My Island: Sylvie Gianella

My personal style signifiers are having my bare feet connected to the earth, a vintage dress from San Jordi, my bespoke fedora by local designer Calvo Hats and the Sol necklace from my collection. My jewellery reflects my own longing for a reconnection to something more natural, to bring out the beauty of the earth and reality and place it onto the body for celebration and adornment. 

The last thing I bought and loved was a super retro camcorder from a second-hand shop. I am determined to document my life, home movie style. I will also be using this to accompany my photoshoots and document my jewellery-making process. I’m fascinated with the mystical, the trippy and the organic side of life - not everything needs be symmetrical to be pleasing and beauty is to be found everywhere.

 

The thing I’m eyeing next is an underwater camera case and a ticket to Waking Life summer solstice festival in Portugal. I’ve always been thirsty for adventure and freedom. When I was younger I left behind a fast-living London-based fashion career and teamed up with a travelling band of wise women on a global treasure hunting mission - searching out trinkets and hustling jewellery to fund our travels. It's still very much the way I live now.

 

My work has taught me that there is beauty absolutely everywhere if you open up your eyes to it. Jewellery is intertwined with principles of the natural world - organically growing, naturally evolving and always involving a touch of magic. And to never stop being a student - in India I dived into the world of silversmithing with the support of the female teacher Divya, an infamous powerhouse who has nurtured the talent of many aspiring jewellery makers. The style I learnt through Divya was raw, authentic and unpretentious, just how I like to live and create. I eventually bought a silversmith kit and continued to travel, setting up a pirate studio everywhere I went - from beachside to off-grid, even on the road in my van. Some of my happiest times were selling at festivals, beaches and street markets around Europe and India. 

 

My work icons are photographers such as Wolfgang Tillmans, Terry Richardson, and David LaChapelle. Recently, I’ve been captivated by the work of Kate Bellm, who resides on the neighbouring island of Mallorca. In recent years, she opened Hotel Corazón, where the decor, food, garden, and views have become a continual source of inspiration for me.

 

The carry-on essentials I’m never without are a laptop to edit my photography, a sketchbook for new jewellery designs and podcasts downloaded on my phone.

 

In Ibiza, we need to be extra aware that it’s most likely you will miss your flight home on purpose.

 

My favourite Ibiza beach this year is Pou d'es Lléo. A normal day in summer involves eating watermelon on the little wooden pier while my son beats me at chess, then heading to the chiringuito for an assortment of tapas and mojitos, where you’re guaranteed to bump into locals and old-school Ibicencans, who will greet you with a warm smile and a hearty conversation, whether you can understand them or not. I’ve also had a deep love affair with Cala Mastella over the past few years with its crystal-clear waters and Posidonia that dances with the waves. I usually hang on top of the fisherman huts while my son plays on the rope swing, heading to El Bigotes for a fresh fish lunch. Cala Nova also plays a huge part in our lives, as we regularly take sunrise swims and aim to catch as many of the magnificent moonrises as possible.

 

To stay fit I commit to daily morning swims in the ocean and hikes through the countryside, which is awash with flowers and butterflies, even at the end of November.

 

My secret spot is secret! I won’t be able to share the location—you’ll have to come and find me for a hand-drawn treasure map—but it’s a magical cave in the North. We’ve spent so much time there over the years with friends, and my son often camps out under the stars, cooking food on the fire, swimming in the clear blue ocean just metres in front of it, and often using it as the backdrop to a lot of my photography.

 

My go-to party pal is someone who is not worried about where they are going to end up and hopefully, by the end, can’t remember where they started. 

 

My season has been centred around gatherings at friends' villas, curated by people who have a deep love for the party.

The track that always gets me dancing is (Got My) Dancing Shoes by Horse Meat Disco. But this week, our wake-up song has been Star Fish and Coffee by Prince, and it’s been putting me in a great mood.

 

Something you’d never guess about me is I can play Titanic on the piano with my eyes closed.

 

A luxury I couldn’t live without is my beautiful home.

 

My top Ibiza souvenir is heart-shaped rocks I find on the floor. Also salt collected from dried-up rock pools with wild rosemary bunches tied with ribbons.

 

I’d take a dinner date to Can Suldat, without a doubt. I fell in love the last time I went on a date there, and it never fails to surprise me. An old finca with the owner’s bedroom taking centre stage, live music, roaring fires in the winter, homemade limoncello served from an ice skull, and the most ramshackle collection of memorabilia throughout the space—the décor is something out of my dreams. You are always guaranteed to have a wild time.

 

If I could encourage people in Ibiza to do one thing, it would be to start your day with a morning swim at Aguas Blancas beach, followed by a coffee at Anita’s Bar in San Carlos, my local village. Take a dip at Cala Mastella and then enjoy lunch at the Chiringuito. End the day at Punta Galera, sipping wildflower teas with Alex, who lives in the cave, before a moonlit swim and a night under the stars.

 

A recent island find is that it’s not too cold to sleep in a cave in November. 

 

My Ibiza life began when I came for a holiday in 2006, missed my flight home, discovered techno, and decided I would live here the following summer.

 

Something I would never part with is my camera—I am surrounded by too much beauty.

 

My fave apps/tech/wearables are ChatGPT at the moment, which is hard to admit, as I am slightly terrified of AI. I love my photo and video editing apps as I am always colour grading images. Notion for organisation across the board.

 

A great book I read recently was a book written by my father called Chancers. I am halfway through it. My partner has just bought me The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. One Day and Normal People are books that have touched me deeply and I have revisited many times. The Book of Symbols is a deeply inspirational collection that has had a huge influence on my jewellery collections. How Not to Start an Orphanage was a brilliant tool that guided me through a non-profitable organisation I set up in India.

 Ibiza in three words is too many things.