Even if you have not yet visited Ibiza, there is a good chance you will have seen Hierbas de Ibiza perfumes and toiletries in boutiques and luxury stores somewhere in the world, or perhaps read about them in famous fashion and celebrity magazines. A true island legend, it was an honour for us to visit the family-run head-quarters recently in San Lorenzo.
Owner, Antonio Torres Sagrera, welcomed us with genuine warmth and openness, and within minutes, my friends and I were intrigued by the quirky surroundings as well as Antonio's recounting of the fascinating history of his dearly-loved company.
Antonio explained that the family's tradition in perfume-making dates back almost forty years when his father, Antonio, and his uncle, Pele Torres (of Adlib Fashion fame), created an aftershave and Eau de Toilette to complement their exclusive jewellery collection. A creative family of artists and sculptors, it surprised me to learn that this was the same family who originally opened the well-known Tres Torres Hotel in Santa Eulalia. It was only after selling the hotel twenty years ago that Antonio realised his true vocation was in perfumery. Along with his two siblings, he started to take the company to another level, resulting in Hierbas de Ibiza as we know it today.
With its privileged climate, Ibiza is blessed with an abundance of nature, providing a wide range of aromatic plants, fruits and herbs, which Hierbas de Ibiza combine expertly together to obtain their unique fragrance. The result is a timeless, fresh and inimitable scent that, once worn, will always be recognised and which captures the essence of Ibiza beautifully.
As we chatted, we were heartened to see that Antonio's motivation stems more from a deep love of Ibiza and a genuine desire to be a positive ambassador for the island, rather than simply making money. He spoke with respectful discretion of the celebrities who are fans of Hierbas de Ibiza and of the awe-inspiring way that his company is going from strength to strength. Even with its current world-wide success (Hierbas de Ibiza is now available in almost thirty countries), the underlying concept of the brand remains of utmost importance to him, and he has never lost track of the traditional values.
Sitting as we were, surrounded by displays of hundreds of perfume bottles (from a whole range of perfumeries and countries), antique weighing scales and jars, an old press, the original Hierbas de Ibiza cologne bottles, and with the family's own artwork adorning the walls, everything here radiated true passion and pride.
The company's logo itself perhaps best sums up the philosophy at the heart of Hierbas de Ibiza.
Ibiza se lleva dentro.
"Ibiza lives on in you".
Photo Credits: Cat Milton
