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Made in India, sold in Ibiza: Viral video shows gift shop packed with desi designs
Social media users have been surprised to discover that gift shops in Ibiza are filled with desi designs and Indian handicrafts
Thousands of social media users have been surprised to discover that gift shops in Ibiza are filled with desi designs, Indian handicrafts and a distinctly South Asian aesthetic. This revelation gained viral popularity after Indian-American influencer Seerat Saini took her followers inside a gift shop on the Spanish island.
Inside a gift shop in Ibiza
Saini’s video shows how the Ibiza gift shop was stocked with flowy kaftans, foil-printed blouses, beaded bags and elephant-themed home decor that would not look out of place in any Indian bazaar. Some of the products even carried a “Made in India” label.
“Every Ibiza gift shop looks like an Indian bazaar…” wrote the Punjabi-American influencer while sharing the clip on Instagram.
The video, shared one day ago on Instagram, has already garnered over 2.6 lakh views and dozens of stunned comments. Many people said they were surprised to learn that the clip had not been filmed at an Indian market like Janpath in Delhi or Colaba Causeway in Mumbai.
“I’m gagged that this is NOT India??” read one comment. “Omg this was all over Spain when we went! I was like I swear this is all made and India and it actually was,” another person said.
“People there will buy it for 100+$ but will look down upon us for wearing the same. Ugh,” a user added.
Why so much desi influence in Ibiza?
One commenter sought to explain the desi influence on the Mediterranean island – attributing it to Ibiza’s hippie culture.
“Yes and it’s been since the 60’s. Ibiza prides itself on its hippie movement and the style influence that came along with it which is why Indian fashion is so popular. Many hippies were traveling through India and South Asia bringing back culture and sharing it on the island,” explained Instagram user Zareen Helaly.
“Many of the stores and boutiques order and bring in clothes directly from India for this reason. It’s one of the few places where they actually show respect and regard for Indian fashion and craftsmanship. Maybe not at every store but for the most part. There’s a lot of places where I feel south Asian culture is exploited but not in Ibiza. Only by people who have no respect or regard for where the style comes from,” Helaly said.
Hippie culture in Ibiza
In the 1960s, Ibiza became a hub for hippies and counterculture travelers. Many of them traveled through India and Nepal on the “hippie trail” and brought back colorful clothes, sandals, embroidered bags, and jewellery. That aesthetic stuck, and over time “Ibiza style” absorbed a lot of Indian design.
This is why it is not uncommon to find Indian textiles, block-printed cottons, mirror work, leather sandals and beaded jewellery on the Spanish island.
