Malta's Up and Coming Designers.

Dear Readers,

As I said yesterday, I wanted to write a post with my reactions on the 'Up and Coming Designers' Show, organised on Thursday 19th May as part of Malta Fashion Week. And here it is, finally!

I have to admit that I had very high expectations for this show. I mean, given that it had to showcase Malta's new faces in the world of fashion, I assumed that the designers would bring a breath of fresh air to an otherwise boring fashion scene. I'm glad to say that the designers during this show did not only meet my almost sky-high expectations, but they also managed to make me want to steal their pieces.

Before moving on to each specific collection, I would like to comment on some more general aspects of the show like lighting, organisation, location and the like. Even these organisational elements have truly surprised me. First of all, the location chosen (Corinthia Palace in Attard) was simply perfect. I think such a traditional venue provides a beautiful and contrasting backdrop to these new and modern designs. I felt the seating did not obstruct the show in any way, and the soft lighting fit in flawlessly with the ambiance of the hall. A massive thumbs up to the organizers who I believe excelled in setting it all up :)

Kai Couture

On to the designers themselves. All the fashion designers on show were relatively new designers, and most of them had never showcased their work before. The only commercial line exhibiting it's collection was Mango, which according to the show's host, likes to 'invest in new designers'. The Mango Fashion Show consisted mainly of dresses, including both flowing and fitted cuts. During the first part of their show, Mango showcased quite a few maxi-dresses, which also included ones in animal prints. The colours chosen were mostly light or bright: soft salmon, ivory, beige, electric orange, eye-popping yellow and intense green. I couldn't help but notice a great deal of denim on the catwalk, from denim waistcoats paired with maxi dresses to denim jumpsuits. Mango also included a couple of blazers, mostly in beige, and a selection of nautical inspired designs.

The first new designer on the night focussed on jewellery. I am referring to Panterina Fine Artisan Jewellery. The collection consisted of a handful of handmade items, which included a gorgeous selection of necklaces. Most of the items were in silver and black, and necklaces were of different lengths. The collection is sure to meet everyone's needs!

Dress by Lara Spiteri

Next up was Kai Couture, whose designs are inspired by the designers' personal interpretation of life. The designer believes that fashion is all about feeling good, and I can't help but agree with that! The collection showcased was VERY couture, with puffed skirts, multiple layers and very structured cuts. The initial items were in a shiny white colour, whilst other colours like gold, royal blue and red were used towards the end. I particularly liked the way the designer merged two very different textures like velvet and silk to create a truly creative item.

Our third new designer is Stacey, who presented a selection of items which she designed and created herself. I really liked these designs, especially the diversity of items presented. The collection included a variety of colours and patterns, including black, orange and animal prints. It also included a variety of cuts, from catsuits to maxi dresses. Kudos! One of my favorites :)

Lara Spiteri's designs were absolutely marvelous, especially her elaborate turquoise dress. Don't get me wrong, I loved all of her evening dresses, but RAWR there's something to this turquoise dress which outshone  all of her other pieces. Her lace catsuit also deserves a mention. 

Nunu!

The next collection was my second favourite of the night. I'm referring to the outstanding work of Nunu, which included a number of gorgeous evening dresses. Dear Chantelle and Maria, aka Nunu, I am so asking you to design my evening dresses in the near future. I absolutely loved the colours chosen, including red, pink, purple and gold. The dress which completely stole my heart was a long, red dress with an embellished grecian neckline. THE WONDER! I also adored the flowing purple dress, with the amazing train and neat one shoulder cut. Nunu is definitely in my good books, and how!

The dress of the night!

Then came the collection sent from heaven. Oh my God, who knew such talent existed in our tiny island of Malta. 'Illusions' presented an entirely quirky collection, brimming with optical illusions, intricate details and body paint. Whilst, I find it hardly possible to wear these dresses out on the streets, I can't help but stand in awe at the sheer wonder of this collection. I seriously couldn't tell the clothes and the body paint apart. The last item of this collection was unbelievable! A sensational dress, white at the front, multi-coloured at the back. It had a long train and an eye-catching head piece. I am in love! 

Anyone with a love for statement jewelery would fall head over heels for Nadege Rene Exclusive Jewellery! The raw material for the tiems was sterling silver, which was then impeccably blended with other materials like onyx, pearls and leather amongst others. I particularly liked the pearl and silver pieces, although I'm a more gold and pearl woman. But hey, they still looked awesome! I also appreciated the flower and silver necklace, which I found very original!

                            

            Ohh I would wear that!

Fersani was next! Just when I was complaining about the lack of colour blocking in the collections (*sigh*, I'm still not over colour blocking I know!), Fersani's collection emerged, with its heavy and lovely colour blocking. Thank you for feeding my eyes with such beautiful combinations. Luckily for us, we had an entire fashion show from Fersani on Friday, and I plan to write about that soon! Love love love Fersani :)

Oh, my old Westlife CDs would make a nice dress!

Probably the most interesting work on show was the one I'm about to describe: a collection entirely created out of recycled material. It seems like the designer and his team joined forces to gather as much recycled material as possible and then created these creative designs. As the models strutted their stuff on the catwalk, I couldn't help but ask myself what material was going to be used next. I might keep a couple of CDs and create a dress one day!

Creative Factory Seven

The last two Maltese designers on show were Curpina and Creative Factory Seven. Curpina's designs were fun, flirty and colourful. I particularly fancied a blue maxi dress, which I would so wear one day for a party on a yacht. Creative Factory Seven were more bold and bright. I must commend them for their use of colour blocking and intricate patterns. Their designs looked like a series of abstract or surrealist painting coming to life. Wow!

The last collection on show was a series of designs presented by the students of the University of Creative Arts in the United Kingdom. Pity Winter's over, I would have enjoyed wearing some of the jackets and coats on the catwalk. 

One of the jackets by UCA.

Oh dear Readers, isn't fashion wonderful? Isn't it wonderful to have such talented people in Malta? I just wish more opportunities for us Maltese lie ahead of us in the future. A huge WELL DONE to everyone on show last Thursday, you have made a good name for yourselves and I look forward to viewing your works in the near future!

-B


(Oh, I've taken all the pictures from the official site of Malta Fashion Week)