERIST
In the province of Zamora, in Northwest Spain, there is a small village called Carbajales de Alba known for the colorful and exquisite embroideries of the women who live there. Armed with a tailor’s pencil, they improvise freehand peacocks and carnations on manila shawls and bullfighter’s capes. Every summer, a little girl from Mallorca would travel there to visit her mother’s family, and find that the local children didn’t want to play with her. Soledad, her grandmother, would swiftly solve the problem: “Come embroider with me.”
That’s how Ela Fidalgo (1993) was introduced to the world of fashion, an industry in which she found early success. In her third year of studies at fashion school, she was awarded the prize for young designers at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Madrid, Spain’s most important catwalk. Shortly afterward she was a finalist at the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories - Hyères, in France, the launchpad for new talents in European fashion.
But far from reinforcing her calling, these achievements ended up distancing Ela from the fashion industry and bringing her closer to a new passion: art. She now works from Mallorca creating pieces that emerge from her experience and training in fashion but evolve freely without the restrictions imposed by the textile industry.
From Marc Bibiloni (1992), founder and director of the namesake gallery in Madrid, Ela learned to slow down and let her reflections and experiences merge not only with thread and needle, but also with materials and techniques that are new to her. She’s produced exhibitions that have sold out, and has found in Marc solid loyalty, empathy and honesty that enable her to elevate her creations from garments to works of art. And Marc has found in Ela an artist who opens up the doors of her universe to make him feel that “religious experience” that art is for him.
HOW DID YOU TWO MEET?
EF I had heard of him and we had friends in common. It was funny because, for personal reasons, I had moved to the island and was working as a maid in a hotel. But one day, I said: “With everything I’ve done, with such a beautiful collection, it’s a shame it couldn’t be seen here!” And suddenly I came across a palace in the center of Palma. It was a gallery, and I thought: “It would be incredible to do something here.” So I went in and I saw Marc...
MB Suddenly a girl walked in wearing a huge hat, looking herself like a work of art. And the funny thing is that she pitched me a project when I had already written to her on Facebook to pitch one to her, but she had not replied.
EF It was a message request, so I hadn’t seen it.
MB Then, this girl appeared wearing this hat and said: “Hey, right now I’m cleaning toilets.” I mean, it was love at first sight. I already knew who she was through friends we had in common, but the first impact of meeting her was like a film, very Almodóvar-like, because at that time I was working for a gallery in the city center that, as Ela said, looked like a palace.
And that moment marked her entry into the world of art. What I love about our story is that, aside from the fact that we became close very quickly and went to live together for a long time, it was through me that she first set foot in an art gallery. And at the same time, it was through her that I began to understand what kind of gallerist I wanted to be.
SPEAKING OF GALLERIES, THE INDUSTRY IS BOOMING IN LOCATIONS AS DIFFERENT AS HONG KONG OR UGANDA. WHAT ABOUT MALLORCA?
MB It’s the same here. But I believe a good gauge is that there are many artists who are opening studios here, maybe because they want to relocate from the big cities. As a result of this growing number of artists who want to create from Mallorca, art galleries are opening up. For such a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean, what we have to offer is unparalleled. And one part we can’t forget is that people from all over the world live in Mallorca, which means that when we produce exhibitions, we are not only showing them to locals, which is great, but also to an international audience that includes art collectors, which opens many doors beyond the island.
EF There’s also the fact that it’s an island... Isolation means that people have to survive. How? By being creative. This creativity has emerged in the island’s traditions, ranging from its gastronomy to its most artisanal crafts. It has also led to a rich network of artists.
BUT CAN ONE MAKE A LIVING FROM ART IN MALLORCA?
EF The question is not confined to Mallorca. It’s difficult in Madrid, too. Being an artist is a lifelong commitment. You
choose this way of life. I, for example, don’t need to live in New York to work on my art. I don’t believe in that. Maybe that was the case in the past because in Spain we were more repressed, coming out of a dictatorship. We didn’t get information as we do nowadays, where you can be painting in Timbuktu and at the same time be connected to the world. Besides, that’s not my job, it’s the gallery’s job. The more isolated and focused I am on my work, with honesty and humility, the better. The gallery has to take my work, protect it, use it, and take it everywhere.
MB There are different types of artists, and all visions are valid. Ela is a type of artist who wants to be featured in history books.
EF For God’s sake, don’t say that! (Laughs) Please, how embarrassing!
MB Let me explain. It’s not an ego thing. Some artists dream of going down in art history. Other artists are happy seeking self-enrichment through their own creations. I see this very clearly, and the gallery can support them in totally different ways.
