As the second day of Malta Fashion Week unfolded, the energy had shifted. With the first-day jitters out of the way, a confident atmosphere flooded the backstage area.
The collections shown yesterday presented a bold, valiant aura. Their designers were no different, striving to stretch the norm in material, silhouette and gender identity.
RAD by Radina Nikolova
Yesterday’s opening collection was Mediva by RAD by Radina Nikolova. During our conversation, Radina made it clear she’s here to push boundaries.
Now at her second Malta Fashion Week, the designer spoke passionately about centering her work around the idea of the ‘divine feminine’. Starting from her brand’s logo, representing the love for all things feminine, she aimed to combine both typically masculine and feminine traits into this collection.
Evoking the spirit of the Middle Ages, the collection on show started off bold, with Gregorian chant – the type of monophonic humming sung in cathedrals. The ethereal aura continued with the first look. A model holding a candelabra stepped out; her walk was accompanied by spoken positive affirmations.
Radina is inspired by the Middle Ages because it was a time of struggle, and incorporated props and motifs typically representative of the Middle Ages into each look in her collection. This included swords, a metal incense burner suspended from chains and headpieces reminiscent of a knight’s chain mail armour.
The designer said she “wanted to represent this type of ‘new woman’ that is emerging out of the necessity of these times”. Radina related this to her Orthodox influence and her background in assisting couture tailoring, before graduating from MCAST. The collection is designed to represent a ‘new woman’ who is self-sufficient, empowered and the knight in shining armour herself.
“So, the same as in the dark ages, due to hardship, women had to become self-sufficient, both masculine and feminine within themselves, to survive in the material world while staying connected to their femininity”.
Radina described this collection as her expression as a designer. The colour palette aligns with the rising ‘medieval revival’ trend predicted for this year, which is popular among performing artists. This breaks from the wrung dry 20-year trend cycle, incorporating polished silver, black, purple and red into unique silhouettes.
During our conversation backstage, Radina also hinted that RAD by Radina Nikolova will be publishing a new website soon.
Vanusia Hair Design
The second conversation of the evening was with Vanusia, from Vanusia Hair Design. Vanusia has been participating in Malta Fashion Week for 11 years as a hairstylist, but this year, she made her debut as a fashion designer.
Her show, Crimson Reverie, stood out because of her use of hair extensions in clothing. Vanusia aimed to create a fantasy and dream-like atmosphere, and did so through colour and flowing figures, inspired by a mix of visual media.
The pieces presented broke the divide between material and hair, and some of her looks featured designs that completely excluded traditional fabrics, relying solely on hair extensions. The colour palette was consistent throughout and included shades of blues and a distinct use of burgundy, with each colour representing an emotion. The name of the collection is broken down to two parts: ‘Crimson’, reflecting passion and ‘Reverie’, representing a dream-like state.
“I started developing these ideas during the pandemic, and reflected on the emotions experienced during that time”
The unique movement of piece in the collection was a significant element of the show. The look of each model that stepped out had a particular presence, and the combination and layering of coloured extensions was both fresh and engaging.
The final look of the collection stood out as it combined a silhouette reminiscent of the fringed flapper dresses of the 1920s with a bold choice of material and texture.
Parascandolo
The last collection showcased on this second day was 11:11 by Marco Parascandolo. This year marked the designer’s 11th consecutive year participating in Malta Fashion Week.
The number 11 held particular influence for Marco, who discussed being inspired by the number’s spiritual quality. The collection celebrated 11 years of the brand Parascandalo and was based on the brand’s DNA – denim, but with a twist.
During our conversation, we discussed the collection and its design process.
Marco described the edgy, dark and mysterious defining qualities of the brand and hinted at a pop of colour towards the end of the collection. The designer discussed the nine-month-long process, and the influence of his period of about four years living in vibrant London before the start of his fashion journey.
“…to this day I still feel inspired by my time living there [London] – the style, the people and the streetwear”
Marco recently travelled to London where he visited the Leigh Bowery exhibition at the Tate Modern, which served as a further source of inspiration. Bowery produced some of the most iconic images of the 1980s and 90s, and his influence persists in the work of Alexander McQueen, Jeffrey Gibson, Anohni and Lady Gaga.
These influences are embedded into the brand, and the lengthy collection of 24 looks encompasses the backbone of the Parascandalo’s identity.
The collection started off with numerous denim looks, harking back to the brand’s roots and inspires its viewers with the slogan ‘Dare to be different’.
Elements of sparkle or shine present were styled with a contemporary approach, and the edgy atmosphere shifted towards the end of the show. This shift was marked by a change in music, as the looks transformed into more elegant and feminine garments, while maintaining the trademark edge and mystery of Parascandalo.
Day 2 delivered edge and mystique through risqué pieces that gave a fresh take on contemporary fashion and emerging design talent in Malta.
Tonight, MCAST graduates, Oana Queen’s Lane Couture and Yana’s Jewellery are set to present their collections.
