Find out how shopping with us on Giving Tuesday (29th November 2022) can do even more good… In the deserts of North West India, women are responsible for finding and fetching water for their families. That means every day, 7 million women and girls must walk miles to find it. Often, when they do, it’s […]
PLACES & TRAVEL
Back to Origin: Chapter Four – Portobello
We’re on a journey back to the roots of our brand, to the locations that first inspired us when we set up our stall in the 1970s. This autumn, we’re revisiting the very place Monsoon started. Welcome to Chapter Four – Portobello. .. Rows of colourful town houses, the hustle and bustle of market traders as they […]
Meet the Photographer: Linda Wit
If like us, you’ve found yourself planning a trip to Ibiza as a result of seeing our latest campaign photography, then you have Linda Wit to thank. Linda’s ability to capture the atmosphere of this island through authentic caught moments is the reason we were so keen to work with her. Originally from Amsterdam, Linda moved to Ibiza with her family with the intention of staying just a year. Find out why, five years later, she still calls the White Isle home, and how living there has changed her outlook on work and life.
You were born in Amsterdam but always itching to travel. Why do you think that is?
From a very young age, I loved to listen to the stories of my grandpa about his travels. My parents had their own organic supermarket for more than 30 years and didn’t have that much time to go on holiday. In my dreams, I was travelling already. From the age I could go by myself, I started to travel and explore. Since the children were born, we’ve taken them everywhere, travelling in the desert of Oman or helping an island biologist in the Maldives with his turtle logbook – they love it too. It’s a privilege to let them grow up like this and explore humans, animals, flavours and religions from all over the world. To see the world as one with all its different sides.
What did you find in Ibiza that made you want to stay put?
We always had the dream to go for one year with the children when they were little. Five years ago, we decided to go for it. To live for one year more barefoot in nature, enjoying the slow life. After this first year, none of us wanted to go back to Amsterdam. It’s the magic of the island, you love it, or you hate it. If you go for the ride, the island gives you so many beautiful lessons, and if you take them, the magic is there. We’re enjoying the South European lifestyle, the mañana mañana mentality, the nature around us, the sun, and the high quality of life.
What’s it like to bring up a family here?
We tell each other daily how grateful we are to bring up the children here on the island. Ibiza is like her own mini globe, with all the nationalities and different people. When our children grow up, they will have friends all around the world. They go to a French school where they speak and learn French, Spanish and English. When I see how easily they switch languages, I’m more than proud, and see this as a big present for them. It’s like, six months a year they walk barefoot, it’s easy to stay a child and play outside, and they are really part of the lifestyle. Everyone brings their children everywhere, summer nights are not just for the grown-ups – even small children are a part of this gathering together. They’re not surrounded by rushed people, and I feel so grateful to see how they can look to and enjoy nature, and how close they are to all animals.
Have you found living on the island sparks your creativity?
For sure! Because of the slow life and the nature around me, I got back a little sparkle. Running around in Amsterdam and being on socials made me work with pictures in my mind. When I moved and skipped socials for 18 months, I started to look at the world again. To create things from my own eyes, to see magic everywhere – the light, the movement of nature, the raw part of nature – and my creativity came back. Creating things from outside of myself, not wanting to make something perfect but to see the perfection in imperfection. Exactly how it is, to keep things simple and real. Following this made me create my own signature and I keep moving in that direction, just doing the things I love to do. To continue playing every day and to look at the world as a little child looking for miracles.
What do you feel most passionately about right now?
Real stories, a glimpse of someone’s life. Just as it is. Local people everywhere around the world, to see their big smiles no matter what conditions they live in. Not the perfect magazine story but real happiness. It makes me so inspired.
What makes an amazing photograph, in your opinion?
The light. The little moment. You have to see it. You cannot force it. It’s there. The movement or smile. The imperfection, the realness. The raw picture. It doesn’t matter what camera you use – if it’s an expensive one, the perfect lens or just an old crappy phone, it’s all about what your eyes see, how you go out of your mind and let your eyes see the magic.
What’s been the highlight of our shoot for you?
We had such a nice women-only team! To see everyone doing the things they love and creating something beautiful together. And to capture the artisans on our island, listen to their stories and see their creativity was a really nice thing to do. Inspiring.
