Derek Ridgers’ new zine is a time capsule of Ibiza’s wild hedonism

If you’ve ever walked down the San Antonio strip, it’s hard to believe that Ibiza was once an if-you-know-you-know hippy utopia. Every year, upwards of three million tourists – close to a third of them British – land on the White Isle in search of the wild hedonism it’s long been renowned for, spilling the guts of their wallets on tickets to see the world’s biggest DJs at superclubs like Hi, Pacha, and DC10. “The first time I ever went to Ibiza was for a cheap holiday,” says Derek Ridgers. “Back then, it was kind of undiscovered by English people, no one really went. In fact, I worked on a project with the Spanish tourist board in the early 70s and we advertised it exactly like that.”

Across the course of the last 50 years, Ridgers’ photography career has taken him across the globe, from the goth clubs of London’s Soho to the celebrity-strewn beachside strip during the Cannes Film Festival. It also took him to Ibiza back in 1984, where he paid his way into legendary club Ku (recently reopened at UNVRSE) and captured the partygoers he found there. “There’s one of a woman in a white dress with her hand up, which I love – she looks so elegant,” the photographer says of the collection. “When I’m out taking pictures I’m always looking for people who aren’t shy, and there were a lot of people in Ku who definitely weren’t.” 

Now, those photos are re-released in an exclusive new zine, as part of a collaboration between hotel group EDITION and El Silencio, with EDITION taking over the entire pool area of the luxe beach club for two weeks this August 15 – 31. Across the period, guests will be able to enjoy a series of experiences ranging from DJ sets to breathwork and yoga sessions, kicking it off with a big party last week (15 August) that Ridgers returned to the island to capture. Among those celebrating the pop-up’s debut were Romy Madley Croft of The xx, designers Priya Ahluwalia and Achilles Ion Gabriel, and Lennon Gallagher. 

With Ridgers first picking up a camera in the early 70s, capturing people lost in euphoria on the dancefloor or cuddled up in darkened corners has changed as the smartphone has come to dominate our lives. “But even back in the early days of my career, the people in my photographs often only accounted for 10 per cent of the people out – not everyone was wearing something so interesting, or so un-self-conscious,” he says. “But it has gotten harder for sure. That’s why I love LGBTQ+ club nights and events, because they are often so uninhibited. I was gutted to miss Pride this month. I got the dates wrong!”

For those looking to get into photography, his advice would be to “Get a proper camera as soon as possible.” “I didn’t pick one up until I was in my 20s, and I missed out on so many amazing moments,” he remembers. “There was one time I was at a tiny gig of David Bowie’s. It was just David and his guitar, so intimate, and I was right down the front. It would have been an amazing photo!” As it stands, despite his lateness when it came to sorting himself a camera, the photographer’s archive is expansive and rich, with Ridgers one of the world’s most prolific documentarians of subculture. Click through the gallery above for a closer look at some of his original Ku club pics, and below for a selection from his return at Edition x El Silencio. Head here for more info on the pop-up.