With Mercedes Benz Malta Fashion Week just a hop and a skip of a Louboutin away, Anna Marie Galea met with some of the household names which will be gracing the long (and very steep) runways provided by the newly-restored Fort St Angelo in Vittoriosa for a sneak peek of their exciting collections and their even more intricate minds.

Gaetano Busuttil

Gaetano Busuttil. Photo: Joanne Mizzi

Winner of last year’s New Designer Award, Gaetano Busuttil promises to be back with a bang with his couture collection entitled ‘NYMPH’. Asked how he came up with this particular concept, Busuttil’s answer is a simple one. “For me, nymphs embody everything that I am trying to represent in my couture collection because they are symbols of freedom and seduction.”

Describing himself as a designer for the emancipated woman, Gaetano’s mission is to show off the female figure at its best. “There is nothing sexier than a woman who has come into her own and who recognises her own power and femininity. My clothes all represent the freedom that comes with this knowledge. I chose the name NYMPH because nymphs are nothing if not free.”

Inspired by feminist icons such as Cher and Tina Turner, Busuttil cites his mother as being the driving force behind his belief in women’s innate strength. “I was raised in a matriarchal household and I have great admiration and appreciation for the sacrifices my mother has made and how she has shown power in the face of everything that has been thrown her way.”

In keeping with the idea that nymphs usually reside near bodies of water, Busuttil has enriched his collection with sequins, transparent net, applique and lace. However, he stresses that contrary to what many may suppose, he will not be integrating various shades of blue into his collection. In fact, the main colours will be black, gold and dark grey which will convey an air of unabashed glamour.

“The main aim of my collections is to have women looking and feeling their best. In fact, when we do trial runs with models before fashion week, I always make sure that everyone is comfortable in what they are wearing because if you are uncomfortable, it shows. I think the ultimate luxury is for a woman to look and feel her best and I want my clothes to empower women and free them from the restrictions of society’s expectations.”

Marco Parascandalo

Marco Parascandalo. Photo: Gary Bugeja

Hitting Malta Fashion Week with a bang as big as the slogs that grace his t-shirts, Marco Parascandalo returns with a collection which he feels delineates the brand in a very absolute way. “The past collections have been a journey to this point and now I feel more defined both as a person, as well as a designer.”

Following an unconventional approach to creating his new collection, Parascandalo came into his late creative effort by writing a story which helped him explore things in detail via experience. “In this collection, I took something dark which happened to me and turned it into art by expressing it in full. At the end of the day, experiences are what help us find ourselves and define ourselves as people. It is our experiences that make us and they determine what we are able to produce.”

Parascandalo places great emphasis on the brand and what he wants it to represent. “I want to embody craftsmanship and in fact, this collection has a lot of handwork in it. Not only were many things in this collection stitched by hand, but even the prints used were hand painted: my aim is to make elaborate, intricate detailing look simple.”

In keeping with the drama which accompanies every Parascandalo show, he has recruited local band CRUX to play live music for his show and provide the appropriate tone for what he promises to be a punk, rock, Goth and nineties extravaganza while ensuring that everything he makes is as wearable as possible.

“The ultimate proof in the fashion pudding is the wearability of my clothes. I don’t want to make clothes that no one can wear and despite the fact that this collection is my most detailed yet, it doesn’t take away from its functionality. Besides, black never goes out of fashion.”

Carla Grima

Carla Grima. Photo: Ryan Galea

Known for her beautiful soft palette and buttery silks, newcomer Carla Grima takes a bolder approach with her ‘Ophelia’ collection, inspired by Grima’s dream muse. “In Ophelia, I’ve moved away from pastels and I’ve become a lot bolder with my use of colour, as well as a lot more playful.”

Citing ‘Ophelia’ as an extremely personal collection, Grima feels that her fashion week offering is a true embodiment of the sun drenched Mediterranean and that her use of feather-light silks in blocks of vivid colour are an allegory for the turquoise waters, sandy coves, fresh green leaves, and the blush of prickly pear which are so integral to the southern Mediterranean.

While many designers are not always sure about who they are designing for, Grima has a very clear idea of who Ophelia is. “My collection can be described as luxury beachwear with a glamorous, sophisticated edge and although I’ve kept a bit of my hippy vibe through my use of crystal motifs for example, this collection is very grown up and embodies freedom. I’ve integrated risky slit heights for bronze, tanned legs to peep out of and my dresses are designed for women to be able to dance all night long in.”

So what’s in the name? “The name of the collection came about in a really interesting way. I knew what I wanted from this collection and I wanted a name that brought all my idea together. I was discussing it with my mum who’s favourite play is Hamlet and she just kind of came up with it because it had a really romantic edge to it which fitted into my vision of a woman who enjoys literature and solitude but is able to hold her own at the dinner table and is the life and the soul of the party. She’s basically the woman whose parties you want to be invited to and the woman you want to be!”

Ritienne Zammit

Ritienne Zammit. Photo: Kurt Paris

Renowned for her tackling of the controversial, Ritienne Zammit has not shied away from creating a collection based on obsessions and addictions in her Malta Fashion Week 2016 collection “Je suis…” Despite the fact that the name implies something very personal, Zammit does not wish to define herself or others and instead is using herself as spring board into the beyond. “Je suis… focuses on religion, sex and money and the limitations that addictions bring with them.

“For me, addiction centres on a physi-cal manifestation while obsession is more psychological.”

Intricate in nature as it is in concept, her print based collection serves as a commentary on what happens when people take things to extremes. “If we have a look at current affairs, we will realise that it is fanaticism or obsession which is at the root of so many people’s suffering.

I believe that it is intrinsically wrong to inflict one’s thoughts and wishes on another, especially if it leads to pain at their expense. For me, it is unacceptable that one imposes their values and obsessions and so I do not wish to reflect that in my own collection.

“Thus, my aim is for everyone to apply their own experiences and truths to the collection. I did not want my collection to be straightforward, and instead, I wanted people to be able to read between the lines. I do not come to judge; that can only bring harm.”

In keeping with the fluidity and ambiguity of her collection, Zammit has not stuck to one particular shade of colour. “I wanted my collection to reflect life’s moments of chaos and it is for this reason that I didn’t want to restrict myself to just one colour. The collection is made up of dark and light colours because at the end of the day, that is what all of us are made up of.”