Why do you think people describe this place as magical?
I’m sure it’s the energy. There’s this female island energy. If you let go, if you jump on the ride of this island, the island gives you so much magic and love back. I’m sure about that. But if you go for the ‘dark’ side, using the island to make money or not seeing the lessons it gives, it will be too much and the island can really bring you down. It’s like the force of Star Wars, the light side and the dark side. They say the first year is a test year, if you love it you can stay forever but keep learning, and if you hate it, you will leave the island before the year is finished.
Who are the women you’re inspired by?
Women who choose for their own happiness, who can see and feel their happiness. I did a lot of volunteering in Greece and saw women with many children living in a little tent with nothing but making the very best of it. And smiling with a real smile. I could feel their happiness and gratefulness. It made me cry. They looked happier than many other women in my life. If you can feel this and choose this for yourself, you are a hero in my opinion. And women who choose to do what they love, not choosing what to do out of fear, but from their heart and passion. For themselves, for others, for nature. It´s not about making a career but following your path.
Discover the Back To Origin Collection.
Local Icons: Laura De Grinyo, Founder of Ladio Ceramics
On our recent visit to Ibiza, we were introduced to Laura De Grinyo, a talented ceramicist whose work takes place in the heart of the island’s wild landscape. Here, we chat to Laura about how she found her craft, and the therapeutic, almost hypnotic, quality of working with clay.
We’re in love with your ceramics and want to fill a suitcase with them before we go home. When did you realise that being a ceramicist was your destiny?
Thank you for your kind words. I have always been fascinated by ancient civilizations, crafts and ceramics that have somehow left us information about our legacy. Before working with ceramics, I had a small clothing brand made by local artisan women from Ibiza and Catalonia. But in 2017, I decided to move on from that project and focus on developing other disciplines that interested me, such as illustration, photography and artistic direction. It was in 2019 that I got my hands on clay for the first time and I fell deeply in love with the material and the tradition that goes with it.
Your Ibizan workshop looks like one of the most tranquil settings on earth. Can you tell us a bit more about your surroundings and what they bring to the creative process?
I am very thankful to be able to work where I live, right in the middle of nature and where I spent most of my life, Ibiza. Nature has always been my greatest teacher and source of inspiration. My work usually reflects my environment with its colour palette and organic textures. I feel very lucky to have grown up on this island and to be able to nurture my creative world through its nature and harmony.
Are you drawn to any season in particular?
The truth is that each season has its magic, but spring is always my favorite, full of life, colour and a true feeling of prosperity.
We’re fascinated by the process of creating pottery and the circularity of it – failings can be re-worked into successes. How have you learnt to cope with the unpredictable nature of working with clay?
My working method includes both wheel and hand-built techniques. That’s why I sometimes experience a sensation of trance when my hands dance along with the clay in a choreography marked by circularity and spirals. Sometimes you make mistakes, but you have to accept them and integrate them as part of the process. Usually, a mistake can be the inspiring starting point for a future piece.
Your work is very physical and tangible, using your hands to mould clay from the earth, yet you’re interested in the metaphysical, alchemy and frequencies, which we find intriguing – can you tell us more about how these interests intersect for you?
Indeed! I’ve always been fascinated and intrigued by natural fractals – we are surrounded by them! These go hand in hand with frequencies and the magic they create together. In ceramics, this alchemy is found in its main element, clay, and how it intersects with the other elements such as water, air and fire, the result is often unexpected but always amazing.
What part of the making process gives you the most satisfaction?
Each bit of the ceramic processes has its charm. But my favorites are wheel throwing, trimming and carving.
What advice would you give to amateur ceramicists?
I would recommend that they enjoy every moment they have with the clay to stop time and reconnect with silence and themselves. It is pure therapy and if you treat clay with respect, it teaches you a lot.
Who are the women you’re inspired by?
Antonia, a local textile artisan from Ibiza, Lucie Rie, Bárbara Hepworth, Wendy Carlos, Edith Heath, Ruth Asawa, Valentine Schlegel, Helen Frankenthaler, the list goes on!
Follow Laura on her Instagram @ladioceramics.
Discover the Back To Origin Collection.
