Fashion under the stars at Verdala Palace
T he Chamber of Fashion Malta Foundation undertook to stage an ambitious event this year by raising the necessary funds to hold a truly international fashion show. This was a top class event created to highlight the characteristics of different cultures that are brought together by a common interest in fashion and also having the belief that Fashion is Culture. The Event was opened by the Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Dr Deo Debattista and ended with the presentation of tokens to all the designers by Dr Gavin Gulia, Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority and Mr Gari Capelli, the Minister of Tourism for the Republic of Croatia. It was attended by 600 guests including the Minister for the Environment Dr José Herrera and various ambassadors and representatives, amongst them diplomats from the United States of America, Turkey, Egypt, British High Commission, Germany, Italy, South Africa and Croatia. The Event was in fact held in collaboration with the Consulate of the Republic of Croatia, the Consulate of the Republic of South Africa and the Italian Embassy.
The Chamber being a non-profit organisation, run by a team of dedicated, professional people, could not have achieved this goal without the considerable and constant support of companies as well as the Malta Tourism Authority and its Chairman Dr Gavin Gulia, the Ministry of Culture, Justice and Local Government, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Environment and Airmalta.
The Chamber together with its Founder, recently presented a total of 7000 Euros to the Malta Community Chest Fund deriving from this event as well as other sources.
At the entrance to the show, fashion design sketches made by Mcast students studying Textile and Fashion Design were displayed on stands donated by Digigraphics who are helping the Chamber to support Educational initiatives in the field of fashion.
The Chamber wishes to thank the Mcast students who volunteered to help backstage as well as with sound, and the many Friends of the Chamber who generously gave their time to managing the event.
In the magical atmosphere of Verdala Palace gardens, on a perfect Mediterranean evening, fashion designers from South Africa, Italy, Croatia and Malta came together to participate in The Chamber of Fashion Malta Foundation’s International evening of culture through fashion.
With the moon above the Palace parapets, and the garden romantically lit, models from Malta and Italy walked down the red carpeted steps clothed in silks, satins and tulle creations by Italian haute couture designer Giada Curti; their slender limbs decorated with the exotic jewellery of Italian designer Marina Corazziari.
The red carpet was ablaze with colour, the models confidently showing some of the world’s established designer’s latest collections and some other very promising designers.
In the week when the world was remembering Nelson Mandela on the anniversary of his birthday, the Great Nation he served so faithfully, sent South African Danny Moodliar to show four of the most exciting estab-
lished and emerging designers.
Danny lives in Durban and is a great fashion Ambassador for his country.
Brightly coloured fabric turbans swept up the models hair as they floated around the gardens in soft flowery patterns and vivid yellow pantsuits. Danny explained the combined collection was based on The Phoenix Rising from the ashes theme. A great Nation emerging from a troubled past, which was reflected in the choice of subdued fabrics which gradually metamorphosised into brilliant jewel colours on long full skirts with huge multi coloured patterned circles.
Sladana Kristic is a vivacious designer from Croatia who happily sums up the inspiration for her fairy tale design style with one word “ART”.
Clearly her love and pride for her country, its happy people and the enjoyment they derive from simple pleasures influences her greatly. Not shy of bright colours Sladana sculpts figure hugging, lipstick red satins onto the models slim bodies and embellishes them with metallic gold. Then her imagination leaps to images of fairy tale princesses wearing towering crowns, concocted from fruit and flowers and exotic fabrics. The concept evolves and becomes reality. It is as if her models were characters who stepped straight out of the pages of a little girl’s book of princesses and princes.