What you all want to know... those special small brands I found on holiday
I've been to my favourite place 7 (or is it 8?) times now but there's always something(s) new I fall in love with (*something = dress, bag, ceramics, basket, crochet, tablecloth, vintage)
Hola!
I’ve been back from Formentera (our favourite place in the world if I haven’t already mentioned it) for about a month now. HOW! Which makes me just a little bit sad. Okay, a lot sad… off I go to check for any cheap late September flights (sadly, cheap Ibiza flights never seem to exist do they).
So! To cheer myself up, and bring you a really joyous lovely article full of unique discoveries, thus adding some cheer to your day too (if you’re anything like me), I thought it’s high time I get round to telling you about all the secret small brands I swooned over this time (and yes some I might have shopped).
This is the kind of stuff I get really really excited about - just writing this I’ve got that fizzy tummy feeling - I LOVE discovering small special finds, especially ones we don’t see over here in the UK.
Now, this sounds a little soulless I know, but seeing something beautiful, that’s a new find to me, that I fall in love with, puts me in the BEST mood for the day… especially if I buy it 😂
Which does make me mull over what I should really B doing with my life…
*I seriously am beginning to consider my idea for a sort of small independent department store, I know Selfridges make gazillions, but isn’t it all just a bit boring?
I would LOVE a place where all my finds from trips across the world, plus all the secrets I show you in this newsletter, and all the small UK brands / artists / makers I know and love, were all in one glorious place! INVESTORS please get in touch HA! This is my issue… this idea needs cash to have legs.
Anyway! I’ve got for you small makers, little stores with their own ranges, vintage reworks, embroidery, crochet, ceramics, beach bags, one of a kind unique pieces, Spanish brands, Italian brands, market finds. WONDERFUL!
LET US BEGIN!
I know some of you have asked for some more Formentera details on where to go, stay, recommendations etc. but this one I'll keep to my favourite little stores and show you all my amazing finds!
*But I do have a selection of messages I’ve copied and pasted over the years to various friends / in response to DM’s from insta followers. Which I can simply copy and paste into a post on here - it won’t B very pretty but it’s a much quicker way to give you what you want! So I will do that asap too.
STORES
Ohhhh (big sigh), wandering round the little town in Formentera is a delight.
Most shops and restaurants are pretty small (some restaurants bigger but very cute still). Most the stores have gardens / outside areas too which they expand their wares into, which just feels even lovelier.
The dream = tiny store with shopping garden, Mabel in a basket, Marco from the bar across the road brings me over a spritz).
I love that stores are open in a morning, and on a night here (the Spanish siesta way) until about 9/10pm usually. I’m more of a night owl… and a drink helps relax my husband into not commenting on my spending habits.
Two of my favourite stores are Balafia and Amancita. These, and all the stores I mention, are in the main (small) town, Sant Francesc Xavier (I’ll move on to brands and markets further below).
There are of course some other stores, where I also always find some divine bits, that I’ll list below too, but these two are usually my standouts. And where I bought two amazing pieces from this year - a basket bag like no other and a blue / white striped billowing beach dress (not exclusively for the beach, I’ll B wearing in any heat!).
Balafia - I think every year I might buy a small something in here - essentially as I love everything but cannot buy it all in one go! They have such nice homewares in here too, and just the general interior of the store I enjoy (simple white wash walls, concrete floor, a sunken down level).
The throws and the striped recycled plastic tote bags are always my standouts, and the no name Italian dress brand. Oh, and the concrete base lamps! And the string furniture (can’t get a chair home damn it, I need a ship!).
This year I 110% fell instantly for a basket bag they only had one of in store - by an Italian brand that make each as a one of a kind piece - Exquisite J (made in Milan). A new brand to me and I love how beautifully made this is / I’ve never seen one like this!
And I also brought these home with me, dipped ceramic drinking cups, again I hadn’t seen these anywhere else before! The brand I’ve since discovered (thanks to the box packaging) is Casa Cubista (the odd UK stockist does exist).
The shop dog convinced me into buying them!
Amancita - Small, but perfectly formed, like a little treasure trove. I love this store! Almost everything in here is made by them under their own brand name, Amancita.
This is the only store that seems to produce their own brand - dresses, two piece sets, plates, bowls, embroidered serviettes, woven lamps - yes I could take it all!
The Spanish owner may not speak any English (and I limited Spanish, I can ask ‘cuento cuesta’ = how much is it. A key phrase!) but again, she does have a shop dog, who obviously persuaded me to buy the blue dress!
Similar to the above store they also sell these striped recycled plastic beach bags. I thought you’d get them everywhere at holiday destinations but apparently not… every year I wish I’d bought one!
*Even more so now I’ve just seen (ahem, holiday style icon) visited here last week and bought one!
And some of my other favourite local little independents below. Stores on the island are usually only open summer season, around May - October, only half the year to make their living! Most are single-handedly ran by the owner as the sole member of staff.
*I’ve linked those that have Instagram profiles, but in all honesty most are, erm rubbish (for want of a better word) and rarely updated. They don’t do these places any justice / I would never rave about them based on the look of their socials!
— La Boheme - we refer to this as ‘my friends store’ as the woman who owns it is so lovely / we chat a lot in broken languages… but with a lot of laughs! Great mix of small Spanish brands. A bit more of a current mix, with some brands, such as Thinking Mu, that you can wear for life outside of the holiday world too.
— The store next door to this - I can’t remember the name and it doesn’t come up on Google maps, but next door to the above (a nice little wine bar a few doors down too). I almost bypassed this store until they changed the window display to a rainbow tiered dress and a gingham set (brands coming below for you)… then it caught my eye!
— Cabana Formentera - Opposite the hotel we always stay in (the only hotel in this town, Es Mares). I could spend a while in here, just a lovely colourful mix and some interesting brands I discovered (and more bags I had to resist!). They also happened to stock this year one of my favourite handmade Italian brands, those embroidered shirts I mentioned in here:
— Near Amancita, again I don’t know the name but on this little stretch - Looks a little bit beachy / maybe not the most premium from the outside, but dig in and they have some amazing Greek brands I loved (think bright hued embroidery, again brands coming up below!). Very much holiday wear but hey, we are on holiday here!
— Casa Joana - Next door to Balafia, you might miss it, very discreet signage, looks like a little house (since it was one). Very cute inside, different little rooms, expensive Italian brands but some beauties! And a large back garden full of reclaimed furniture / lamps and handmade ceramics (I’d still like the giant blue swirl bowl I couldn’t bring back!).
— Manebi - You might know this brand? They are a bigger brand with stores across Italy, and accessories now stocked in Selfridges. The store only opened in Formentera end of last summer (it was in the works when we were there last year, I was desperate for it to open!). Collections have a bit of a Faithfull feel; think brown, khaki hues, linens and light knit textures, espadrilles, raffia bags (the bags I really liked). Not necessarily something different but very nice quality, all made in Italy.
— Full Moon - Ahh I love the aesthetic of this place, a tiny whitewash building with light blue frames and a huge magenta Bougainvillea tree wrapped round it’s covered terrace which houses many more wares. Lots of prints and colour in here, and a bit of everything - dresses, PJ’s, swimwear, bags, jewellery. Do have a root around as there can be some gems!
BRANDS
I’ve given you some of my small brand discoveries above there, but of course I have more! I hope you like this 😊 I’m enjoying sharing my secrets… I just wish I had more readers!
To, sort of, equate to the days of work that goes into each article - honestly, just this one has taken me over 3 full days to write (with some late nights too). With two newsletters a week this really does take up my full week… and I’m trying to make this my income so I can keep this mini magazine going for you! ❤️
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