So, in the spirit of leading a more vivid life BOTEH asks photographer and jewellery designer, Sylvie Gianella, about her career, travels and life in Ibiza, Spain..
HOW WOULD LOVED ONES DESCRIBE YOU?
Wild, spontaneous, and very free when it comes to travelling. The kind of person who travels to India, meets a family living in a roadside camp, and finds their way in through the locals. When I travel I like to immerse myself in local culture as deeply as possible, and I'll always choose to stay put in one place for a long stretch of time over rushing around trying to see everything.
FOOLPROOF TRAVEL DAY OUTFIT?
My friends have always called me the rag lady. I travel in a constant tangle of scarves and wraps and am never without my Boteh tie-dyed sarong. You can wear it as a dress, a skirt, tie it on your head, use it as a beach blanket or carry it in a bag. It comes everywhere with me. As a jewellery designer, my staple piece is the Twin Flame Sun charm, which we've paired with the outfits in this collection.
FAVOURITE BEACH READ?
A holiday is one of the best opportunities you have to actually put something back into yourself, so I always reach for something that expands my thinking. I'm currently reading Drink, which unpacks the relationship between alcohol and the body in a way that's genuinely eye-opening. I also keep returning to The Book of Symbols, which has had a huge influence on my jewellery work. I find something new in it every time.
THREE MUST-HAVES IN YOUR CARRY-ON?
My film camera, a block of jeweller's wax and an empty sketchbook. I'm deeply tactile, pen to paper all the way. Travel fills me with so much emotion and inspiration, especially in other cultures, and I need somewhere to put all of that. An empty notebook too, for journaling. The sketchbook and wax are where ideas begin. The camera is how I remember. Everything else follows.
WHERE TO STAY?
It depends what you want from the island and the kind of trip you're on. Santa Gertrudis is essential, it's central to everything. San Antonio for those mind-blowing sunsets and if you want to be close to the party scene. Ibiza Town is also a great place to navigate from. But for me, it's always the north, a tucked-away finca, hiring a place, doing a house swap with some locals. I'm also a big fan of any kind of beach house or boathouse right on the sand.
WHERE TO SWIM?
I live in the north and rarely leave it. There's real magic to be found if you're willing to explore. Honest advice: hire a car and just drive. That's how I've found most of my secret spots. I lead my days by the sun, a sunrise at Cala Nova to start, ending the day at the boathouses just left of Cala Tarida to catch the last of the light. Cala Mastella is a perennial love, crystal-clear waters, Posidonia dancing with the current. And Pou d'es Lleó, I have a deep love affair with that place. You could spend a whole day there and it still wouldn't be enough.
The island is endless with possibilities and your days can genuinely take you anywhere. My version of a perfect Ibiza day: a sunrise swim at Cala Nova, coffee at Bar Anita in San Carlos, a long slow lunch at the Cala Mastella chiringuita, then end the day at Punta Galera watching the sun drop into the sea. For dancing, Circoloco on a Monday at DC10 is still a favourite, and Pikes Presents at 528 is fast becoming our new go-to, it feels like an open-air festival. Dance into the morning, then plunge straight back into the sea to wash it all off. In the north, hire a car and just explore, the best spots have no signs and no tourists. And if you're lucky enough to find someone with a hand-drawn map, follow it.
SENTIMENTAL SOUVENIRS?
I'm an avid stone collector. Heart-shaped rocks found on the floor are my most treasured finds, I have them everywhere. Also sea salt scraped from dried-up rock pools, wild rosemary bunches tied with ribbon, local oils and herbs. Nothing that comes in a gift shop bag. The best souvenirs are the ones the island just gives you.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LOCATION FOR THE BOTEH COLLECTION?
We shot the collection across two locations. The first was Raco Ibiza, a boutique hotel in Ibiza owned by Regina and Diego, who have the most impeccable eye for detail. The place is filled with antiques, art and collectibles, with a real seventies nostalgic feel everywhere you look, every corner is its own scene. I could picture the Boteh prints there immediately, lounging by the pool, vinyl on the record player by day, dancing inside by night. I'd wanted to shoot there for a while, so it was a dream come true.
The second location was Porroig, a cove lined with traditional boathouses, which gives it such an aesthetic feel. The sunset drops behind the hills rather than straight into the sea, and it felt like it had every element in one place, the beach, the boathouses, all the Boteh classics as she'd wear them by day, then changing into something dressier as evening comes in, getting ready to hit the dance floor under the stars.
@sylviegianellastudio
@sylviegianellajewellery