From the Catwalk to the Street - Part 1

I'm very excited to release this blog post today in collaboration with Caroline from Diva Inside and three local designers which have just showcased their latest collections during last month's edition of Malta Fashion Week. We chose to showcase an outfit from each of Gaetano's LEGACY collection, Rosemarie Abela's Al Magrib collection and Marco Parascandalo's STAR collection. The aim of this post is to contrast the way the looks were worn by models vis à vis how Caroline and myself 'pulled them off'.

Rosemarie Abela - Al Magrib

First up, Rosemarie Abela. I chose this chambray denim dress with lace paneling across the torso and a matching hem and pockets. I paired it with red shoes and sunglasses which really popped against the blue and black of the dress. I felt really comfortable in this dress but of course since I am only 5 feet tall and the dress was designed for a model who is waaaayyyy taller than I am, the dress fit me a bit baggy. Nonetheless, this is something I would go for and I would wear this to lunch or a casual event - just add heels and some popping accessories to dress it up. I went for a geometric pair of earrings and a bracelet and ring by another local designer - Yana's Jewellery who just celebrated her fifth year in the business with the Colores del Flamenco collection also launched during this year's Malta Fashion Week.

Marco Parascandalo - STAR

Next is Marco Parascandalo which I thought was going to be the most difficult for me to pull off because street-wear is really not something I reach for at all. Funnily enough though, come the shoot, I really had fun in this crop top and slit trousers ensemble and well you can tell I had fun styling it in a rather unusual way for me - cat ears and all ;) I also used a stamp tattoo from Rimmel London's Ink Me collection in the shape of a star which was just right seeing the collection is actually named STAR :) Again, since I'm quite short, Marco hemmed the trousers higher for me and I actually think they looked cooler with the gemstones showing from the underside of the trousers too.

Gaetano - LEGACY

Lastly, my favourite - Gaetano. I chose this beautiful dress which features a heavily patterned skirt, a multi-way top and a red applique which really stands out against the monochrome fabric. I had a ball wearing this dress and would wear it to a special occasion such as a gala dinner. I went for a choker-style neckline with a pussy-bow at the side of my neck rather than at the back as worn on the catwalk and I paired the dress with just a pair of simple earrings. You will have the chance to see Gaetano's LEGACY collection being showcased during a fashion show which is going to be held tomorrow night in Hamrun.

Hair & Makeup

Hair and makeup for this shoot were entrusted to Marlene Vassallo and Bernice Catania from Bliss Hair & Makeup. The makeup was done using Makeup Factory and Marlene opted for a classic red lip look with a twist - she did an ombre lip and added a pop of purple and pink to my eyes. I really liked wearing this look and I would like to give it a shot myself too. The hair, on the other hand, was styled by Bernice in a braided upstyle. I think this look complemented both the casual looks as well as the more glaourous evening dress so kudos to these two ladies for their impeccable work!

About the location - Talbot & Bons Boutique Hotel

We set the photo shoot at the newly opened Talbot & Bons Boutique Hotel in the heart of the quiet, charming village of Gudja. The hotel is a 400-year old converted farmhouse situated in a quiet street. Apart from the stunning, peaceful surroundings, one thing I found to be really charming and unique are the room names - they are all named after the surnames of everyone involved in the building of the boutique hotel - from the owners to the designers. I really liked the modern touches and how well they complement the rustic element of the farmhouse. The bed and breakfast is truly the ideal escape if you want to experience a taste of old Maltese villages and their charm.

Which was your favourite look and did you like the way I styled these three different outfits? Be sure to check out Caroline's post too and see which looks she picked and styled her way :) Huge thanks go to our sponsors for this shoot and the designers who believed in us and allowing us to give their clothes our own spin :)

Photography: Gordon Formosa from Go Raw Photography
Catwalk photography: Justin Ciappara from JCiappara Photography
Hair: Bernice Catania from Bliss Hair & Makeup
Makeup: Marlene Vassallo from Bliss Hair & Makeup
Location: Talbot & Bons Boutique Hotel

MFWA 2016 | Parascandalo

Day 4 of the Mercedes-Benz Malta Fashion Week was an exciting one indeed - three back-to-back shows that although diverse on different levels, were a feast for all senses, all ages, all genders.

Kicking off the night was Parascandalo by Marco Parascandalo. The local designer is not new to Fashion Week and with his alternative, unique take on street wear, I was really excited for this year's show and what he had in store. Most of Marco's creations are intended towards the male gender but he also keeps us women in mind by adding that androgynous feeling to this numbers, making them easily wearable.

Yesterday's self-named collection, was all black with hints of orange, and the designer's signature slogans on trousers, men's underwear and t-shirts. Daringly sheer garments and that caged leather 'top' are truly stand out pieces, but my absolute favourite piece has got to be that black dress with black and orange fringe detailing. Once again, a big well done to Marco for surpassing our expectations! Bravu!

Watermarked images are property of Neil Psaila Photography.

MFWA 2015 | Sai Suman, Julia Boikova & Marco Parascandolo

Date: Tuesday 12th May 2015

Time: 20:30hrs

Location: Lewis Farrugia Courtyard, Malta Chamber of Commerce, Republic Street, Valletta

Just up the street from Nadege Renee Cassar's Contemporary Jewellery Exhbition (more on that soon), the second show for Tuesday night took place at the Malta Chamber of Commerce where three designers featured their collections. The one I was looking forward to the most was In The Sky by Marco Parascandolo mainly because he is the local designer among the trio for today's show and also because he comes from Cottonera region just like yours truly ;)

Upon arriving, our taste buds were treated to a tub of delicious Haagen-Dazs ice-cream (mine was Strawberry Cheesecake flavour) while our eyes were treated to the magnificence of the Lewis Farrugia Courtyard at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.

Sai Suman presents The Exotic Jungle

The first collection to hit the runway was by Indian designer Sai Suman. I have to admit it was totally something I did not expect. There were some gowns which I really liked and others that in my humble opinion are best left for the runway. Nonetheless, I still appreciate the creativity and craftsmanship involved in creating such a collection.

The collection consisted in men's and women's attire with head pieces for both genders and equally exotic prints and colours. My personal favourites were the ones shown below.

With so much going on with the garments, the makeup for the female models was left neutral on the eyes and cheeks and paired with dark lips. Hair was worn up to let the dresses shine through. The makeup was all Eva Garden and the hair products used were all Tresemme as for all the other shows.

Julia Boikova presents Ropes & Dots

Next up was Julia Boikova from Estonia with her spring 2015 collection that featured colourful rope prints and dots; a collection which was inspired by a set of ropes the designer bought on one of her travels in India.

I think this collection appealed to me the most with its colourful patterns and versatile garments that can be dressed up or down according to one's tastes and preferences. The collection also includes some pieces for men as well which also bear the same contrasting print of 'ropes and dots'.

The hair and makeup for this collection was more leaning towards sporty with minimal colour and braids all over the models' hair and I think it complemented all looks perfectly!

Parascandolo Marco presents In The Sky

Lastly, it was Marco's turn to shock us all with an all white and denim collection as opposed to last year's black collection. His collection is mostly aimed towards men but I really enjoyed a pair of denim shorts and open back top from the female collection. The fun and colourful bird print lends a hint of colour to the outfits without being overpowering. And what about those 'Skandlu' boxers? I couldn't help but to smile at them ;)

All male models wore silver eyeliner on their left eye only while the female models wore heavier, graphic black eyeliner on both eyes.

All pictures featured in this post were taken by Mark Soler. To see more of his work check out msfotography.net.