Crazy for colors, a little flashy, and pleasantly offbeat—Vicente Hernández Zaragoza is a well-known figure to many Ibiza residents and visitors. He first came to the Mediterranean island in 1971 from the village of Guardamar, in the Spanish province of Alicante, and now he is known by many simply as “Mr. Ibiza.” His long-running boutique Vicente Ganesha, which sells vintage clothes as well as his own fashion line, has reached cult status. More than 30,000 fans follow him on Instagram.
Zaragoza’s popular Ibiza-themed shop is just a few steps away from his home on the famous Plaça des Parc, in the main town on the island, where tourists and locals alike sit at terraces sipping drinks or pass through on a stroll between the old town and the nearby harbor.
Zaragoza lives on the Plaça des Parc in a historic building dating from 1890 that has a view over the lively city. Two years ago, he had his 500-square-foot apartment redesigned by his friends Jaime Romano, an architect, and Roberta Jurado, an interior designer—together the couple run Romano Arquitectos on Ibiza and in Barcelona.
“Vicente has been a friend of ours for years. When he bought his apartment, he thought of us right away for the renovation,” says Romano. “Roberta and I have years of experience together. Vicente wanted a well-oiled team that would work together seamlessly, understand his personality, and meet his specific expectations.”
One enters Zaragoza’s aerie on the top floor of a five-story building, preserved structurally just as it was built in the late 19th century. The apartment has a clear floor plan and large, beautiful windows, as architect Romano points out. “The building is a protected landmark, with the nice detail that from either side you look out onto very iconic Ibizan landmarks: the great Vara de Rey promenade and the Plaça des Parc. Zaragoza’s apartment faces the latter to the southwest, with a magnificent view of the Renaissance city walls that were part of the old town’s fortifications.”