Local Icons: Renu Kashyap, Author of Ibiza Bohemia
We think Ibiza Bohemia deserves a place on everyone’s coffee table. This collection of photos and quotes is an immersive portrayal of island life that causes you to instantly fall in love with the place (if you weren’t already). Here, we talk to the book’s author, Renu Kashyap, about the inspiration for her work, countryside living and the importance of family time.
You’re the author of the stunning Ibiza Bohemia (which we adore, by the way). What gave you the idea to create the book?
Thank you, I’m happy that you like it, it was made with a lot of love. When I came to the island 10 years ago, I noticed that there were only books about the jet-set side of the island. I was missing the other part of Ibiza, the more emotional part. The nature, the people, the spirituality, the sea, the light – Ibiza is famous for its ever-changing light. I felt a longing to capture the island through my eyes, and to archive what is, for me, the most magical place in the world.
What’s your favourite image from the book?
One of my favourites is of a couple falling off a wooden sailboat, holding each other tight against their bodies, which are tanned from the sun and muscled from raising the sails (they live on the boat). It represents total freedom to me.
What do you think makes the people of Ibiza so unique?
Ibiza has always attracted creative, like-minded people with a young heart, an open mind, and a wild soul. There is a lot of music, which connects people. There is a lot of positivity, not so much complaining or gossiping. Many people do some kind of self-work, with or without plant medicine, but there is some sort of interest in personal growth amongst most of the people I know. I think you can see that there is a collective spiritual mindset, and living together on this small island, it is a community. We like to help each other.
What do you love best about life on the island?
The high quality of life. We live in the countryside with chickens, frogs, birds, and I can hear the sheep from my bedroom. Every drive in the car is candy to the eye – we are surrounded by so much beautiful nature. Endless landscapes with blossoming fruit trees. Wherever you live, you are close to the beach. The weather is delicious – 300 days of sun a year. I love my healthy lifestyle. I feel less stress than in the city and go to yoga every day before I start work. And of course, the music, we love to dance! We all have a little wild side in us, and the island has some pretty good parties, especially the secret ones. I feel the island keeps me young. I think it´s the energy, the vibe, a feeling of being free that makes Ibiza so special.
You recently founded Palomas Libres, can you tell us about your vision for this?
I worked on Ibiza Bohemia intensively for three years, and after that I wanted to spend more time with my family, especially my daughter who was growing up so fast. Skye was the inspiration for our first Mother & Daughter retreat six years ago – one week staying at our home, Casa Amore, a boutique hotel in the countryside. My partner Liza and I designed a programme for connecting with yourself and your daughter, a magical week to learn to live more from your heart, create unforgettable memories and have real quality time together. We just launched our new spiral lifestyle community Palomas Libres to connect and create spiritual awareness for parents and their children. We’ll also be hosting Mother & Son, Father & Daughter, Father & Son and family retreats in many places like the UK, Marrakech, Tulum, Bali and more.
What makes Ibiza an inspiring place to be a kid?
Our children grow up on the beach and surrounded by nature, living a life with animals, jumping from the cliffs, learning to dive and sail, enjoying the small things. They can stay children for a bit longer here than elsewhere, I think. Most speak four languages and will have friends living all over the world when they grow up.
How would you describe Ibiza in three words?
Bohemian, laidback, endless.
If we only had time to visit one place on the island, where should we go?
Formentera by sailboat.
Who are the women you’re inspired by?
Jane Goodall, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama. Georgia O´Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Marlene Dumas, Rupi Kaur, Louise Bourgeois, for their art. Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, Lauren Hutton, Lady Di, Jane Birkin, for their sense of style. And my girlfriends, who are each special and inspiring in their own way.
Discover our Ibiza-inspired collection here.
Local Icons: Merel Krielaart, Co-founder of World Family Ibiza
Merel Krielaart is co-founder of World Family Ibiza, an independent clothing store with her family and their global adventures at its heart. Here, we talk to Merel about life in Ibiza, creative fulfillment, and connecting to nature.
