In Mallorca, I spent my happiest summer,” Fiona tells me during our meeting at Hotel Can Alomar. Her face radiates sincerity and freshness – without make-up.
Fiona Ferrer Leoni (Barcelona, 1974) was head of the competition “Elite Model Look España” and producer of the programme “Supermodelo”, broadcast by Spanish TV channel Cadena Cuatro between 2006 and 2008 – sponsored and created by El Corte Inglés and film companies Endemol and Zeppelin. Afterwards, she created another TV programme: “Fiona, te necesito” (“Fiona, I need you”).
Today she runs her own company, which specializes in communication within the world of fashion, art, and entertainment. Her projects include, among others, public relations for the bridal fashion company Rosa Clara, and ad hoc tasks for Custo. Fiona has also published two bestsellers in youth literature: WACU Girls (World, Ambitious, Cool and Unique), and Cuando el tiempo hace Tic Tac (“When time is ticking”). Based on this success, she registered a trademark, from which various projects were created: herbalist shop Navarro – the leading one in Spain – carries her range of eight health products under the name Wacu.
Products include Libidinal, the only existing amplifier of female libido. In addition, there are the Wacu BIC lighters, and Wacu Baby – a collection of handmade children’s pyjamas for the companies Casilda y Jimena. She offers the Wacu menu for restaurant chain Wogaboo. They are selling their product range with one of her favourite mottos: “Eat the world, but without eating anybody . . . and here: Just eat everything” (a literal translation from the Spanish).
Her life has been connected with fashion since childhood. Her father, Juan Ferrer Grifols, was a founder of textile factory Ferrer y Sentís and discovered the designer Claude Montanta. He was also chairman of the Gaudí Catwalk in Barcelona. Her mother Mietta Leoni was one of the most successful Italian models of the ‘70s. When her parents separated, she moved to Ibiza, where Mietta created the fashion brand Adlib – together with Yugoslav Princess Smilia Mijailowich.
When she was 12 years old, the family moved to Palma de Mallorca, where Fiona and her little brother Umberto went to San Cayetano high school.
“I feel like a Mallorcan,” she says. At 19, she moved to Paris to work at Maison Montana. “It was an important year for me. I lived alone and was independent.”
Towards the end of this stage, she graduated in international public relations and communications at the University of Miami, where she also worked at Sotheby’s and was responsible for the Department of Latin American Art. “All these experiences have made me a businesswoman. I love family life, but I have a global vision of the world. The best education is what life teaches you,” she explains. She was coordinator for Spain at Fashion Week Miami. This job, in combination with the management of institutional relations during the contest “Elite Model Look Colombia”, were the reasons for her winning the award “Cartagena de Indias” at that time, together with designer Custo Dalmau.
At present, she lives by a favourite motto. “A long time ago someone told me to ensure there are always opportunities and ways open to me. I kept that in my head”.
For that reason, she decided, for example, to work for the Aladina Foundation in collaboration with the jewellers Suárez y Vente Privée. Together they achieved the sales of limited edition bracelet “ONE”: this money supported the construction of a new floor at Getafe Children’s Hospital.
She has also joined NAC stores to develop the product range “4Reasons” – shirts with slogans, baskets, and hats that come from Ecuador, and are decorated with fabrics from Guatemala. Everything is put together in Spain by unemployed seamstresses: “I defend the Spanish brands and domestic production. I am Catalan, Jewish (mother), Catholic, monarchist, patriot, and half Italian. One must support one’s homeland and teamwork makes us strong.”
She speaks enthusiastically of the island: “I have travelled all over the world, but have never seen anywhere such islands and such a sea. Palma has become a fascinating city.” Here she has many friends, such as designer Alma López and Cristina Macaya.
“For three years I did not come to Palma, but I am very glad to be here again. I remember my first internship at age 15 at the Copa del Rey regatta. I admit I was not a good student and enjoyed nightlife. So my mother eventually asked Erique Puig to give me a job. I still went for parties, but every morning I was there at 10 o’clock. I was the entertainer of the group and spoke five languages! I believe that the support of the royal family is fundamental to Mallorca and for the regatta.”
Her personal conclusion: “My friends are very important to me. In 2009 I was the first blogger of “HOLA” magazine.
I’m divorced, I have suffered illnesses and experienced traumatic deaths, but . . . I am not complaining. I am single, but it may be that I already have a new boyfriend when this article is published. My ex-husband, Jaime Polanco, is one of the most important people in my life. I´ve spent many summer holidays in Palma with him. Children? Yes, I would like them, but definitely with a partner.”
