Sonia Vargas

Born in Colombia and originally trained in Law, Sonia’s journey took an unexpected but defining turn when she moved to Europe with a short-term modelling contract. That opportunity quickly led to a long-standing position within a London-based fashion company that represented top designers internationally.

Over the next 12 years, Sonia specialised in sales, presenting collections at major fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London. Her success came from more than product knowledge — she had a natural gift for listening deeply to people’s needs and understanding what suited them best. That skill would become the foundation of her future in real estate.

Sonia first visited Lanzarote in 1986 and returned frequently, drawn by the purity of its colours — black, blue and white in every shade, the dramatic beauty of its volcanic landscape, and the calm, high-quality lifestyle it offers.

After years living between London, Bali and Australia, she settled permanently on the island in 2001. With no fashion industry on the island, she recalled the words of her Japanese boss in London:

“If you ever leave the fashion world, you should go into real estate.”

She began working with the developer and architect responsible for the urbanisations around Marina Rubicón and above the Meliá Volcán Hotel, and played a key role in their success — single-handedly selling most of the units directly from a site container, as the now-iconic areas were taking shape.

In 2003, Sonia founded Optima Estate, determined to bring her own values to a field often criticised for its lack of ethics. Her guiding principles are clear:

• Professionalism
• integrity
• and never stop doing her best for those who place their trust in her.