From the Catwalk to the Street - Part 2

Remember my collaboration with Caroline from Diva Inside a couple of months ago? No? Go and read Part 1 here then come back to see today's post ;) If you do remember it, buckle up for Part 2!

Again we partnered up with another three local designers who have just showcased their latest collections last May during Malta Fashion Week & Awards. This time we chose Ritienne Zammit, Gabrielle Fenech and Maria Cutajar.

Ritienne Zammit - Atronymic

All three looks we chose for this shoot are right up my alley; they are all something I would actually wear but my absolute favourite was definitely this dress from Ritienne Zammit. Ritienne takes inspiration from our country's history and heritage and this collection was no exception. It aims at putting some Maltese surnames' history out there and being the history lover that I am, I always enjoy her collections. The dress I chose for this shoot has the 'Grandmaster print' and represents the surnames of Debattista, Vella, Mallia and Degabriele among others. Apart from the originality and edginess, the craftsmanship, high quality of materials and perfect stitching execution make Ritenne's collections very sought-after; and in fact, I already own a couple of pieces from her.

Catwalk Photography by Bernard Polidano

Back to the photoshoot, this dress ticks all the right boxes and I love the wavy shape of the skirt which gives it a playful look while the light blue details balance out the heaviness of the print. The exquisite print-matching of the different parts of the dress is so satisfying to look at and even though it is quite busy, it can easily go with so many shoe and bag options. In fact, I could pair it with over 5 pairs from my shoe collection alone (I only took 3 with me for the shoot). I kept the accessories to a bare minimum and only paired dark mustard tassel earrings and my Versace sunglasses which complemented the gold buttons at the front and the tonality of the main print.

Gabrielle Fenech - Ruby Carol

I had missed Gabrielle's presentation during Malta Fashion Week because I didn't attend on the night, but I remember seeing the pictures and I immediately liked her work. Of course, my favourite outfit from her Ruby Carol collection was the one I chose for this shoot. The off-white and dark red tones and the design at the front of the shirt instantly reminded me of the robes worn during the Roman era, thus I paired a chunky gold cuff and nude heels with it all. I love the open-back detail on the shirt but I have to say that the PVC skirt wasn't exactly comfortable to climb up stairs in. It is still something I wear though and to give it more of a modern edge rather than keeping with work-wear vibes, I opted for an ear cuff instead of traditional earrings.

Catwalk Photography by Steven Muliett

Maria Cutajar - Dejjem F'Qalbna

Lastly, another elegant look. This time courtesy of Maria Cutajar. I chose this gilet from her 'Dejjem F'Qalbna' collection on which the detailing and craftsmanship is exceptional. Maria has come a long way from the first collection she debuted in Malta and I only have words of praise for her latest works.

Catwalk Photography by Bernard Polidano

I styled the gilet with a pair of black shorts and a lace bodysuit, allowing the little eyelash lace details on the sleeves to peep through from under it. I also added a felt hat for that something extra and my favourite heels, the Gianvito Rossi Plexi pumps which have to power to take any look to the next level. The material on the gilet is perfect for the transitional autumn period - it's not too light, not too heavy and the colours are just something everyone can easily incorporate in their wardrobe.

Hair & Makeup

This time round, I left my hair in my hairdresser's hands - Francesco from Hair & Beauty by Cher. I have been a client of his for a veeeerrrryyyy long time now and I still amaze myself at how he always manages to come up with something new each and every time I visit! This time we went for a low bun since all of the outfits I was wearing featured a high neck. I love sleek, pulled back looks and this has got to be one of my favourites to date :) Thank you so much!

As for makeup, we chose Daniela from Melita Health & Beauty. We went for a natural look as the outfits were quite bold and she used Shiseido makeup which has just been re-branded and you can find most of the products at Melita too. My favourites were the foundation, where she used the Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation which offers medium to full coverage and doesn't oxidise, a neutral hued quad from the Essentialist Eye Palette range and the ModernMatte Powder Lipstick and  LacquerInk Lip Shin which helped the lip colour last for hours on end!

That's it for our collaborative shoots as regards this year's edition of Malta Fashion Week! Which look was your favourite out of the six we styled? Which local designer is your favourite? Oh and go check out some exclusive behind the scenes footage thanks to Taz and don't forget to subscribe to his channel.

