The Malta Fashion Awards recently celebrated the brightest talents in the local fashion industry, with a special spotlight on new and emerging designers. Among the highlights of the evening was the Local New and Up and Coming Fashion Designer category, where MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts alumni and final year degree students showcased their innovative and skillfully crafted collections.

The nominees for the prestigious award included MCAST Fashion Bachelor’s degree alumni Yentil Cuschieri and Gabriel Grima and final year students Mirianna Ciappara, Radina Dimitrova, Isaac Fenech, Gabriel Grima, and Nicolai Sciuto. Each designer presented their unique graduate collections, reflecting months of dedication and creative effort. The top honour was awarded to Isaac Fenech, whose collection impressed the judges with its strong concept and meticulous craftsmanship.

The Malta Fashion Week offered an invaluable platform for budding designers to enter this year’s New and Up and Coming Fashion Designer award. Participants had to present collections that met high-quality standards, concept strength, and garment craftsmanship to qualify. The rigorous selection process ensured that only the most promising talents were highlighted.

Image: Design by Gabriel Grima and photo by Brian Grech.

Preparing for this prestigious event required months of relentless work. MCAST ICA students dedicated hours to perfecting their collections, aiming to showcase the culmination of their skills, experiences, and education at the College. Their hard work and their lecturers’ mentorship paid off as they confidently displayed their creations on the runway.

Participating in Malta Fashion Week gave students a crucial real-life fashion show experience, enhancing their preparedness for future independent shows. The exposure also led to practical benefits, with some students receiving customer orders for their garments. This experience showcased their talent and demonstrated the commercial viability of their designs, giving a promising outlook for their future careers.  Their journey exemplifies the dedication and passion required to succeed in the competitive fashion world. Courses at MCAST focus on the practical element and preparedness for the world of employment.

Presenting the award, the Malta Fashion Week Executive Producer Adrian J Mizzi said, “The students are the future of fashion design in Malta, and these students have decided to make fashion design their career of choice.”

Image: Design by Isaac Fenech and photo by Brian Grech.

Isaac Fenech shared valuable advice for those considering continuing their studies in fashion design at MCAST, “The key is to truly commit yourself to what you want to do and do everything in your power to gather as much knowledge as possible, whether it’s through apprenticeships, research, or experimentation.”

The Malta Fashion Awards have once again highlighted the remarkable talent emerging from MCAST ICA, reinforcing the institution’s reputation as a nurturing ground for future fashion leaders. MCAST students’ success in winning the New and Up and Coming Fashion Designer award is a testament to their talent, hard work, and a source of pride for the entire College community.

 

MCAST offers courses in Fashion at advanced diploma level (Level 4) and bachelor’s degree (Level 6). Applications for courses starting in October open on 15 July.