Balearic bliss with Maison Margaux’s Louisa Preskett Mobbs.
The British entrepreneur and mother of three seeks out the islands' creative charms.
Louisa Preskett Mobbs is the multitasking co-founder of homewares brand Maison Margaux and production agency Polar Black Events. She’s been spending summers in the Balearics since childhood and when she’s not creating events and tablescapes for the likes of Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Dom Perignon, Louisa escapes to the laidback shores of Formentera with her husband, Jeremy, and their three children.
What are your earliest memories of the Balearics?
I was around nine years old. My parents would take us to the Balearics each summer and we would explore the island quite innocently on mopeds. We would stay in all sorts of places – sometimes there’d be beautiful hotels and sometimes we’d camp by the sea. I think that’s where my love of both luxury and simplicity comes from. While the rest of my class were on Mark Warner holidays, my own parents craved family adventure and freedom.
How has your relationship with the islands changed?
In my twenties Ibiza was very much a party place. I’d come with friends and we’d hire a house and there’d be a lot of late nights. I discovered a different side to Ibiza in my mid-thirties. One that was still fun and vibrant but also very peaceful, with delicious food, sea swims, yoga and hiking. Ibiza became a place of calm. When we discovered Formentera a few years ago, that became our go-to for a laidback family break. We love seeing the islands through our children’s little eyes.
Where do you stay and go in Ibiza?
I tend to stay with friends on the island, either those that live there or have summer houses. Otherwise, I love the Six Senses for a weekend retreat. The store at the hotel is curated by two fashion insiders – Daniela Agnelli and Tiffanie Darke – and is full of sustainable fashion brands. I especially love the Cinderella Room, which is full of beautiful evening wear you can rent for the night. Maison Margaux offers a ‘rent the runway’ luxury service of tableware for weddings and events, so I’m a huge fan of the rental market and sharing economy. It’s the future of lifestyle and fashion brands. I also love Atzarò for a countryside week and Es Cucons for a mini break with my husband - both have beautiful rooms and are incredibly peaceful. I love Santa Gertrudis and often eat with my family at il Buco and I’ve always loved ambling up to Dalt Vila for a lazy lunch at La Oliva.
What’s the first thing you do when you arrive?
When I land on the island take my shoes off and stand in the grass or sand. London city living means a daily grind on the pavement, so the simple luxury of being barefoot is everything to me.
How does a Formentera trip look for you?
I always go with my husband and children. We will rent a villa for two or three weeks and really hunker down and relax. We love to rent e-bikes and explore the island that way. Cycling to the lighthouse to watch the sunrise and sunset is a favourite. Last year we rented a gorgeous villa owned by Marni founder Consuelo Castiglioni. Everywhere we looked there were touches of Marni, from the cushions by the pool to the hand painted plates and water jugs. It was so beautifully styled with boundless hideaway nooks for reading and lots of space for the children to explore. My favourite place for lunch in Formentera is 10.7: it’s simple and pared-back with delicious cocktails, fresh sushi and fish. We’ll stay and watch the sunset and then swim off the rocks. Juan y Andrea is still a great vibe and brings back nostalgic memories of long, lazy lunches with old friends in my twenties and thirties. For dinner we love the bohemian vibe and magical twinkly garden at A Mi Manera and always Can Carlos for yummy food.
What does your Ibiza wardrobe look like?
In Ibiza I love to dress up at night. I’ll wear Zimmerman for linens or Temperley for some bohemian glam. I’m always barefoot in Formentera and much more relaxed. I love wearing Casa Raki linens, Marni sandals and big straw hats from the market to protect my face. At night, I’ll dress up with big earrings and a chunky bracelet or beautiful clutch bag. And a cashmere sweater from Zoë Jordan if it’s chilly.
How does Ibiza influence your work?
There is so much creativity in Ibiza – it’s pure sensory overload and a feast for the eyes, from wandering in the markets to meeting artisans. One of our first tablescapes was in called The Ibiza Table and was inspired by ikat prints and rustic bamboo cutlery.
How would you create the dream Ibiza table?
I never like to be too matchy matchy. It’s the key to creating a table that feels imaginative, eclectic and stylish. Mix old pieces with new, add little objects at each place setting to make it personal. I always start with a linen base. For an Ibiza table I would go bold. Our Darcy blue table linen or our yellow zebra linen look fabulous on al fresco tables. This summer we collaborated with Christopher Farr and his prints are beautifully bold and iconic, which makes me think of Ibiza. When you lay your plates, work with the ‘rule of three’ to make it look styled, which means a placemat, main plate and top plate. It creates a layered look that gives that ‘magazine curated’ table setting. Make the top plate something bold or hand painted as that’s what people see when they first sit down, our Giselle plates in green or blue are gorgeous. Also, I like to use different plates and lots of colour to mix it up. A coloured water glass always adds a pop to any table and bamboo cutlery for summer is still a huge trend. Finally, I love our napkin rings for summer. We have everything from raffia lobsters to watermelons and cacti. Make each setting different for a talking point. I always add lemons or figs along the centre for a further nod to the summer.
And for a lazy lunch in Formentera?
Formentera is more paired back and deeply chic, so I use fewer bold prints and go for more laidback luxury with some bright accents. I love our stripe table linen collection for a Formentera table - it reminds me a little bit of Hotel Il Pelicano, and Formentera feels wholly European to me, not just Spanish. The striped cloths come in pale blue, yellow and a very pale pink. I’d pair with our very pale pink nosse rustic setting which looks almost white in the sun, using a charger, main and starter plate all stacked. White linen napkins with a scallop trim will add a seaside touch. I’d use wildflowers from the garden and place in hand-painted jugs along the centre of the table and intersperse with shells from the beach. Raffia napkin holders and a simple linen napkin give a relaxed look, along with hand-painted serving platters and hand painted jugs.
