It's here: Malta's first Fashion Week

 Malta’s very first fashion week is with us. With the pre-party last Wednesday getting the fashionista crowd in a tizzy, the temperature is set to continue rising in anticipation of the grand finale that will be held on Saturday at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali. Ramona Depares takes in the vibe behind the scenes.

Practically Malta’s only real bit of glam, it didn’t take too long for the Malta Fashion Awards to get entrenched as one of the top local dates on the fashionista front. This year will see the 13^th edition of the Awards held today week at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali, but with a difference. Whereas before there was only one event to look forward to, this year the project has evolved into a whole Fashion Week, with a series of events happening across the island. The brain-child of Adrian Mizzi, also the creator of TV fashion programme Venere, the project promises to give Maltese fashionistas the showcase they’ve been clamouring for.

Bearing in mind that these are the only awards in Malta that have happened year after year without fail, the excitement on the scene is tangible and with good reason. Preparations have been going on for this all-important week since last May. That’s right, you heard well. With the support of the University for the Creative Arts in Ireland  UK and big names like Julien MacDonald, reps from the major international magazines and a host of international designers and fashion editors being flown for the event . ..  it’s bound to be a glitzy affair. The VVIP list includes the C.E.O of World Fashion Channel Irina Garbati and The President of the European Fashion Council Nadya Valeva. Mizzi explained that the idea is to eventually create an event that rivals the best European fashion weeks. Shooting over his head? His words persuade me otherwise.

 “The talent is present, it’s a question of harnessing it and enabling it to grow to its full potential. To give you an example, we had some 180 applicants who wanted to take part in the photography exhibition. Only fifteen made it. This doesn’t mean we just chucked the rest out – a seminar to pinpoint which areas the other photographers need to focus on is already in the works. By the time next year’s event comes around, we will have helped them correct those areas that needed to be worked upon. In this way we encourage the talent to grow,” Mizzi said.

The biggest challenge to organise an event of this calibre remains, as always the budgeting issue. Mizzi is confident that with a better budget it would be no problem to attract the Class A celebs and the big television stations that give London Fashion Week its cachet.

“We already enjoy the support of World Fashion Channel. Clips from our past awards are regularly aired on World Fashion Channel already. The exposure we get is substantial and this is what is likely to attract the big names to our event. At the end of the day, a designer attending the  Malta Fashion Week will get more in terms of exposure than at the bigger fashion weeks, where the competition is so fierce.”

Mizzi dreams of the day when, like Egypt, Croatia and Serbia, we can say that our Fashion Week truly reflects our culture and our identity. Fashion tourism is another market that he believes can be tapped through the organisation of these events.

In the meantime, it’s all systems go until Saturday, which will see the island’s top talent receiving the coveted Awards. Expect surprises and ...dare we hope for the drama...stiletto stabbing galore.

Something for everyone!

Fine, it’s called the Malta Fashion Week, but it’s so much more than that! Even if you can’t tell your Prada from your Perry, chances are you’ll enjoy the ride. The good news, a good number of events are free!

If you’re arty-farty - The Fashion Exhibition at The Point, in Sliema, is sure to push your buttons. Kicking off this coming Tuesday, Malta’s top fashion photographers will get together in an mega-exhibition that will show this year’s coolest, artsiest and most impressive photo-shoots. With over 100 exhibits from both local and foreign photographers, the wow factor is guaranteed. There will also be a fashion exhibition at Level 0 featuring the most iconic creations from Maltese designers – from dresses to jewellery, shoes, hats and much more. The exhibition will run until the end of fashion week.

If you’re a do-gooder – Worried about getting tagged with the ‘shallow’ label if you show too much of an interest in fashion? Not if you also do your bit for charity while getting your paws on that oh-so-fabulous pair of heels. You’d better hope that you’ve already buttered up the right people and got yourself invited to the Charity Fashion Show at Villa Francia this coming Wednesday. Seven dresses designed by cancer survivor Lara Spiteri will be auctioned off to raise money for Puttinu Cares Foundation, a non-governmental charity working to improve respite care for young cancer patients and their families.

If you’re a bride-to- be – Stop harassing your poor bridesmaids and your future groom and get yourself to the Radisson Golden Sands Hotel tomorrow at 10AM and feast yourself on the biggest collection of all things wedding related under one roof in Malta. There, that’s your wedding gown, shoes, lingerie and accessories sorted. Now if only you could persuade lover boy to foot the bill for that five-star honeymoon...

If you’re a social butterfly – Is a genteel high tea with itsy bitsy sandwiches and cakes your thing? Then tomorrow’s Fashion Collective at the Grand Hotel Excelsior is likely to tickle your fancy. Afternoon tea will be served at 4PM while guests network and enjoy gifts galore before the fashion show kicks off at 5.30PM. You might also want to drop in at Thursday’s show for up-and-coming designers at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, the Fersani Fashion Show on Friday at the Casino Maltese with the participation of 12 beautiful Spanish Models and the launch of Julien Mac Donalds’ collection at Debenhams today week at 10AM. For those who like their social fluttering to be a bit on the wilder side, well then get yourselves to Paceville on Friday , when the whole place will be transformed in one gigantic fashion show/exhibition.

If music is your thing – Banish the Monday blues at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, where contemporary Maltese music and high fashion come together with the launch of C&R’s highly anticipated collection. The musical repertoire is under the direction of Ruben Zahra, with the participation of the Italian duo Alterno, which fact should have any music lover worth his salt booking seats pronto.