The Notarial Archives Foundation is holding two public lectures on old fashion shops in Valletta, exploring how they captured the spirit of their time, embodied societal aspirations and shaped our social and cultural identity.
Lost Fashion Shops of Valletta: The Untold Stories, being held on Thursday, March 27, at 10am and 6pm, will take a look at the commercial activities of 19th- and early 20th-century fashion retailers in the capital city, drawing from notarial archive documents.
The lecture will be delivered by Caroline Tonna, who will provide a compelling narrative of Valletta’s fashion history, highlighting its influence on evolving consumption trends, the decline of local craftsmanship, the rise of imported ready-made goods and the dramatic transformation of the city’s streetscape.
Tonna is an art and dress historian and former curator at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Mdina (2018–2023). She holds degrees in anthropology and art history, as well as a master of arts in art history. Specialising in 19th-century dress history and photography, she is the author of Fashion Society in Malta: The Portrait Photography of Leandro Preziosi 1830–1869 (Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, 2022), which won the National Book Council Prize 2023 for best publication production. Tonna has extensive experience in publishing, as well as in cultural productions for radio and television.
Limited seating is available for Thursday’s lectures, which will be in English. The 10am lecture is fully booked. Bookings for the 6pm event may be placed at outreach@nafmalta.org or by sending the Notarial Archives a message on their socials.
The Notarial Archives are located at 217, St Paul Street, Valletta. Light refreshments will be served after the event, which is sponsored by the Alfred Mizzi Foundation.
