A Trio of Vessels represents the Maltese Archipelago through three hand-built stoneware vessels incorporating locally sourced natural and vintage textures. Malta, the largest, has a hammered metallic exterior reflecting strength, wealth, and its history as a meeting point of cultures. Gozo combines earthy hues with Mediterranean blues and textures recalling traditional cotton crochet, village values and family bonds. Comino pays homage to the cobalt waters of the Blue Lagoon and Santa Marija Bay. Together, Jane’s vessels explore the idea of islands connected through people, movement and maritime history.

Inspired by sea journeys and vessels once used to carry sustenance across open waters, Se-rum-pun – which in Malay is used to describe close relations in some way similar – explores personal memory and tactile connection. Aida blended slips collected from different parts of Singapore to express the raw materiality of place, combining them with gradations of glaze. Its form centres on the Kendi, a traditional Asian water vessel, while Xwejni Bay in Gozo inspires its surface textures, bringing together references from Singapore and Malta. The work reflects Aida’s interest in place, material and the connections created through travel and exchange.

Jane Birchall is an award-winning artist working in sculptural ceramics and acrylic on canvas. Inspired by Gozo, her work reflects the island’s coastline and rural landscapes while exploring environmental fragility and the impact of development.

Aida binte Khalid is a design educator, architect and ceramic artist whose practice draws on Asian artistic identity, architecture and everyday life. Combining architectural influences with sculptural forms, her work explores form, materiality and texture, drawing inspiration from travel, memory, cultural heritage and the genius loci of place.

Supported by the Malta Crafts Foundation and Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore, the collaboration explores the cultural connections between two island nations shaped by maritime trade and diverse influences, with the artists responding to a shared theme through their own perspectives and ceramic traditions, creating a dialogue between Malta and Singapore.

The fashion collection began with a reflection on duality and the opposing possibilities encountered in contemporary life. Students explored the theme through experimentation and play, developing individual interpretations through silhouette, texture, construction and narratives informed by cultural, historical and social references. These ideas were brought to life through techniques including leather crafting, felting, digital fabric printing, metal embossing, hand dyeing and traditional fabric manipulation. The resulting works bring concept, material and craftsmanship together, demonstrating the diverse ways in which a shared theme can be interpreted through fashion and textile design.

Second-year students from the Advanced Diploma in Fashion and Retail at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts are showcasing their final projects, marking the culmination of two years of study in fashion illustration, textile design, pattern drafting, garment construction and fashion retail. Developed through research, experimentation and hands-on making, the projects reflect each student’s individual creative direction while demonstrating the technical and conceptual skills developed throughout the course. Their collective participation highlights MCAST’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent, encouraging creative confidence and bridging education with real-world experience in the fashion and creative industries.

Students exhibiting are Aiden Mirabile, Aita Jahja, Chanel Hawkins, Eve Elizabeth Cassar, Jessica Wagner, Sakana Bajada, Serhii Stanevych, Shaydon Aguis, Tamara Schembri and Veronika Kravchuk.

Luke collaborates with master goldsmith Mark in an ongoing commitment to preserving and renewing Maltese filigree. The resulting tiaras reimagine this increasingly rare technique as sculptural contemporary objects, allowing the delicacy of filigree to become their central expression. Handcrafted in sterling silver with gold plating and finished with natural smoky quartz and seed pearls, the pieces bring together contemporary design and artisanal mastery, celebrating the skill required to produce filigree while demonstrating how a historic Maltese craft can remain relevant today. This collaboration was awarded under Category 2 of the Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti 2024.

Luke Azzopardi Studio approaches fashion as an art object, drawing on creative director Luke Azzopardi’s academic background in costume history. The studio combines research, artisanal design and visual narratives, championing concept-based fashion and the traditions of the couture atelier while exploring their place within contemporary design.

Mark Borg is an award-winning Maltese filigree artist and goldsmith with over 25 years of experience. His practice combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary expression, exploring movement, innovation and the possibilities of filigree while remaining rooted in Malta’s artisanal heritage. His creations have received national and international recognition.

Identità is a personal work capturing a moment of self-awareness. Conceived during a period of uncertainty and introspection, the piece departs from Becky’s usual design language in favour of a more restrained and mindful tone. It reveals a serious and pensive side of her practice while recognising both technical and personal growth. Ultimately, Identità reinforces a simple but essential realisation: shoemaking should not become a source of stress, but remain an extension of self — an act rooted in intention, authenticity and creative expression.