BOTH OF YOU HAVE LIVED OFF THE ISLAND AND BOTH DECIDED TO RETURN. WHY?
MB I spent five wonderful years studying in Barcelona. I then went to London, and later I took a break for a few months to come to Mallorca to spend the summer here because I was under a lot of pressure. My life in London centered around work. It was the best university in the world, but sometimes hectic cities make you forget who you are. So I came back one summer and decided to stay. I started to browse the local galleries and I realized that here I had the chance of something that I had always dismissed before: I used to feel that Mallorca was too small for me and that I would never have the opportunity to fulfill my dreams here. But then I realized that it was possible. So it was as natural as taking a career break, coming back to Mallorca one summer, getting to know the galleries, seeing a bit of the art world here and after a few months calling to announce that I was never going back. (Laughs)
EF What happened to me was that I finished studying fashion design, and I was going to start working for a company in Paris when my mother was diagnosed with cancer, so I decided to come back because family comes first.
But the return felt like a failure. It was a very bad time. I had just won my first award, I had been creating collections, I was in Paris, at the center of it all‒my dream come true‒and working with brands like Margiela. And suddenly I was back on the island.
So I came to Mallorca and the only job opportunity I found was to clean hotel rooms. That’s when I got depressed because I was back at my parents’, which was great, I love them, but you know... And I don’t feel bad about cleaning toilets,
“I USED TO FEEL THAT MALLORCA WAS TOO SMALL FOR ME AND THAT I WOULD NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL MY DREAMS HERE. BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE. SO IT WAS AS NATURAL AS COMING BACK TO MALLORCA ONE SUMMER, GETTING TO KNOW THE GALLERIES, AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS CALLING TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WAS NEVER GOING BACK.” MARC BIBILONI
but it was like... “Wow, so much effort for nothing!” Because I never finished high school, I never sat the exams to go to college. When I arrived in Madrid, I went to a squat house and started working in clubs. It was the university professors who saw me and asked: “Would you like to study fashion design?” And I said: “Of course, but I can’t afford it!” In the end I got a scholarship. So it was like a dream because I come from a humble, hard-working family. I never lacked anything, but when I was a little girl I used to watch videos on YouTube of schools like London’s Central Saint Martins or the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and I would cry. My father used to tell me that I would never have the chance to go, not even to the IED in Madrid, where I ended up studying.
YOU GOT A SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY FASHION DESIGN AND WERE SUCCESSFUL ALMOST OVERNIGHT. HOW DID IT FEEL AT THE TIME?
EF The Mercedes Benz award was not so great. Maybe when I was young I experienced things too dramatically. The day of the fashion show was great, but the following day, who’s there to support you? I ended up being really depressed. I grew up seeing John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, all these people who had come out of nowhere to become gods‒that’s how I saw them anyway. When you’re
not from a well-off family and you’ve always had to work hard to get by, you think that winning a competition that big is going to change your life, but that’s not the case! You have illusions and fantasies, but it’s you who made them up. I think I set my expectations too high: that my life was going to change, that I wouldn’t have to go through so much economic hardship anymore. And when I realized that it wasn’t going to be like that, I said to myself: “I’m not enough, what more do I have to do? How can I stand out?” I was constantly beating myself up and fell into a depression from which I couldn’t see the way out. I was able to get out thanks to Isabel Berz, who was my director at the university and made it possible for me to have a scholarship. There were no scholarships available at IED. They created one so that I could study. She came to pick me up at home and was one of the many angels I’ve had. Marc was another.
Hyères, however, I did enjoy because Marc was there. I had a great time. Although it was very hard because I worked all day. There were times at home when I’d cry on his shoulder...
MB We were already living together.
“ISOLATION MEANS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SURVIVE. HOW? BY BEING CREATIVE. THIS CREATIVITY HAS EMERGED IN THE ISLAND’S TRADITIONS, RANGING FROM ITS GASTRONOMY TO ITS MOST ARTISANAL CRAFTS. IT HAS ALSO LED TO A RICH NETWORK OF ARTISTS.” ELA FIDALGO
SO WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING WITH MARC YOU WERE STILL A FASHION DESIGNER, NOT YET AN ARTIST?
EF No, I was an artist too.
MB She showed her winning collection designs at the gallery where I was working, then she made a very simple little print that sold. And there was this emotional comment I’d always make, which was: “These clothes are sculptures.” As a result, we asked her to make her first pieces of textile art on canvas. Then she did an exhibition that was an absolute success: it sold out at the first opening. And then came Hyères, which was a challenge because the gallery owner didn’t want her to do it. He wanted her to focus on her artistic work.