Photography by Taz Gardner unless otherwise stated
Hair by Francesco Agius Risiott at Hair & Beauty by Cher
Makeup Daniela Ebejer at Melita Health & Beauty using Shiseido
Location Talbot & Bons Boutique Bed & Breakfast, Gudja

MFWA2018 | Day 3 - Glamour All The Way | Maria Cutajar, Headpieces by Adalia, Herminas Reea & Gaetano

Monday was my first day attending the 2018 edition of Malta Fashion Week which is celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the Malta Fashion Awards.

I think I couldn't have picked a better first day to attend this year - we were left gobsmacked with all the beautiful, glamorous creations from 4 super talented designers. Read on to see what they had in store.

Maria Cutajar - Dejjem F'Qalbna

The first show of the night came in the form of a presentation courtesy of local designer Maria Cutajar, entitled Dejjem F'Qalbna (Always In Our Hearts). The collection was inspired by the works of the designer's grandfather who was a skilled craftsman and used to make miniatures of the traditional Maltese balconies. In fact, all the garments were in green or red with a touch of black - the traditional colours of the balconies. I loved the cuts and final execution of the garments in this collection, with my favourites being the ones in dark green. The presentation ended with Maltese singer Janice Mangion singing her hit song 'Kewkba' (Star). Mate Irsik was in charge of hair using TRESemme products while make-up was under Natasha Polidano's lead using Evagarden.

Photos by Steven Muliett

Photo by Go Raw Photography

Headpieces by Adalia - Peacock's Pride

Next was another presentation, this time in the form of luxurious and colourful headpieces by Adalia Bonnici. I was really looking forward to this show as I am a big fan of headpieces and I love spotting the most gorgeous ones at events From the collection's name, you can easily deduce that the headpieces are elaborate, and many feature beautiful jewel tones, much like a peacock. Here are my favourites. Hair was done by Narelle Fabri Opyrchal and her assistants using TRESemme and make-up was done by Karen Decelis and her team using Evagarden.

Photos by Justin Ciappara

Photos by Go Raw Photography

Herminas Reea - Butterfly Effect

Luxury. Confidence. Female Empowerment. These are the three key concepts on which the Butterfly Effect collection by Herminas Reea is based. This was one of the best shows from yesterday's evening. Each dress more beautiful than the one before it, the collection is the true embodiment of female confidence. Guaranteed show-stoppers! Hair was under supervision by Priscilla Mifsud Cini using TRESemme and make-up was done by Talitha Dimech and her assistants using Evagarden.

Photo by Steven Muliett

Gaetano - LEGACY

Finally, the most anticipated show of the evening - Gaetano's LEGACY. Guests were wating to be seated for this local glamour designer's show long before it was set to start and well, that is understandable considering the popularity this young designer enjoys. Gaetano in known for his ultra glamorous, daring gowns meant for the woman who is not afraid to be seen. Last night's collection, LEGACY has proved to be his best yet. Inspired by old Hollywood glamour and fashion icon legends, the collection features a lot of black dresses with touches of red and white and of course, sparkly numbers do not go amiss. The show wouldn't have been complete without the presence of local singers Claudia Faniello and Marilena Gauci and actress Taryn Mamo Cefai. Be sure to check out the LEGACY video which I was honoured to be part of - see if you can spot me ;)

Photos by Justin Ciappara

Gaetano, you truly outdid yourself once again!!! Bravu! Hair was done by Matthew and Roderick Castillo using TRESemme and make-up was done by Marlene Vassallo and her team using Evagarden.

Forbidden Voices - An event hosted by Maria Cutajar in aid of domestic violence victims

Domestic violence now ranks the second most frequent crime in Malta after theft, and it is no longer confined to being a domestic problem but rather as a problem that should be addressed and acted upon by society in general. Domestic violence is defined by the vast majority of people as physical abuse towards a woman where she is beaten black and blue mainly because of the perception that women are the weaker sex. Although that is the most common type of domestic violence, there are other aspects to this crime of which men and children can also be victims.

In this post, I am interviewing local fashion designer Maria Cutajar ahead of her upcoming event Forbidden Voices in aid of Kummissjoni Ejjew Għandi which helps rehabilitate victims of domestic violence. We will be focusing more on the local scenario rather than a European level as the proceeds from the event will be going towards a local organisation.

What do you classify as domestic violence?

For me, domestic violence is any type of violence that is verbally and physically hurting a person in the home environment.

