Pure and precious: Cortana

Imagine a stage for dresses draped like costumes of ballet dancers performing on two floors. The Cortana store in Palma is a true showroom. Straight, elegant silhouettes of translucent materials in beautiful colors, neatly arrayed on metal poles that hang from the ceiling. The clear cuts, selected materials, and patterns are reminiscent of pieces of art.

That comes as no surprise. Rosa Esteva studied art history and fashion design in Barcelona before she returned to Mallorca. She opened her first own store in Palma in 2001. Openings in Barcelona and Madrid followed. Today, Rosa’s fashion graces red carpets of royal palaces and movie theaters all over the world.

Her womenswear is solely made from natural materials: silk, cotton, linen and wool, frequently organic. Some pieces feature exclusive patterns, Rosa’s own aquarelles printed on silk. While the fabrics come from France and Italy, the collections are produced in small ateliers near Barcelona. Cortana dresses are precious, costly yes, but they are also timeless and of exceptional quality so you can wear them forever.

However, some Cortana dresses are made for one day, only: wedding gowns. Rosa Esteva had designed the first wedding gown for herself before she made them a regular part of her fashion line. Now hidden behind a plain door an ancient flight of stairs leads from the store up to an exclusive bridal studio. A magical place to get set up for this special day. Because, as Yves Saint Laurent put it, „what is important in a dress is the woman who wears it”.