EF I told the owner: “Please, I need to do it! It’s one of my dreams.” I was in Mallorca and had time to develop it. And he said: “No, only one in one thousand makes it.” And in tears, I insisted: “I am that one.” And he replied: “No, you’re not.”
That was a very turning point, like: “Oh, not this gallery…” Marc, for instance, gives me his opinion, but he has never cut me off or made a derogatory comment. He always says things that build up, never anything that belittles.
So to sum it up, I had a bad experience competing in Madrid, but I learned a lot about myself. And in Hyères, where I was a finalist, I had a great time although that’s where I realized that I didn’t belong to the fashion world.
MB In Hyères they told her something that gave her food for thought: “This is not producible.” You’ve seen her dresses, they have so many layers and to bring that to a profitable production within the market is impossible. So what world allows you to keep making those creations? The world of art.
AND WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
EF In my latest exhibition I talk about Ela but also about Manuela, who is me as a girl. My original name is Manuela. Ela is in charge of the mediation workshops where people come to collaborate on projects and we work on healing, because people love Ela. And when we start to dig deeper, that’s when Manuela appears. The exhibition focuses on the discourse between them.
It’s not bad to be Ela, but there are times when you have to lock her in the wardrobe and have her calm down.
The lives of psychotherapist Tomeu Arbona and teacher María José Orero were changed by the financial crisis of 2008: “We went bankrupt.” What little they had left they invested in a sector unknown to them: pastry shops. But not just any pastry shop, a radically traditional one.
“We researched historical cookbooks, out-of-print books, we talked to older cooks and cloistered nuns,” says María José. The result is a catalog that revives ancient Mallorcan recipes such as lamb ensaimada with a local kind of pumpkin jam or cod.
The success led them to move in 2018 to the central Plaza Weyler, in a place that is not just any place either: the old Forn des Teatre, “oven of the theater,” as a 1916 green and yellow art nouveau wooden sign with red lettering reads.
“We’re called Fornet de la Socà, but the façade is protected so it can’t be touched,” says Tomeu, as he admires this historic building. “And we wouldn’t do it either.”
FORN DES TEATRE
Mallorca’s sky, like an artist’s canvas, is tinged with many shades of orange and pink at the end of the day. Spain’s largest island is a sea of beach-lovers in summer but it retains its charm during its mild winters, when the sun doesn’t set until half past five.
Every year-end, snow falls on the peaks of Serra de Tramuntana, covering the Puig Mayor, the highest mountain in the Balearic Islands. Wild goats graze on the slopes, closely followed by black vultures that fly to the area from their nests on the coastal cliffs in search of food. In the interior of the island, farmers— campers—work land irrigated with water extracted by windmills. Some 2,300 windmills of stone and iron stand tall throughout the rural Mallorcan landscape.
Tomatoes, olive trees and almonds are the fruit of this work and the heart of Mallorcan gastronomy, which has managed to remain exclusively within the confines of the island despite today’s widespread globalization, delighting visitors with its vibrant flavors.
All this makes Mallorca the paradise that not everyone can stand, as famously put by the American Gertrude Stein. But those who can, end up finding in it a refuge away from the frenetic life that is prevalent on the other side of the sea. For them, the definition of the island made by another great writer, the Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges, is perhaps more accurate: “Mallorca is a place that resembles happiness.”
Dana, Brutus
Pere-Josep ran into Antonia in a bar years after his last visit to her shop. “I want to be your friend,” he wrote on a card.
“Until then, I only thought of him professionally,” she says, “he was a good customer.”
Muminu, 28, wants to be in movies and the theater. She is an actress and social inclusion officer; she loves nature and staying active. That’s why she likes Mallorca, where nature is easily accessible.
Adam’s mother is Mallorcan, and his father is from Ivory Coast. He is 18 years old and trains a youth team, but he is considering trading sports for naval mechanics to have “decent” working options.
Maj, 30, is Italian-Moroccan and has lived in Mallorca for five years. She starts her days with a yoga routine on the beach. She likes to recharge batteries by the sea and the island’s multiculturalism.
Pelotas Soller, Casi Myra, Onda, Kora Sandal, Dana, Drift Trail Sandal S/S 2025
Eduardo Vizcaíno has lived in Madrid, Germany, and, more recently, Mallorca. He kayaks almost daily with other members of the Royal Nautical Club of Palma. “An hour and a half at sea is always good.”
