New fashion brand Ghost Venom, the brainchild of up-and-coming young designer John Peel, is launching with a VIP event at Toy Room in St Julian’s on Friday. The first collection is inspired by the fantasy worlds of 1980s retro-futurism, punk music’s do-it-yourself ethos, rounded up by a touch of 2024 futurism.
Peel’s earliest inspiration came from his Swiss mother and Maltese father, who created a beautiful fancy dress costume for him to wear every carnival. He went on to develop an interest in cosplay, the Japanese phenomenon where people dress up as their favourite cartoon and video game characters, that has spread around the world thanks to the rise of online gaming.
The first seeds of the Ghost Venom brand can be traced back to Peel’s successful participation in Comic Con festivals, where his Mandalorian, Metal Gear Solid and Cyberpunk 2077 costumes won him prizes, praise and invitations to be on the judging panels of various cosplay events both locally and abroad.
This success convinced Peel to take the plunge and he signed up for lessons in sewing and fashion, leaving behind a career in IT to dedicate himself entirely to his creative muse.
“I wish to offer my customers a comfortable, attractive and unique wardrobe for all occasions, with clothes lovingly created for those who wish to add a touch of colourful difference to their look. The Ghost Venom brand is primarily aimed at ages 25-45, though anyone who has an affinity with Cyberpunk will surely be struck by my designs, whatever their age,” explains the 32-year-old creative.
Peel believes that his futuristic designs will strike a chord among all genders, and he aims to market his brand internationally, believing that positive word will spread quickly among the online gaming community.
Meanwhile, he is looking forward to the launch event at Malta’s clubbing hub, Toy Room. The event, to be hosted by Colin Fitz, will also feature the participation of Manzoni Fashion School students and will be followed by a night of electronic dance music. It will be supported by Jagermeister, Inner Circle, Modelle International and Schere Complex.
Tickets to the Ghost Venom fashion event are available from showshappening.com. Ghost Venom is on Facebook and Instagram