Isaac Fenech, a final-year student at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts, won the top honour in the Local New and Up-and-Coming Fashion Designer category at the Malta Fashion Awards held last weekend.

The nominees for the category also included MCAST Fashion Bachelor’s degree alumni Yentil Cuschieri and Gabriel Grima, and final-year students Mirianna Ciappara, Radina Dimitrova, Gabriel Grima and Nicolai Sciuto.

Each designer presented their unique graduate collections, reflecting months of dedication and creative effort. Fenech’s collection impressed the judges the most with its strong concept and meticulous craftsmanship.

A design by Isaac Fenech. Photo: Brian Grech

The Malta Fashion Week offered an invaluable platform for these budding designers. 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.

Preparing for the 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.

The students are the future of fashion design in Malta

Participating in Malta Fashion Week also gave students a 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.

Presenting the award, 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.”

A design by Gabriel Grima. Photo: Brian Grech