Last Friday I had the immense pleasure of visiting Diane De Malherbe's pop-up shop in Sliema to view her Malta-inspired collection entitled Caravage. But before I dive into the collection, I wanted to share some insight on this talented designer with a fresh take on fashion in a bid to build a sustainable and environmentally-friendly approach in a realm that is constantly demanding change.
Diane De Malherbe hails from France and is in fact based between Paris and Malta. She used to work and design clothes for established designer labels such as Celine and Givenchy before launching her own namesake brand in 2018 which produces luxury womenswear and bridal gowns. Her take on luxury fashion is quite distinct from what we may traditionally perceive as luxury. She uses high-quality materials such as silk that is sourced from sustainable environments and aims at producing garments that will stand the test of time and last in the wearer's closet for a lifetime, possibly even more. Her collections are adorned with unique handmade embroideries and interchangeable wrists, for example, to enable the wearer to switch up the garment to suit the occasion and give it a different look each time.
All embroideries in Diane De Malherbe's collections are handmade
I noticed her collections are named after artists and I think this couldn't be more apt! She is an artist herself from her approach to her design concept and materialization of the garments, I think she has it all! Now let's explore the Caravage collection so you can see what I mean.
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| At a Glance - The 'Caravage' Collection by Diane De Malherbe |
As I already told you, the Caravage collection is inspired by Malta - our position between the orient and the west, our heritage from the times of the Knights of St. John, most notably, the baroque jewel in the heart of the capital - St. John's Co-Cathedral and of course, the Caravaggios adorning some of its walls as well as the sea surrounding us.
The colour palette of this collection explores rich jewel hues of fuchsia, saffron, emerald and red which are complemented by silvers, gold and opulent black and white. The collection features ready-to-wear pieces and bridal looks, all of which can be made-to-measure. The black jacket and white blouses come with removable and interchangeable hand-embroidered cuffs to suit different tastes and occasions. The materials are exceptionally high-quality and you can tell from afar that all pieces are well-made with fabrics of the highest quality.
The colour palette of this collection explores rich jewel hues of fuchsia, saffron, emerald and red which are complemented by silvers, gold and opulent black and white. The collection features ready-to-wear pieces and bridal looks, all of which can be made-to-measure. The black jacket and white blouses come with removable and interchangeable hand-embroidered cuffs to suit different tastes and occasions. The materials are exceptionally high-quality and you can tell from afar that all pieces are well-made with fabrics of the highest quality.
I couldn't pick just one favourite from the collection but the star of the show is definitely this ivory silk dress with a hand-embroidered removable cape. The arabesque motifs are all inspired by the motifs in St. John's Co-Cathedral and it is a guaranteed show-stopper!
Apart from the Caravage collection, Diane De Malherbe also has her Cocteau collection on display at her pop-up shop. This collection was inspired by the garden of the designer's house in France and again, here we get that ethereal feel through the soft fabrics and colours of the collection.
I invite you to make an appointment with Diane De Malherbe to go and witness her exquisite collections with your own eyes and if you're planning to get married anytime soon, I highly suggest you have a thorough look at her bridal designs!
Diane De Malherbe pop-up shop will be open till the 1st November 2020 in Sliema from 10am to 9pm by appointment. Book yours through this link: https://www.dianedemalherbe.com/booking
