Balandra House x Claudia del Olmo

First of all, we would like you to introduce yourself and tell us who Claudia is in a more personal way.

 

 

Oops, this is so hard! I would not know where to start. There are so many things that make me up that we would spend a long time on this question. Both for the most basic and for Casa B. I was born and raised in Mallorca, but I went to an English school, so from the first moment I was between two cultures. Also, my mother is American! My parents have always pushed us to see, know and understand the world and other cultures, which is why we have been lucky enough to travel a lot. After finishing school, I went to study Design in London and my sister and I moved into a flat together, and that's when the concept of Balandra really started to flow.

Tell us about your career, what makes you come back to Mallorca?

 

Actually, going back to Mallorca was because we had a house here, and for me Casa Balandra was the perfect place to start. I remember, for years, dreaming how we would redo the house, how we would redecorate it. I spent a lot of time daydreaming about it. In the end, I made up my mind. We put a date on it and until then my goal was to accumulate as much experience as possible. In that year, before starting Casa Balandra, I moved to Paris, then back to London and, from there, to Italy. Since I have been back, apart from having lived through a global pandemic, I have come to know Mallorca in a very different way and have had the opportunity to meet creative people from many parts of the world. It is clear that there is no comparison between London and Mallorca. For me both are super special places that have shaped me a lot.

How was the project born, link to childhood and family history?

 

The project actually (believe it or not) was born with the idea of ​​Balandra as a culture and like the culture that is at home balandra today, but through shoes. We started designing menorquinas and espadrilles and it got to a point where we realized that it wasn't really what we wanted. But Balandra's soul continued to be the idea of ​​bringing people together, enjoying every moment (small or big) to the fullest, and letting ourselves be carried away by every situation... In the end we realized that the perfect space was the house where we grew up, and that's where we learned this lifestyle, through our mother. She always created magic, even if it was just for Valentine's breakfast! And we thought it would be a nice way to tell our story.

 

 

Why Casa Balandra?

 

When we were looking for a name, we wanted something that could be said in any language and still sound good. We thought about a thousand names, but this one (courtesy of a friend) sounded very good and fit very well with our philosophy. Balandra is a small boat that, for us, represents not only the island but also the idea of ​​multiculturalism, the concept that, when traveling, you adopt different customs and cultures.

 

What is the projection of Casa Balandra, ideas, approaches to the future?

 

Right now we are working a lot on the products part, to make a shoppable guesthouse . From here, perhaps, one day in the future, have another space that represents Casa Balandra through one of the branches of food, art and hospitality.

 

Why do you think it is important that what we choose lasts over time?

 

I think that once you are aware of the mass consumption that surrounds us, you no longer do things in the same way. For me, fashion is where this consumerism is most appreciated. I prefer to buy something once a year, that is of good quality, that comes from a sustainable company because, even if it costs me more, I know that I will take better care of it and I will have it forever. With jewelry, for example, I realized a few years ago that I am one of those people who lives in their jewelry and does not take it off even to shower, sleep, swim, exercise, etc. I preferred to invest more and that they last a lifetime and, thus, be able to give them to other important people who also have them for a lifetime.