Las Dalias Flea Market, Ibiza, 1980s.
Sara Carbonero, Tamara Falcó and even Queen Letizia are some of the people who have fallen for Charo Ruiz's characteristic models: dresses, kaftans, tops... embroidered, with a preference for an immaculate and optimistic white. Daughter and granddaughter of dressmakers, the designer is one of the great representatives of the Ibizan style, who will celebrate her big party next June 12.
The Adlib walkway, that free, carefree and artisan fashion, of embroidery and lace, which took its name from the Latin expression ad libitum (with freedom), turns 50 and, this year, given the global circumstances, the parades will take place on a single day, at the Baluard de Santa Llúcia in Dalt Vila. To commemorate the anniversary of this fashion that totally sums up a lifestyle, We chatted with Charo Ruiz, one of his best supporters.
When, in the early 1970s, Charo traveled to Ibiza with a friend from Barcelona, she already imagined that she was heading towards the place to be. “At that time, she lived and worked in Barcelona as a model and, even then, Ibiza was part of the circuit of those of us who considered ourselves 'modern'. And we came to find out what was going on…” the Sevillian tells us.
The designer Charo Ruiz and her granddaughter Allegra.
"After those first vacations with my friend in the summer of '73, I returned with my boyfriend the following year and we decided to settle there. We were naive but very enterprising and it occurred to us to set up a kiosk of natural juices and organic food on the beach”, recalls the creator. “It was a disaster, we didn't sell anything... And I had the idea of setting up a rack with t-shirts and unisex cotton pants, with the Ibiza logo in Helvetica. The business took a 360º turn and became a success. We can say that this was the beginning of everything. Mine was fashion.
Ibiza is part of her fashion brand and her life, but what links her to this island? “I am united by a deep root in all the senses; emotional, spiritual and physical. Here I began my career as a designer, my facet as a mother and I founded my own company, whose brand has the word Ibiza printed on it. It's part of his DNA and mine."
Las Dalias Flea Market, Ibiza, 1980s.
"When I arrived -recalls Charo for CN Traveler- The tourist boom had not yet occurred and the island was practically virgin; a paradise of beauty and freedom just 45 minutes from Barcelona. Everything has changed, urban and business development and nightlife have made the island a must, and rightly so!” However, she is not carried away by melancholy: “I am not one of those nostalgics who lament that the past was always better. I am aware of the evolution and what globalization means”.
Of course, she yearns a little – she confesses to us – the Pereyra theater and the Montesol terrace on the old Vara de Rey promenade. "It was the meeting place when there were no telephones, all plans were decided there".
Charo Ruiz backstage at a parade in Barcelona, in the 1980s.
"The island is very wise, it has a very strong energy -he continues-, it heals wounds when you take care of it but it can be dangerous if you treat it badly, It can get you expelled if you abuse it. I think that more and more people who come they are visitors and not tourists who do not value the richness of the environment. They are more and more aware and respectful with the environment".
Her creative process has evolved a lot in recent years, she explains. “The industry is demanding more and more speed in presentations. But from the first collection that I presented in 1989 until today I base myself on noble materials, silhouettes that flatter the female figure, excellent patterns and exquisite finishes. For me, surround myself with a young team, committed and aligned with my values and my vision of fashion is essential”.
What inspires you today in the world of fashion? “The talent and strength of the new generations, I see a lot of creativity, transgression and commitment to the environment; That fashion has become a tool for inclusion and visibility seems magical to me”, she comments.
Plaza Vara de Rey in front of Montesol, Ibiza, 1970s.
YOUR MOST PERSONAL CORNERS ON THE ISLAND
“Which is my Ibiza? My Ibiza is my workshop, my family, my team, my friends, my house and my home; a meeting place for people from all over the world who come here, the same thing I saw more than forty years ago. My Ibiza is increasingly that of the whole world and that fascinates and inspires me”, says Ruiz.
“I have been in Ibiza for many years and my circuit is very marked by the south, the Salinas area, I consider myself a 'salinera', although I love discovering new places”, he warns us.
Charo Ruiz as a model, in the 70s, in Barcelona.
However, we ask that you share Your must-have list:
- The Breakwater Restaurant. “I have known the family all my life, the food is fresh and delicious, the service and treatment is impeccable. And the views are the best.
- Can Salinas. “Their rice dishes are iconic, It is a family restaurant and they maintain the tradition Like the first day".
- Have a picnic with the family in Espalmador. “The boat trip from Ibiza to Formentera revitalizes me as if it were the first time. Y disembarking in the natural park with umbrellas, sarongs, food and drinks gives me life and it connects me a lot with my beginnings in this paradise”.
- Long walks. "With my bitches, through the forest of Es Cavallet. And bathe naked in its little secret coves”.
- The craft market on Sundays in San Juan. “Because of its energy, the objects you can find and the organic food stalls.”
- The Espacio Micus and La Nave art galleries.
- And, of course, its downtown flagship store historical. “It is a boutique where you can live the Charo Ruiz experience in a more personal, human and close way. Our store team is made up of charming and very professional women who make the visit very pleasant”.
The designer with her family, in the 80s, in Ibiza.
CELEBRATING ADLIB FASHION (DESPITE THE PANDEMIC)
In this year's catwalk, which commemorates the 50 years of Adlib fashion, will participate, among other firms, Ibimoda, Piluca Bayarri, Virginia Vald, Vintage Ibiza, Ivanna Mestres and the jeweler Elisa Pomar, concentrated in the same day.
Due to the pandemic, there will be other changes. For example, the Futur Adlib contest, dedicated to the young promises of fashion in the Balearic Islands, will be replaced by an exhibition of the garments of the finalists in the Far de Ses Coves Blanques de Sant Antoni, which also hosts (until June 18) the exhibition Adlib.50 years of fashion, a photographic journey through the evolution of the designs since the first parade, which took place in 1971.
From June 6 to 13, the Exhibition Hall of Sant Jaume de Santa Eulària street pays homage to the origins of Adlib artisan weaving through the testimony of women sewers and discovering the connection of this fashion with traditional pagese dresses.
Charo Ruiz working as a model, 1970s.