Upon anchoring in Deià, the wild mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana loomed before me—massive and majestic, with verdant olive groves and pines sprawling across its peaks. Absolutely humbled, I took a deep breath.
I had just begun sketching and conceptualizing designs for my first collection, and was drawn to the creative aura of this vibrant village, perched in the cliffs of the northwestern coast of Majorca, Spain. It’s rumored that due to the landscape’s unique minerality containing iron ores, there’s a natural attraction that occurs between the sea and the mountains that surround the village—creating electromagnetic, polarizing forces that sharpen people’s sensitivities. And as far back as 1929, Deià has been an alluring enclave for artists, musicians and poets drawn to and inspired by its elemental beauty. The village’s most famous poet and novelist, Robert Graves, once wrote, “The Majorcan countryside is not at all a place to go in search of inspiration; but admirable for people whose minds already teem with ideas that need recording in absolute quiet.”
Sitting on the stern of a sailboat, I watched the sun break through the clouds, admiring the ease with which the light danced across the sea. I dipped my toes in the luminous teal waters, and in that moment (whether there’s magnetism at work or not), I felt free. Free to let myself be, and free to explore all of my hopes for the future as I embark on this adventure.
