A Maltese model and aspiring fashion designer got his big break when he was asked to appear in the season finale of the US television series America’s Next Top Model.

Matteo Mallia, 31, was working as an artistic director on a show at a hotel in Mykonos when he was spotted by model Tyra Banks.

Tyra, executive producer of the America's Next Top Model, asked him to take to the catwalk in the final fashion show on the programme. After it transpired that he was a designer, Mr Mallia was also asked to design the men’s costumes for the show.

“Working on such a large-scale fashion show was a great experience for me. The show had to be produced in a short period of time and in very windy conditions but we pulled through in the end,” he said. The final episode was aired in Malta this month but was filmed last June in Crete.

Mr Mallia has been involved in the fashion industry for the past 12 years, both in Malta and overseas. “A highlight of my career was working as an assistant on an Elle fashion shoot with actress Reese Witherspoon in the US,” he said.

In addition to stints with foreign designers in Los Angeles and London, he has also worked as a fashion illustrator in Malta, designing clothes for television programmes and Maltese personalities. He feels that, in Malta, people are not as appreciative of the arts as people are abroad. “It’s a pity because we have a rich culture, which can be very inspiring,” he said.

“Having said that, the scholarship introduced by the Malta Arts Fund is a great way of giving opportunities to talented people,” he added. Mr Mallia has applied for a grant to fund a Master’s degree in fashion design for menswear at the London College of Fashion, where he hopes to improve his tailoring skills.

“So far, most of my work has involved illustrating and designing rather than sewing but I am learning. I believe it is important for a designer to be able to sew properly as well as draw,” he said. He added that his experience had taught him a lot and influenced the way he works today.

“My first job was at a denim company where I was responsible for transferring effects onto jeans using laser technology. I still use this technique,” he said, adding that he also looked to his travels for inspiration.