To talk about Adlib Fashion is to talk about Ibiza, but also about history, craftsmanship and freedom. Indeed, the name of this brand of clothing comes from the Latin expression “Ad Libitum”, which has been loosely translated by the brand to mean “dress as you like, but with taste”, a way of understanding fashion that has spread all over the world.
The history of Adlib Fashion in Ibiza is closely linked to the island’s traditional dress and is based on respect, innovation, trends and, above all, the philosophy of one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world. It is inspired by the straw hats that never go out of fashion, the esparto grass shoes, the cotton shawls and the scarves of the women of an Ibiza that attracted the first tourists in the 1970s.
The seed of the Ibizan brand, which is now known worldwide, began to grow in 1971, when the first Ibiza Fashion Week was held, and whose catwalk presented a style of dress that had already been seen on the streets for some time. Thus, what creators and designers, together with dressmakers and women from the island, did was to highlight the delicacy of these naturally coarse and handcrafted materials. The Adlib fashion parade took place in the middle of the countryside, on the grass of a golf course, in squares, parks, the Ses Taules gateway or on beaches, with garments of all tones and colours including dark velvets and even “semi-mourning” items, articles with a black background and small white motifs.
The Yugoslavian “princess” Smilja Mihailovitch played a key role as an ambassador for this new style that championed a free, naturally beautiful, fresh and authentic woman. Thanks to her, Ibizan fashion positioned itself, almost without knowing it, as an alternative to the uniformity and style imposed by the garments that dominated the industry of the time. Its arrival also led to the creation of many jobs among women on the islands, who discovered a new industry that, for the first time, allowed them to become economically independent and have their own resources at their disposal.
From their own workshops, traditional but renovated espadrille firms such as Espardenyes Torres and Estrivancus produce colourful, handcrafted footwear for men and women; traditional Ibizan jewellery is reinterpreted by Elisa Pomar while K de Kose Kose Privée offers its own particular range of sustainable and avant-garde accessories. The island’s baskets are unique items covered in flowers and embroidery thanks to Dolors Miró Ibiza, who creates her bags as a perfect complement to S72 Hat’s headgear and hats. The most ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ Adlib is brought to us by Ibiza Stones while the most traditional garments and most distinctive cotton dresses are created in the workshop of Monika Maxim Ibiza. Meanwhile, Ibimoda produces clothing with an unmistakable Ibizan essence for brides, grooms and guests, while Vintage Ibiza offers a wide range of collections that demonstrate that haute couture fashion is not incompatible with beachwear; a way of understanding fashion that is also championed by Piluca Bayarri, who creates unique swimwear without foregoing the most fashionable dress designs. The chief representatives of nightwear are Ivanna Mestres and Virginia Vald, who also produces boho chic daywear, while Tony Bonet, nicknamed the enfant terrible of Adlib, finds the perfect balance between the purity of this brand and its Baroque style. These brands are chosen by hundreds of people every year to dress for their wedding day without giving up their own personal style.
Finally, for years, Etikology has championed and led the more sustainable side of Adlib Fashion in Ibiza.
Thanks to the freshness and originality of these brands, the style remains intact but renewed, and each year the designers under the Adlib Fashion Ibiza label make their contribution to a fashion show that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2021.