Saima Murtaza

Saima Murtaza is an art enthusiast and Master’s graduate in Fine Arts, specializing in metallic and sustainable art. Her work preserves cultural heritage by transforming traditional craftsmanship into meaningful, handcrafted sculptures and souvenirs. Honouring the hands that pass down artisanal skills, she incorporates sustainable materials and vintage patterns into her distinctive creations. Saima believes the future of art lies in blending heritage with contemporary forms, producing works that are simultaneously timeless and innovative, reflecting a deep commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and the evolution of traditional artistic practices.

Boryana Chaneva and Silvia Galova

Boryana Chaneva and Silvia Galova are jewellery designers and silversmiths who, alongside other artists, form The Filigree Connection, a collective dedicated to presenting filigree in a contemporary context while safeguarding its traditional techniques. Boryana draws inspiration from textile crafts such as knitting, crochet, and embroidery, translating their intricate patterns into silver filigree jewellery. Silvia explores traditional metal crafting techniques, pushing their limits in innovative, contemporary designs. Together, their collections, including pieces created for Milan Jewellery Week 2022, blend texture, colour, geometry, and folkloristic influences, making heritage techniques appealing to modern audiences.

James Dimech

James Dimech has been professionally involved in design for 30 years, with vast experience ranging from residential to commercial property interior design and architecture. Artistically inclined, he achieved a BA Hons in Design and further specialized in Italy, which led to a successful debut into the world of fashion design, creating garments from recycled and sustainable materials. His work focuses on the incorporation of three-dimensional sculptural forms into fashion, exploring the dialogue between the organic human body and geometric structures handcrafted through paper folding techniques.

Charles and Dorothy Cordina

Charles and Dorothy Cordina are husband and wife and are the faces behind Lucentini. Charles takes care of the creation, the art and design of the Lucentini, while Dorothy handles the operation of the business. They both come from a business background, so they thrive to see that their Lucentini succeed. Coming from their cultural upbringing, the love for their heritage background, and business intuition, they take inspiration from what they see around them and what makes them Maltese in order to create the Lucentini.

Mary Ann Attard

Mary Ann Attard is a Maltese designer with a background in product design from Edinburgh College of Art. Her work explores everyday habits, material qualities, and the balance between form and function. Since returning to Malta in 2010, she has worked as a graphic designer while pursuing her creative practice, exhibiting locally and internationally, including Designersblock London and a solo show in Valletta. Awarded 2nd Prize in the D&AD Yellow Pencil Vitra Furniture Award, she now works under Xineza Studio, focusing on cement-based sculptural pieces that investigate colour, texture, and material transformation.

Zelda Designs

Zelda Designs is a Maltese brand creating handwoven textile jewellery and accessories for the contemporary woman. Rooted in a late-blooming personal journey, the brand emerged from a deep need for self-expression and connection. Each piece blends traditional craftsmanship with modern design, honouring heritage while embracing individuality. With a focus on slow fashion, Zelda Designs encourages mindful buying – fewer, meaningful pieces that last. Innovation and sustainability guide every collection, including Art to Wear and Divina, which reimagine vintage textile traditions into bold, wearable art. This work is about beauty, memory, and becoming — one thread, one story, one piece at a time.

Charles & Ron

Charles & Ron is a contemporary Maltese lifestyle brand known for its distinct Mediterranean flair. Founded by Charles van Maarschalkerweerd Borg, a self-taught couture maker from a family of seamstresses, and his partner Ron van Maarschalkerweerd Borg, the duo has been shaping Malta’s fashion scene for over 30 years. Their collections, blending Mediterranean motifs with a timeless aesthetic, have been worn by global stars such as Ariana Grande, Alessandra Ambrosio, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Rowland, Lauryn Hill, and many others. In 2018, their couture was featured at Buckingham Palace’s Commonwealth Fashion Exchange, alongside designers such as Stella McCartney and Burberry.