The Ibiza Fashion Festival, the island’s only 100 per cent sustainable fashion event, celebrated slow style on the White Isle last week with a standout showcase from luxury beach label NAIA Beach. Founded by British TV personality Tess Daly and Gayle Lawson, the brand’s stunning collection which captures the allure of tropical isles in recycled fabrics, wowed the audience and highlighted the festival’s commitment to responsible fashion.
Raising awareness and funds for environmental charity One Pure Sea, and featuring eco-luxe beachwear, fashion, footwear, jewellery and accessories, the event was also a showcase of conscious brands from around the world.
Among the diverse range of international fashion labels, Dunesi, a UAE-based denim label, showcased their unique approach to sustainable fashion with a new Azul Con Blanco collection. Launched on the runway, it consists of 12 looks for women and a pair of custom-made jeans for men, the brand’s first foray into male style.
Founded by Hanne Ripsaluoma, Dunesi’s designs focus on giving discarded pre-loved jeans a second life by transforming them into fashionable denim jackets, skirts and other stylish pieces.
‘It was an amazing opportunity to be able to introduce our UAE-based brand to an international audience at Ibiza Fashion Festival,’ Hanne tells The Ethicalist. ‘The show was not only a great opportunity for Dunesi but also supports our brand values, as well as supporting sustainable fashion.’
Supporting Eco Initiatives
Held under the warm Ibiza sun, the runway show, which has been recognised as a four-star plastic-free event, was attended by over 200 guests at  Ibiza’s newest destination, 528 Ibiza.
The festival has supported environmental movements and projects on the island for over a decade, aiming to preserve Ibiza’s eco-system and raise awareness about the importance of eliminating single-use plastics in the fashion industry. This year funds were raised for One Pure Sea, a charity founded by ethical fashion industry guru Lisa Good, and dedicated to the environmental preservation of the island.
The show marked the NAIA Beach’s European catwalk debut with their current SS24 collection and a preview of their AW24 Cruise collection which launches later this year.
‘Naia Beach was honoured to headline the 2024 Ibiza Fashion Festival and to help raise awareness of One Pure Sea’s important environmental work,’ says co-founder Gayle Lawson. ‘Sustainable fashion is something we are truly passionate about and we continually strive to have a positive impact on the environment, communities and the people we interact with.’
Closing the fashion showcase was HartiSWIM from the British Isles created by mother-daughter duo Tessa Hartman CBE and Talia Storm. Their vibrant capsule collection includes sustainable swimsuits made up of 13 recycled plastic bottles from the ocean.
‘As a new, eco luxe swimwear brand working in the sustainable space, it was wonderful to be part of an event whose ethos follows our own,’ notes Tessa Hartman. ‘HartiSWIM is an ocean focused story. We use our original art, painted by my husband, which is printed onto our swimwear to tell powerful stories . It’s incredible to think that in Ibiza they have 30 times more microplastic than the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. We all have to do our bit to help save our oceans.’
Ibiza Fashion Festival Roots
Organised by fashion industry veteran Karen Windle, the event has been a pinnacle for sustainable fashion since 2015, when during London Fashion Week Karen saw an opportunity to create a platform for slow fashion brands in a sun-soaked location.
‘Ibiza Fashion Festival’s primary aim is to highlight Ibiza’s commitment to sustainable fashion on a global platform and to support the preservation of our beloved island,’ explains Karen. ‘Given Ibiza’s high profile, we’re in a unique position that we can influence trends and lead by example for other destinations. Fast fashion is contributing massively to carbon emissions and ocean pollution which is why we’re dedicated to raising awareness of responsible fashion consumption.’
Her vision inspired the creation of the Ibiza Fashion Festival, which started as a way to raise awareness about local environmental issues and support sustainable fashion labels. Over the years, the festival has become a mainstay on the island, showcasing the work of global fashion designers specialising in sustainability, including brands like Arenas Swimwear, Rituals, and Cavalcante.
The Ibiza Fashion Festival’s 4th July showcase event was followed by a Beach Clean event at 3pm on 5th July at Cala Tarida Beach sponsored by Cotton Ibiza in collaboration with One Pure Sea.
