It’s the island everyone either loves— or loves to hate. And no matter what side of the spectrum you’re on, there’s no questioning the fact that Mykonos remains, the number one destination in Greece for the world’s jetset, top models and celebrities.
This year alone, dozens of superstars have chosen the “island of the winds” for their holidays and parties.
Supermodel Bella Hadid was on the island and shared a photo on Instagram with her 15 million followers.
Shoe designer and former model Brian Atwood hosted his 50th birthday party on the island which attracted a slew of celebrities from the fashion world.
The fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt, also celebrated his birthday party on Mykonos this year with a champagne shower and shared it with million so followers on his Instagram.
Kendall Jenner, Lindsay Lohan, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Bon Jovi, fashion designer Peter Dundas— they were all here this year— to name only a few.
Remember the scene in The Brady Bunch when Marcia Brady was getting all of the attention and Jan had a breakdown? “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” she screamed, as she stormed out of the room. Well, right about now, many other Greek islands are probably having their own “Marcia” moment.
Mykonos, Mykonos, Mykonos… it’s always about Mykonos…
Superstars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly became regular visitors in the 1950s and 60s and Aristotle Onassis’ yacht, The Christina, became a common sight in the harbor during the summer months. The island also became a mecca for gay couples, who flocked to the island for privacy and the local population’s carefree attitude.
Mykonos became a secret hideaway for people who wanted privacy and no judgement— and the locals were happy to give visitors what they wanted.
The island jumped onto the international radar in the 1960s when then U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy stepped off a speedboat and into the warm welcome of locals who had gathered. Photos made their way into international publications and the secret retreat of artists and fisherman had— in 1960s style— gone viral.
Fashion magazine editors soon caught wind and began sending their best photographers to shoot top models against backdrops of white-washed buildings and windmills for magazine covers like Vogue and Harpers.
Perhaps the most famous piece at the time was a fashion editorial/photo feature called “Shrimp at Sea” that appeared in the January 1967 edition of Vogue that featured two fictitious lovers, portrayed by the supermodel Jean Shrimpton and the French photographer Jeanloup Sieff. The series was shot by the most well-known photographer of the era, Richard Avedon and sky-rocketed Mykonos as a destination, globally.
The rest, as they say in history and the island’s windmills became international symbols to artists, actors, sports stars and celebrity types the world over.