Last night’s show, on the third day of Malta Fashion Week, was a packed roster of fresh ideas. Whether drawing on personal identity, tradition or fantasy, each designer brought something to the runway that felt distinctly their own.
With a tightly packed schedule of collections, the show featured emerging creatives from MCAST, Oana Queen’s Lane Couture and Yana’s Jewellery.
A highlight of the evening was chatting with the line-up of designers from MCAST. They gave insight into their collection, made up of five looks each. The influence of international contemporary art and culture was a shared thread, combined with an interest to push or shatter pre-established social boundaries. Overall, their work questioned and challenged the norms while exploring their personal identity.
MCAST Show 1
The first MCAST show was led by Rebecca Calleja, the designer behind Rebecca Studio. Rebecca described her line-up as a place where “desire meets passion and a sense of longing”, and spoke of the embroidered detail Nixxenaq u Nfittex, written on the hem of her final look.
She highlighted her final look during our chat, and the concept of ‘unrequited love’ which translated smoothly into the show through the choice of colour palette and music. Inspired by Simone Rocha and her interest in literature, the designer incorporated a mix of hand embroidery and machine work, citing poetry from Petrarch and Sappho.
Following Rebecca’s line-up, Anmé by Annmarie Azzopardi presented Lucid Play, inspired by the Japanese Harajuku culture. The collection’s colour palette was consistent, incorporating vibrant pastel pink, blue and yellow. Of the five presented, two of her looks included a kimono-style upper half, while incorporating contemporary elements into each piece. Annmarie also highlighted her final look as playful while maintaining the collection’s continuity.
The roster of the MCAST first show continued with Guidera by Aisling Guidera who presented Sraitheanna. The collection included five looks, each meticulously crocheted by hand.
Born and raised in Ireland, Aisling incorporated the elements of her lived experience into the concept of her line-up. The designer recounted anecdotes of her time performing and living in Malta, and these experiences were strongly embedded into her choice of texture and colour palette.
The chosen title, Sraitheanna, is an Irish term, describing layers. The movement of each crochet garment was striking, appearing on the runway as artworks in their own right. Flowing just as described during our chat, the garments referenced the rhythm and freedom of the sea, while the ever-present colour green was reminiscent of Irish landscape.
MCAST Show 2
The second show opened with Level 0 by Roxanne Debono. Roxanne presented her collection Duality in which she explored the contrast, tension and unexpectant harmony. In this line-up, the designer aimed to unify opposing textures like denim, chain mail, silk and organza.
The make-up in this set was particularly striking, as each model stepped out with a bold red line symmetrically dividing their face, creating a look that was both graphic and thought-provoking.
Roxanne discussed this duality in relation to the Chinese philosophical concept of the Yin and Yang, and being influenced by Rick Owens and Martin Margiela. Level 0 aims to produce local ready-to-wear pieces while disrupting gender boundaries.
Also inspired by Margiela, Maiden by Miriana Bugeja introduced Fatale Obsession, produced from deadstock leather imported from France. Miriana aims to empower the natural female body, and the title is a play on words from the idea of the femme fatale.
The designer has just completed her research project on deadstock leather and described the material as having “a way of ageing with itself”. She explored the types of leather available to designers to reduce waste.
During our conversation, we also discussed her use of industrial machinery to complete the looks. Both the machine and material were difficult to come by, and her use of Mycelium leather sparked increased interest.
Following Miriana, Røegue by Jethro Schembri presented Emancipation: A Riot in Black. He described the collection as a reflection and extension of identity, dissolving the boundaries between menswear and womenswear.
We discussed his aims to explore the extent of traditional menswear, by incorporating both traditionally male and female pieces into each look. The designer is inspired by haute couture, Iris van Herpen, Margiela and the recent creative direction developments in Schiaparelli.
The textures and silhouettes varied, although the colour remained the same throughout, which provided variation without straying away from the essential idea. The line-up’s final look appeared as the culmination of the design concept, with a contemporary feel and asymmetrical form.
The final collection presented in the roster of MCAST students’ collection was Forma by Lara Busuttil. The concept of her line-up and the research project which underpinned it were influenced by techno music, and Lara recounted her design process as she developed the collection.
During our conversation, Lara reflected on the almost meditative, almost transcendent, aspect of the local techno subculture and this music genre, and how her Erasmus exchange in the South of France and travelling to Barcelona has impacted her as a designer.
The final look once again was the culmination of Lara’s concept. It merged eveningwear with tech-wear, ending the MCAST roster with a statement parachute ballgown made from windbreaker fabric − cotton, nylon, canvas and recycled sails.
Yana’s Jewellery
The third day came to a close with Yana’s Jewellery. During the excitement of the last hour before the show, we managed to have a quick conversation about her collection presented last night.
This is the second year that Yana Azzopardi showcased her collection at Malta Fashion Week. This collection, Costa Eleganza introduced hand-painted ceramic elements and pendants into meticulously crafted jewellery.
Yana is typically inspired by places she visited, and discussed her inspiration behind last night’s collection as being drawn from her trip to Positano and the Amalfi Coast.
The Italian ‘dolce vita’ feel was apparent on the runway, as Yana presented statement pieces, combining a distinct Mediterranean colour palette with particularly charming lemon and coral motifs. Other summer elements included seashells and crab designs. The pieces were both bold and timeless, with the artisan quality of the collection shining through in each piece.
During our conversation, Yana described her design process, drawing from a particular theme and music. Towards the end, she explained how she will be going international with the brand, hinting at very exciting projects ahead.
It was refreshing to view the unique concepts behind the students’ collections, as well as a common interest in contemporary media and developments in the international fashion space.
Tonight, will be closing night of the 2025 Malta Fashion Week, and this promises exciting presentations from Gabrielle Fenech, Isaac Fenech and Charles and Ron.
Join in with Malta Fashion Week
See our articles on the previous days
Behind the scenes with Rebecca Delia, Day 1
Behind the scenes with Rebecca Delia, Day 2
and
Malta Fashion Week 2025 : Day 1
Malta Fashion Week 2025: Day 2
Malta Fashion Week 2025: Day 3
Malta Fashion Week is an annual event that celebrates fashion, culture and creativity. It brings together designers, models, industry professionals and fashion enthusiasts to showcase the best of local and international fashion. It is sponsored by VisitMalta.