Local Icons: Virginia Nieto, Founder of Emonk Ibiza
Whilst shooting our summer collection in Ibiza, our crew couldn’t get enough of Emonk, a boho boutique selling the kind of shoes and accessories that are synonymous with Ibizan style. Here, we chat to Emonk founder, Virginia Nieto, about the inspiration for her designs and how they’re brought to life. Read her story and shop her collection […]
Meet the Model: Vanessa Breuer
This summer, we returned to Ibiza, the birthplace of the Monsoon concept, and the inspiration for a collection of beautifully detailed, unstructured pieces. And who better to channel the bohemian spirit of our designs than one of the island’s own residents? Here, we get to know a little more about campaign model Vanessa Breuer.
Thanks for welcoming us to your beautiful home for our shoot today. Family life in Ibiza seems blissful. Having lived all over the world, do you feel settled here?
Actually, I really do. I think this is the first time I ever felt totally at home. I always felt slightly uneasy in the town I grew up in, and although I loved living in New York, Sydney and San Fransisco, I knew they were just temporary. We only wanted to stay one or two years on the island, but it’s been seven now, and I can’t really imagine living anywhere else.
What’s the most precious thing about life on the island?
Life seems slower here. I feel less stressed and more in balance with nature.
Do you find being here feeds your creativity?
Yes, for sure. I act on my creativity in the kitchen. When I’m home, I love cooking and baking and could spend hours doing that. I also enjoy arts and crafts with the kiddos.
You’ve been to culinary school too – what’s your current favourite dish to serve?
Oh, that’s a tough one – I love so many different things depending on my mood. I really love roasted sweet potatoes with a tahini sauce and some spice. Anything with tahini really. I’m also a big fan of Italian cooking. Simple and fresh. I usually go to the farm once a week, get a mixed veggie box and get inspired by the ingredients of the season.
And how are you finding growing your own veg?
It’s not as easy as I thought! When we just moved here, I was really passionate about the garden, but lately, I’ve been working more and haven’t given it much attention. Plus, there are so many amazing farms here that just do it better than me! Maybe I’ll just do herbs and some strawberries this year.
What are your top tips for families visiting Ibiza – any hidden gems?
Ibiza is a beautiful island for families. Spanish people are very child-friendly and you can take your children everywhere and feel welcome. The beaches in the north are less crowded, I love going there with the kids. No party people up here! We actually wrote a little guide ‘Ibiza for families’ that you can find on ouribiza.shop.
How would you describe Ibiza in three words?
Mesmerising, lush, and fun.
What are your favourite looks from the shoot?
Oh, there are so many! I love how flowy and light the Ikat Print Smock Dress is. I can see myself living in it this summer. The kids’ clothes are absolutely gorgeous as well – Evie’s favourite is the Embroidered Bardot Summer Dress and Luca’s is the Butterfly Embroidered Dress.
Who are the women you’re inspired by?
I get inspired by independent, strong women who have a mind of their own. Women who stand for their beliefs and follow their dreams.
Discover the Back To Origin Collection.
Back to Origin: Chapter Three – Ibiza
We’re on a journey back to the roots of our brand, to the locations that first inspired us when we set up our stall in the ’70s. This summer, we’re revisiting the very place Monsoon was dreamed up. Welcome to Chapter Three – Ibiza.
We ventured to the north of the island, where our new collection was brought to life by model Vanessa Breuer and photographer Linda Wit, both residents of Ibiza, both passionate about its creative force and inspired by its wild nature. Between the lush hills, secluded coves, and our model’s stunning home (thank you, Vanessa, for inviting us), we captured our designs in natural light, from sunrise to sunset. And we got a real sense that this is a spiritual place to be. Our photographer Linda put it like this: “There’s this female island energy. If you let go, if you jump on the ride of this island, the island gives you so much magic and love back”. For those who’ve ever visited, we’re sure you’ll understand.
Inspired by these exact surroundings, the collection has a distinctly bohemian and unmistakably Ibizan feel, with beautifully detailed crochet, embroidery and prints forming floaty, unstructured silhouettes. Our designers were drawn to the free-spirited attitude of our friends on the White Isle and wanted to bring that mood to every piece. And you can really feel it. Every shape has a sense of ease, allowing you to become the most carefree version of yourself. Which is what being on this island is all about. As Ibiza local Victoria Durrer Gasse told us, this is a place where “messy hair and sandy toes are perfectly okay”.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing conversations with local icons – artisans who find their inspiration in this magical place, and whose creations we’ll be making available on our website. For now, we invite you to explore the new collection and listen to our Ibiza playlists to get you in the mood for a stylish, bohemian summer.
