31/07/08: Miss W does the sales…

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Actually, maybe I should keep this one to myself. Or maybe not. But then again, that would be completely selfish of me wouldn’t it?

Oh OK, here goes. While Ibiza may be famous for parties, beautiful restaurants and beaches there’s a special event that in-the-know islanders look forward to as the season reaches its peak each year – and no, it’s not the arrival of thousands of Italian tourists in August (Italians are always so beautifully well-groomed and styled, don’t you think?), it’s the beginning of the retail sales season.

There. I’ve said it. From the last week in July, retailers – from high fashion to high street - in Ibiza get out their big black marker pens and start dramatically reducing the prices of their summer stock in order to make way for the winter collections. Thankfully for us, this means huge discounts on summer fashion, right in the middle of summer and all the more reason to flex the plastic fantastic!

So today, Miss W got out her trusty diary and made a hit list of stores – Revolver, for that See by Chloe silk blouse I’ve had my eye on; Arias, for those Barbie pink aviator sunglasses that have been calling my name from the window display for weeks; Mayurka for, well, anything I can get my hands on really and then I plan to spend the rest of the strolling through the old town (and then venturing into the new) looking for those wardrobe updates I so desperately need. I mean, a girl can’t possibly be seen wearing the same frock twice in one season these days, you know?

Oh, and the reason I want to guard this secret so fiercely? Well, apart from the fact that nabbing the best pieces and the most bargains myself is of the highest priority, I love the fact that the Ibiza sales are a totally civilised shopping experience – there are no elbows digging into you as you reach for that leopard print bikini and no queues as you head towards the cash register and I fear that once my secret is out, those days will be long gone and we’ll see sales hysteria like the UK or the states reach our fair shores. So promise me you’ll keep this just between you and me?

THE LOWDOWN
THE GOOD: Up to 70 per cent discount on summer collections in the middle of the season is sensational. Anywhere else in the world you’d be looking at winter already but no so in sunny Ibiza…
THE BAD: When the one item of clothing you’ve been lusting after for weeks is on sale at a dramatically low price but isn’t available in your size – talk about depressing!
THE GOSSIP: Retail activity is currently down on the island and Miss W seemed to feel as though the sales weren’t quite as good value as previous years – perhaps the penny pinching means store owners can’t offer as big a discount in order to make up for lack of profits this year?