We meet Carmen Diaz two days after the end of the season in the still half-filled Café Mar y Sol. Here she tells us about her first Ibiza experience:
It was the summer of 1996. I was on vacation in Ibiza with my sister and a couple of friends. At that time I was already self-employed in Germany and had a lingerie shop in Ludwigsburg. And then I said to my sister: someday I'll go here and sell my own bikinis. I don't know why, but the thought was just there. After that, it took another five years to get that far. At first I worked a lot in Germany in order to earn enough to start my career in Ibiza. It all began in 2001. It was always clear to me that I wanted to work in the port district, because I found the atmosphere so nice. At that time there was only one free shop that I simply took. Actually, I've always wanted to be in the location I'm in now. I saw it back then and I wanted it. It was such a run-down tattoo parlor. A year later I heard it was going to be free. First I had to completely renovate it, in 2002 I moved into this location and since then I've had my shop at the address I wanted.
Carmen Diaz is convinced: Anyone who decides on a career and a life in Ibiza has to accelerate from the start.
The first season was very exciting. The bikinis had to be finished, I needed an apartment, everything had to be prepared. I'm just a person who doesn't rely on anything to happen. For me it is important to be perfectly prepared and to give everything. Finally, of course, you also need a bit of luck. At first I had big problems finding an apartment because I wanted to live normally and not like many here in a shared apartment. The apartments here are extremely expensive - Ibiza itself is expensive. The standard of living is higher than that in Germany. But then I found a beautiful apartment. It wasn't cheap, of course, but I felt very comfortable there. In order to pay for that all, however, I really had to work, that's clear.
Carmen Diaz made a conscious decision to work to the rhythm of the island's tides, i.e. to the rhythm of the seasonal business.
The street where I have my shop is called Nightstreet. Logically, you have to be open at night. That was clear to me from the start. Sometimes it's exhausting when we're open until 2am every day. But when September comes and the turbulent months are over, you can breathe a sigh of relief again. It's not easy to work through a full season like this, but I'm just a worker and I need it too. The whole thing only works if you are passionate about it.
Carmen is passionate about her customers on the one hand, and her creative work as a bikini designer on the other. She brings both under one roof in Ibiza and can devote herself to both worlds thanks to the seasonal business. From Easter to October the work in the shop - Over the winter months the self-determined work on her own bikini designs:
I love my clients. We now have many regular customers who come every year. It's a bit like a big family and I'm really happy about that. But I also love the creative work that I can do in peace and quiet when I want. At the end of the season it always starts with the selection of fabrics and the design. I always create 10 designs for one season. There are 24 different models for each design. It is hard to imagine that so many different models can come out of such small pieces of fabric. Then that's the other side, the creative side, and I love that as well as the contact with my customers.
Even if Carmen speaks of pure passion for her life's work, we allow ourselves the daring question whether she has ever considered escaping all the stress and returning to Germany.
No, for God's sake, never! What I made here is my baby. I'm not going back to Germany anymore. The stressful season runs from April to October and then another life begins again. You also grow into seasonal work. If you decide to do something like that, you know what to expect and then it's not that bad. It's also fun and enjoyable - it's just my job. And to be honest: now and then I take a day off. I now indulge myself in this luxury after such a long time.
When Carmen Diaz treats herself to a free Sunday every now and then, she likes to spend it on Ibiza's little sister island, Formentera, which she loves so much. When we asked if she had any other holiday destinations, she had to think twice:
Sometimes in Austria or in Switzerland in winter, but that's about it. And I also have to say, I love winter in Ibiza. It's super nice. In January and February it sometimes gets a bit uncomfortable because it is so windy and wet and cold, but I also like Ibiza in these months. I feel really good here and I appreciate it. Every day when I get up and see the sea, I think: Manno man, it's beautiful here.
With these beautiful words, we would like to close this interview. Thank you very much for the openness and for the nice conversation about being down-to-earth, passion and gratitude.
Carmen Diaz is convinced: Anyone who decides on a career and a life in Ibiza has to accelerate from the start.
The first season was very exciting. The bikinis had to be finished, I needed an apartment, everything had to be prepared. I'm just a person who doesn't rely on anything to happen. For me it is important to be perfectly prepared and to give everything. Finally, of course, you also need a bit of luck. At first I had big problems finding an apartment because I wanted to live normally and not like many here in a shared apartment. The apartments here are extremely expensive - Ibiza itself is expensive. The standard of living is higher than that in Germany. But then I found a beautiful apartment. It wasn't cheap, of course, but I felt very comfortable there. In order to pay for that all, however, I really had to work, that's clear.
Carmen Diaz made a conscious decision to work to the rhythm of the island's tides, i.e. to the rhythm of the seasonal business.
The street where I have my shop is called Nightstreet. Logically, you have to be open at night. That was clear to me from the start. Sometimes it's exhausting when we're open until 2am every day. But when September comes and the turbulent months are over, you can breathe a sigh of relief again. It's not easy to work through a full season like this, but I'm just a worker and I need it too. The whole thing only works if you are passionate about it.
Carmen is passionate about her customers on the one hand, and her creative work as a bikini designer on the other. She brings both under one roof in Ibiza and can devote herself to both worlds thanks to the seasonal business. From Easter to October the work in the shop - Over the winter months the self-determined work on her own bikini designs:
I love my clients. We now have many regular customers who come every year. It's a bit like a big family and I'm really happy about that. But I also love the creative work that I can do in peace and quiet when I want. At the end of the season it always starts with the selection of fabrics and the design. I always create 10 designs for one season. There are 24 different models for each design. It is hard to imagine that so many different models can come out of such small pieces of fabric. Then that's the other side, the creative side, and I love that as well as the contact with my customers.
Even if Carmen speaks of pure passion for her life's work, we allow ourselves the daring question whether she has ever considered escaping all the stress and returning to Germany.
No, for God's sake, never! What I made here is my baby. I'm not going back to Germany anymore. The stressful season runs from April to October and then another life begins again. You also grow into seasonal work. If you decide to do something like that, you know what to expect and then it's not that bad. It's also fun and enjoyable - it's just my job. And to be honest: now and then I take a day off. I now indulge myself in this luxury after such a long time.
When Carmen Diaz treats herself to a free Sunday every now and then, she likes to spend it on Ibiza's little sister island, Formentera, which she loves so much. When we asked if she had any other holiday destinations, she had to think twice:
Sometimes in Austria or in Switzerland in winter, but that's about it. And I also have to say, I love winter in Ibiza. It's super nice. In January and February it sometimes gets a bit uncomfortable because it is so windy and wet and cold, but I also like Ibiza in these months. I feel really good here and I appreciate it. Every day when I get up and see the sea, I think: Manno man, it's beautiful here.