Rebecca Grech is a Maltese shoe designer, researcher and Senior Lecturer at MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts. With a background in product design and a Master’s in Industrial Design, she has developed over a decade of self-directed practice in shoemaking, combining traditional techniques with experimental material exploration. She founded BX Design Malta, where she teaches and promotes the preservation of artisanal shoemaking. Her work has been recognised through the Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti and an EPALE Award for the preservation of crafts. Her practice bridges making, research and education.

Tesori del Mare presents high-jewellery works in which the marine world takes form through gold, Sardinian coral, aquamarine and diamonds. Multiple strands of coral form the necklace, centred on a sculptural composition inspired by the Mediterranean seabed, with corals, shells and marine creatures modelled in gold. Aquamarine and diamonds introduce points of light throughout the composition. The accompanying earrings echo the same forms and materials. Together, Carlo’s pieces form a richly detailed ensemble celebrating the colours, forms and mysteries of the sea through traditional Sicilian jewellery craftsmanship.

Carlo Izzo has worked as an artisan since 1984, creating hand-forged sculptural jewellery together with his children using techniques rooted in Sicilian tradition. Gold, precious stones and coral are transformed into works inspired by Sicily, Baroque culture and the mysteries of the seabed. Carlo has developed and preserved this artisanal knowledge over decades and now shares it across generations, creating distinctive pieces deeply connected to their origins. His works have been selected and worn by royalty, actors and directors, and exhibited in galleries around the world.

Gioie 1978’s jewellery combines Italian craftsmanship with a refined contemporary design language. Each piece is handcrafted using Swarovski® crystals, Murano glass and carefully selected natural stones, brought together through traditional techniques including the delicate application of gold and silver leaf. The collection reflects the brand’s emphasis on meticulous craftsmanship, material quality and distinctive combinations of colour and texture. Through this dialogue between heritage and contemporary design, familiar materials are transformed into wearable pieces that celebrate the enduring character of Made in Italy.

Founded in Milan in the winter of 1978, Gioie 1978 began with vases and art objects, already characterised by the care and precision of traditional craftsmanship. Over the years, this expertise evolved towards jewellery, transforming materials into sculptures to be worn. Today, that legacy continues through creations in which tradition and innovation meet, shaped by the same commitment to craftsmanship and timeless mastery that has defined the brand since its beginnings.

The Opuntia Project – The Coffee Table explores sustainable, multifunctional furniture through a locally crafted piece designed for contemporary living. Christian and Owen combine craftsmanship with modern materials and technology, using bent steel, veneered wood and environmentally conscious surfaces. A discreet wireless charging element is incorporated through a rotating leather pad, integrating technology without compromising the overall form. Conceived as a market-ready product, the table brings together sustainability, functionality and craftsmanship within a contemporary design. This collaboration was awarded under Category 2 of the Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti 2024.

Christian Bezzina is a metalwork artisan from Medina Steels, bringing specialist knowledge of steel fabrication and craftsmanship to collaborative design projects. His practice combines traditional making skills with contemporary fabrication methods, contributing the technical expertise required to translate design concepts into carefully resolved, functional objects.

Owen Axisa is an interior designer with over 25 years of experience, working on major projects in Malta and internationally. His portfolio includes government projects, hotels, restaurants, retail spaces and private residences. Passionate about design, form and functionality, Owen draws inspiration from nature, creating distinctive, thoughtful and timeless environments that combine creativity, character and purpose.

Ménis and TEFZA reinterpret the architectural heritage of Djerba through contemporary leather craftsmanship. Ménis takes inspiration from traditional Houch architecture, translating its geometric forms into a structured silhouette and distinctive circular handle. TEFZA, from JOWA’s Pillar collection, draws its form from the exterior pillars of traditional Djerba houses. Both pieces balance cultural references with contemporary functionality, transforming recognisable architectural elements into elegant accessories. Together, they reflect Jihène’s approach to design: preserving the identity and visual language of Tunisian heritage while reinterpreting it for a contemporary context.

Jihène Bouzguine is a Tunisian entrepreneur, international business leader and founder of JOWA, a luxury leather brand rooted in African craftsmanship and contemporary design. Following more than 15 years in multinational companies across the high-tech and FMCG sectors, she transitioned into entrepreneurship with a focus on purpose, identity and impact. Through JOWA, Jihène seeks to redefine luxury as an emotional and cultural experience, combining bespoke creation, responsible elegance and living heritage. Her work has represented Tunisia internationally, while her broader mission is to elevate African craftsmanship and demonstrate its place within global luxury.