What do you think is the most common form of domestic violence locally and what is in your opinion the underlying cause for the offender to commit the crime? Do you think that people coming from a low socio-economic background are more susceptible to domestic violence?

I think that the first kind of domestic violence that comes to mind is when a woman gets beaten up by her husband; and yes we have a lot of these cases in Malta. But as Mediterranean people, we have a lot of sense of humor which can lead us to being verbally abusive sometimes without knowing. Being violent can be the result of different causes and factors, such as drug and alcohol addiction, having a rough childhood or being neglected and unloved. I can never forgive any offender but I can I understand that maybe their situation has led them to hurt others through violence. Coming from a low socio-economic status doesn't make a difference - it's all about the upbringing of a person and life situations where pain that never healed manifests itself as aggression towards others.

A 2010 study on ‘The Prevalence of Domestic Violence Against Women’ conducted by The Commission on Domestic Violence shows that a quarter of the women interviewed, have been abused in one way or another. What do you make of this?

I think we can all admit to being sexually harassed at one point or another.  Typical scenario is walking or running in the morning trying to work out and minding our own businesses, but of course, we all had drivers passing by and cat calling us "aw koxxa", "aw sbejha" and believe me those are the more decent ones; we all heard worse. Of course this is not limited to Malta mind you, it happens all over the world. Well, men have to understand that it's not funny or sexy, and we have had enough of them! Another scenario of sexual harassment towards women is when it happens at the workplace, which I think is worse still because more often than not, we may not be in a position to do something about it. I have experienced it myself of having lower pay and also that I didn't always had the right to speak because I am a woman. These are simple cases of abuse of daily life and they are irritating and hurtful so you can all imagine how more hurtful it is when it is violence all out.

In a more recent statistical study published by the N.S.O. on the 7th March 2013, to mark the year’s dedication to end violence against women, it is stated that 77% of domestic violence victims were women. Do you reckon men can also be victims of domestic violence? What about children?

Well, this is another big issue. I think that awareness in general is quite low, and unfortunately, it is worse for men. Of course, men can be victims of domestic violence, especially of the verbal type which could be mentally and physically killing him. In my opinion, verbal violence can be much worse to because it affects a person for a long time. Unfortunately, a woman already finds it hard to speak up because she doesn't want anyone to know that she is weak, let alone a man. My suggestion is to offer a helping hand when you can and lend and ear to help victims speak up and never leave pride get in the way.

What do you think is the reason behind men refraining from reporting abuse?

Well, like I said before, I think pride is the main factor hindering men from admitting they are being domestically abused. 

Between 2009 and 2013, a total of 4102 cases have been reported. Do you think this is because there has been an increase in domestic violence or is it because victims are now plucking up the courage to report abuse?

I think more people are speaking up nowadays but also, one big question remains; how many of the reported cases were actually taken seriously and acted upon? My guess is that most of them are shockingly ignored!! For example, I think that the government should offer therapy sessions when a report is filed as a start, maybe it can be of help for a couple and maybe also the kids that find themselves in such a situation.

Do you think there is enough awareness on domestic violence? If not, what can be done to better the current situation?

I don't think there can ever be enough awareness on such a delicate matter but still, I think we are far from being fully aware of domestic violence, so I would say no, level of awareness is till very low. I have always believed in events for good causes and I for one, have done a lot of voluntary work. I think that I have finally found the cause which is most dear to me and that is of course, Domestic Violence. I plan to organize more events of the sort and will do my best to bring both my passions together - fashion and helping others,  to support Maltese associations Such as Kummissjoni Ejjew Għandi, that help people with domestic violence. Through 'Forbidden Voices', I want to bring the topic of domestic violence to light and maybe who knows, potential and existing offenders can seek therapy and ask for help. I really believe that all people can change and we all deserve second chances.

What services are offered locally to help the victims through the ordeal?

I'm not really sure as I have only been back in Malta for a few months but I intend to find out in time for another event in December.

Lastly, Forbidden Voices. What is the idea behind the event and what are the people attending to expect out of it?

Forbidden Voices is the first event of the sort for me, and my aim is to raise awareness about the topic of domestic violence first and foremost. Of course, part of the proceeds from the event will go towards Kummissjoni Ejjew Ghandi. Everyone is invited to join, Let your presence be the voice for the voiceless!