Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1523735
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 JULY 2024 NEWS MCAST student wins New Up and Coming Fashion Designer Award THE Malta Fashion Awards recently celebrated the brightest talents in the lo- cal 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 stu- dents showcased their inno- vative and skillfully crafted collections. The nominees for the prestigious award included MCAST Fashion Bachelor's degree alumni Yentil Cus- chieri and Gabriel Grima and final year students Mirianna Ciappara, Radina Dimitrova, Isaac Fenech, Gabriel Gri- ma, and Nicolai Sciuto. Each designer presented their unique graduate collections, reflecting months of dedica- tion and creative effort. The top honour was awarded to Isaac Fenech, whose collec- tion impressed the judges with its strong concept and meticulous craftsmanship. The Malta Fashion Week offered an invaluable plat- form for budding designers to enter this year's New and Up and Coming Fashion De- signer award. Participants had to present collections that met high-quality stand- ards, concept strength, and garment craftsmanship to qualify. The rigorous selec- tion process ensured that only the most promising tal- ents were highlighted. Preparing for this prestig- ious event required months of relentless work. MCAST ICA students dedicated hours to perfecting their collections, aiming to show- case the culmination of their skills, experiences, and edu- cation at the College. Their hard work and their lectur- ers' mentorship paid off as they confidently displayed their creations on the run- way. Participating in Malta Fashion Week gave students a crucial real-life fashion show experience, enhancing their preparedness for future independent shows. The ex- posure also led to practical benefits, with some students receiving customer orders for their garments. This ex- perience showcased their talent and demonstrated the commercial viability of their designs, giving a promising outlook for their future ca- reers. Their journey exem- plifies the dedication and passion required to succeed in the competitive fashion world. Courses at MCAST focus on the practical ele- ment and preparedness for the world of employment. Presenting the award, the Malta Fashion Week Execu- tive Producer Adrian J Mizzi said, "The students are the future of fashion design in Malta, and these students have decided to make fash- ion design their career of choice." Isaac Fenech shared valu- able advice for those con- sidering 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 possi- ble, whether it's through ap- prenticeships, research, or experimentation." 'The students are the future of fashion design in Malta', 'And these students have de- cided to make fashion design their career of choice'. The Malta Fashion Awards have once again highlight- ed the remarkable talent emerging from MCAST ICA, reinforcing the in- stitution's reputation as a nurturing ground for future fashion leaders. MCAST students' success in winning the New and Up and Com- ing 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 diplo- ma level (Level 4) and bache- lor's degree (Level 6). Appli- cations for courses starting in October open on 15 July. Isaac Fenech winner of the Award Design by Gabriel Grima photo by Brain Grech Image 2: Design by Isaac Fenech and photo by Brain Grech