It is difficult to leave Ibiza empty-handed. Its hippy markets and boutiques abound in creations with their own distinctive character, both in fashion and accessories as well as in crafts and food products. There is something to suit all tastes and suitcases.
Cosmopolitan, relaxed, outward-looking and very inspiring, the unique character of our island has influenced its creations in art, design and crafts since the first European and North American travellers, many of them intellectuals, architects and bohemians, began to arrive in the 1930s. That stream of creativity was boosted when Ibiza became one of the international havens of the hippy movement, which brought the island its thirst for freedom, its lack of rules and its characteristic style, which still inspires designers and goldsmiths, and which sowed the seed of one of Ibiza’s iconic brands: Adlib fashion.
Adlib Fashion: the style of Ibiza
It was in 1971 when Yugoslavian princess Smilja Mihailovitch launched so-called Adlib Fashion, a free, casual style inspired by the traditional garments of Ibizan women and the hippy aesthetics of the time. Its name came from the Latin term ad-libitum, which means “at pleasure”, and its motto was: “Dress as you like, but dress with taste”. Several decades later, Adlib Fashion has become one of the island’s creative benchmarks, a product recognised at international fashion shows that stands out for its comfortable and bright designs, the use of 100% natural fabrics and the inclusion of crochet trimmings, ruffles, embroidery and traditional lace. Currently, there is a wide range of prestigious Adlib Fashion designers on the island and a large group of new creators whose garments and accessories can be bought in numerous boutiques on Ibiza.
From hippy market to hippy market
One of the most popular tourist attractions on our island are the hippy markets, a must for lovers of shopping and unique finds. During the summer months, it is easy to find an original item or a nice souvenir as there is a hippy market every day of the week. The most famous are the Las Dalias Hippy Market, which is open every Saturday of the year, and the Punta Arabí Hippy Market, which is held every Wednesday from May to October and is the oldest and largest on the island. In addition to these two unmissable markets, the island has a number of other markets with their own personality, such as those of Sant Rafel, Santa Gertrudis, Sant Miquel, Sant Antoni, the Sant Jordi second-hand market and the Sant Joan craft market.
Pottery, art and delicatessen
However, there are even more made-in-Ibiza treats to fall in love with. For example, the pottery items that the masters produce in the workshop-shops of Sant Rafel, a village declared an “Area of Craft Interest”; the paintings and sculptures by local artists on display in Ibiza’s art galleries; and a delicious variety of culinary souvenirs with which to remember the flavour of Ibiza once you are at home: Ibiza honey, Ibiza salt, Ibizan herb liqueur, sheep’s or goat’s cheese, sobrasada, olive oil, Ibiza wines and pastries, such as orelletes, flaó and ensaimada.
