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rchitect and all-around creative Gabriela Puig Soleille launched Soleille Gallery last summer in Ibiza, bringing a new level of collectible contemporary design to the white island. Raised between Mexico and France, Soleille grew up among a family of artists. “My grandfather was a pioneer in stained glass,” she explains. “He transformed religious stained glass into contemporary art and architecture.” The studio, located in Chartres, France, home of the famous cathedral, welcomed architects from around the world including Japan, Brazil and the United States, who came to develop ideas for their projects back home. Today, the studio is run by her uncles, and craftspeople continue to come there to train. Soleille also goes regularly to work on various projects, a new one of which will be unveiled soon at the gallery. 

Soleille had a studio in Amsterdam for many years and travelled the world working on projects for luxury brands, particularly with LVMH, but three-years ago, she decided to move to Ibiza. In many ways, the move was a natural one. Her middle name, Puig, reflects her Catalan heritage – family members who moved to Mexico generations ago. “For me, it’s kind of like reconnecting with my family story,” she confides. It has also become a source of creative inspiration. “I discovered this fabulous island that has an incredible international network and I've been meeting people in this very easy way who I would have never crossed paths with anywhere else in my life. There are more and more people coming to live year round and so I've just felt extremely impressed about the community that surrounds us by living here,” she explains. 

Ibiza has a long history with art and design, having been a safe haven for many artists during WWII and the Grupo Ibiza 59, among others, but Soleille knew something was missing on the island, something that could complement initiatives such as Can Art Fair, and bring a new level of international art and design into the island.”For many years, I've been thinking about having a kind of multicultural space, and for over two years I was looking for a place but without putting any real definition on what would happen there. And then, I was extremely lucky to find this incredible old building with a garden with a pool, and which is very well located.”