Recreating iconic IBIZA
In an exclusive cover shoot with emblematic photographer Toni Riera, L'OFFICIEL IBIZA shines a light on the colourful cast of creatives who embody the island's enduring spirit of love and liberation.
‘In 1976 I took the first photo of the façade of the Hotel Montesol. I proposed to [Pacha founder] Ricardo Urgell that we use it to create a poster for Pacha and he loved it. For the balconies we chose the most emblematic characters of Ibiza at the time, but on the day of the shoot hardly anyone turned up. Most had been partying and some had taken substances. We literally had to go and search for people in their homes! I took that photo from the window of the Matutes family flat, which was opposite. Ten years later, in 1986, I repeated the photo. The façade of the hotel had been renovated and painted and already they were different times, with less hippies and more yuppies, but everyone was authentic. On this occasion we set up a scaffolding in Vara del Rey. Thirty years after the first photo, I repeated the experience for the third time in 2006.
This time with the most flowery crew: the Pacha PRs, go-go dancers, our dear friends and the best DJs on the planet, proving that Ibiza was the capital of dance music. That year I took the photo from a crane - times had changed. In 2016 when I took the photo again, there was a queue! So many people asked me to participate because the photo had become a classic of Ibiza in which many wanted to appear. This year I was thrilled when L'OFFICIEL IBIZA asked me to repeat the photo for the fifth time to illustrate its cover. The participants are both newer island creatives and iconic people from past photos but all represent the true spirit of the island. This photo has already become legendary and I will continue to be willing to climb up the crane to recreate it. Times are changing but the Hotel Montesol is still in its place, Ibiza still retains its magic and I hope to be in good health for many more years to come.’
Top balcony left to right
Middle balcony left to right
Lower balcony left to right
LOCAL PRODUCER: Daniela Natale
STYLING COORDINATION: Ilaria Norsa
HAIR COORDINATION: Gianluigi Gargaro & Carlo Di Marzo @ THE AGENCY ALDO
COPPOLA MAKE-UP COORDINATION: Jury Schiavi @ BLEND MANAGEMENT & Corina Smith @ SMACK IBIZA
STYLING ASST: Gaia Fusarini
VIDEO: 'The making of the cover' @elevatorbeat
With special thanks to the Hotel Montesol Experimental.
