Magazine mission accomplished

Wait – that’s not entirely true. Let me back up a little… When I first moved to Ibiza ten years ago, I left behind a pretty successful career in glossy women’s magazines in a big city. I wanted a break from all that Devil Wears Prada stuff (it happens) and the pressure to wear high heels and lipstick to the office by day, and to be seen out and about on the town schmoozing the right people at night. I was over that lifestyle (though giving up the free beauty products, clothes and press trips wasn’t easy). I came here to spend a summer on the beach, to listen to music every night and to chill out. I worked many jobs that first summer, flyering for We Love… Sundays at Space, working on the door at Pacha, doing the guestlist at El Divino… but I did not look at a computer or write anything whatsoever. I don’t even think I had a laptop back then, and I certainly didn’t have Facebook. Instagram didn’t even exist!

But each month I’d pick up the latest copy of Pacha Magazine on my beach routes (making that bag full of flyers even heavier – not fun in the hot August sun) and feel a little pang of magazine envy – the little wheels in my brain started to turnover. Maybe, just maybe, I could apply my magazine skills to Ibiza. Maybe I could write about music instead of lipstick and celebrities! Very quickly, I realised that wasn’t my bag. I really enjoyed interviewing DJs and asking them personal questions, but when it came to club write-ups or album reviews, there’s only so many times you can use the thesaurus to say thumping bass, you know what I mean? Plus – when I was out dancing, I just wanted to have fun, I didn’t want to take notes about what track was dropped when and what sample was teased in or acapella added. Dance music journalism was not for me. Hats off to those who can do it well – it is definitely a talent. Then in 2008, White Ibiza was born. It was so much more my cup of tea. It was lifestyle, luxury and Ibiza all rolled into one. I’d found my writing niche, plus had my own blog space to express my personal thoughts. But I still always harboured that desire to hold my work in my hands. I love the instantaneous nature of online, but there’s nothing better than a freshly printed magazine, the smell and feel of the paper, the excitement as you flip through the pages… It will never get old for me.

Over the years, Ushuaia, Blue Marlin, Ibiza Style and numerous other publications also came on the market and I always ummed and ahhed about working for them and in fact, I wrote a few things for Pacha mag, plus contributed to a few of the others, but again, I always just felt it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. It didn’t suit my writing style – they weren’t about ‘my Ibiza’. In my opinion, there was a gap in the market. Being a digital guide, we naturally explored digital magazines when the magazine world started to become digitized, and we produced two years’ worth of copies, which was an experience I loved, but once again just didn’t have the satisfaction of holding it in your hands (no matter how much I am addicted to my iPad!) Finally, in 2015, discussions started to take place about the first ever White Ibiza print magazine. The more we spoke about it, the more the concept evolved. This wasn’t going to just be a print version of what we do online. This would take the concept further and allow us to delve deeper into the subjects we cared about. Each and every page would be full of unique content. And so we decided. It was time…

Time to create the Ibiza magazine that we felt was missing from the market. The Ibiza magazine we wanted to pick up and read ourselves. A publication that was focused on Ibiza with a Mediterranean vibe and an international outlook, not theme-driven by the summer season or pop culture. One that was beautifully designed, timeless and sophisticated, aesthetically clean. A book to be treasured and referred to time and time again, not a glossy catalogue to be discarded once the season was over. WHITE Ibiza Magazine was launched last month, and we think she is one of the most beautiful magazines ever to have graced our shores (not that I’m biased), in all her silk-matte finish glory. 180 pages. 23 in-depth feature articles. Unique characters. Individual stories. Hundreds of stunning fine art photography images, captured on film by our photography director, Ana Lui – because we believe the quality of film reflects the island’s true beauty. No filters needed. Our debut issue includes features on art, design, interiors, architecture, gastronomy, creativity and for those with a case of wanderlust beyond our Balearic shores, travel. After all, when you’re lazing on Salinas, you’re thinking about where to go next, right?

A lot of people have been asking me where they can pick up a copy, so I wanted to take this opportunity to point out, WHITE Ibiza Magazine is not another free Ibiza magazine. You won’t find WHITE stacked up on the shelves of your favourite bar or beach club, but in stylish boutiques, bookstores, homewares stores and select island locations. And of course, online – we deliver anywhere in the world! Why? We didn’t want our first ever gorgeous print edition to be dictated by advertisers, or so chock full of ads that you couldn’t find your way to the content. It’s a passion project, not an advertising platform. I think (well, I hope!) once you flick through the content you’ll agree, it’s worth paying for. Launching this magazine has been a career highlight for me – not just here in Ibiza, but in my whole life – and a much bigger buzz than interviewing Kylie Minogue or swilling Prince William’s champagne in the VIP at Pacha ever was. This feels like a real achievement. It’s a dream come true. It has more of my blood (fell over on a shoot), sweat (you try holding reflectors high in the air for hours on a hot spring day) and tears (because no real print deadline ever comes without them) than any other project I’ve ever worked on. An amazing team, wonderful subjects and unforgettable experiences… At the risk of sounding cheesier than usual, I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it. I am already looking forward to planning and producing the next edition.