Back to Origin: Chapter Two – Designer Robin Hercia
Our spring campaign took us to Joshua Tree, where we had the pleasure of meeting Robin Hercia, a designer of textiles, graphics and interiors who found creative freedom in the Californian desert. Discover more about Robin’s craft, the local women who inspire her, and why she’s subconsciously putting gradients on all her designs.
Our shoot is taking place in Joshua Tree – what is it about this place that inspires you?
I moved out here for the space – the wide-open landscape and cotton-candy coloured sunset skies allow a creative mind to work at its own pace. Ideas are born from an intuitive natural place and the process of development and execution has clarity to it since the external world offers neutrality and lacks clutter.
What was your journey to becoming a textile designer and what is it that makes you so passionate about it?
I found myself in a post-secondary Textile Design programme after studying Interior Design. I wasn’t ready to enter the world and was still exploring who I am as a creative person. In the third semester of my first year, I met my biological mother and learned there’s a long family history of textile work among women in the family. It was a bit of a trip, and I took it as a good omen that I was on the right path.
Did you experiment with other forms of art that inspire you today, even if you don’t practice them currently?
I run a multidisciplinary design studio. A lot of what I do is graphic: package design, branding, art direction and custom artwork for albums and books. I also have two interior projects currently underway: one in Yucca Valley, California, and another in British Columbia, Canada. They’re two totally different places and I love working this way because I believe that design should be directly related to the vernacular of the place. The structure itself – the way it relates to its environment, and everything contained within it should be a reflection of the place it comes from. In this realm, I spend a lot of time learning what materials are inherent to these places, and how to make a space that has an honest relationship with its surroundings.
What made you decide to start your own design studio?
It was just the natural thing to do at a certain point. I’d worked for a New York fashion designer for most of the noughties, moved to California and took some time restructuring my life, and it sort of just had to happen in order for me to be able to work in the full spectrum of applied arts that I do. Any other firm would have me doing one thing, but I sort of need to do five to be happy.
You use what you can get from the earth to make your inks – can you tell us a bit more about that process?
Natural materials are more pleasant to work with, and, practically speaking, don’t require industrial safety equipment that a lot of chemical dye processes require. When I was in school, I recall working with a material that would burn through everything save for plastic: I’d rather live a life working in a healthy relationship with my materials rather than ones that are out to get me. I also enjoy the limitations of working with natural materials. Having every colour option in the world is overwhelming.
Are there things in your everyday life that you draw inspiration from?
The skies. I can’t stop putting gradients on everything. Even in completely unintentional moments I can look back at a piece of work and think damn it, I’ve put a desert sky gradient on that too. I guess it’s becoming a signature.
What have been some of your favourite pieces to create?
For the last few years, I’ve been working with knit and woven wools and silks. Contrary to popular belief the desert does get cold and experiences autumn and winter. Every year when the temperatures drop, I love getting back into these fibres because they absorb colour so richly. Even after several years I still look back at the drying lines and double-take the colours because they’re so deep and vivid.
For those who want to find their inner artist but don’t know where to start, what advice would you give?
Advice that somebody gave me once: “make something every day.” It will often stink but make it and move on. Eventually, there are days something you’re truly proud of comes out. Creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised.
What are your plans for this year, do you have any interesting projects that we should look out for?
I have my first full-scale interior project underway. In a few months’ time, I’ll be able to start sharing finishing details. There should also be some big transitions in my textile studio in the coming months as well. That’s all I’m able to share as of now but I’m really psyched about where I’m putting my energy.
Who are the women you’re inspired by?
The ones I work within my own community. A lot of our local businesses out here are women-owned – many are colleagues, and some are personal friends. Our proximity to LA keeps us on the periphery of a major cultural centre which we all benefit from but it’s still a rural community and the hustle is real. The women who inspire me most are those that are around me every day kicking ass making it happen and making their lives in the most insane creative ways. Some of the accomplishments I get to witness blow my mind and I’m so honoured to be a part of this deeply artistic community.
Follow Robin on her Instagram @robinofmojave.
Discover the Back To Origin Collection.