Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1523932
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JULY 2024 7 COMMERCIAL MCAST student wins new up and coming Fashion Designer Award THE Malta Fashion Awards re- cently celebrated the brightest talents in the local fashion in- dustry, with a special spotlight on new and emerging designers. Among the highlights of the evening was the Local New and Up and Coming Fashion Design- er category, where MCAST Insti- tute for the Creative Arts alumni and final year degree students showcased their innovative and skillfully crafted collections. The nominees for the prestig- ious award included MCAST Fashion Bachelor's degree alum- ni Yentil Cuschieri and Gabriel Grima and final year students Mirianna Ciappara, Radina Dim- itrova, Isaac Fenech, Gabriel Grima, and Nicolai Sciuto. Each designer presented their unique graduate collections, reflecting months of dedication and crea- tive effort. The top honour was awarded to Isaac Fenech, whose collection impressed the judges with its strong concept and me- ticulous craftsmanship. The Malta Fashion Week of- fered an invaluable platform for budding designers to enter this year's New and Up and Coming Fashion Designer award. Partic- ipants had to present collections that met high-quality standards, concept strength, and garment craftsmanship to qualify. The rigorous selection process en- sured that only the most promis- ing talents were highlighted. Preparing for this prestigious event required months of re- lentless work. MCAST ICA stu- dents dedicated hours to per- fecting their collections, aiming to showcase the culmination of their skills, experiences, and education at the College. Their hard work and their lecturers' mentorship paid off as they con- fidently displayed their creations on the runway. Participating in Malta Fashion Week gave students a crucial re- al-life fashion show experience, enhancing their preparedness for future independent shows. The exposure also led to practi- cal benefits, with some students receiving customer orders for their garments. This experi- ence showcased their talent and demonstrated the commercial viability of their designs, giving a promising outlook for their future careers. Their journey exemplifies the dedication and passion required to succeed in the competitive fashion world. Courses at MCAST focus on the practical element and prepar- edness for the world of employ- ment. 'The students are the future of fashion design in Malta', 'And these students have decided to make fashion design their career of choice'. The Malta Fashion Awards have once again highlighted the remarkable talent emerging from MCAST ICA, reinforcing the in- stitution's reputation as a nur- turing ground for future fashion leaders. MCAST students' suc- cess in winning the New and Up and Coming Fashion Designer award is a testament to their tal- ent, hard work, and a source of pride for the entire College com- munity. Fidem Foundation hosts graduation for its skill up education course participants FIDEM FOUNDATION this evening hosted the formal graduation ceremo- ny for a group of 13 adult women who have just completed the NGO's first ever Skill Up education programme. Launched in summer 2023, the 12-month free course was specifically designed to help women bridge the ed- ucation gap and empower them by giv- ing them a definitive first push towards self-improvement. The course was generously support- ed by Atlas Insurance Community In- volvement Fund and covered English, leading to an MQF Level 3 certification (equivalent to an O'level), computer literacy and basic life and soft skills such as cooking and nutrition, mind- fulness, money coaching, yoga, dance, theatre and self-defence. Fidem Foundation not only provided the course programme and all mate- rials for free, but also organised free transport to and from the Dominican Priory in Rabat where the lessons were The women were almost all Maltese with ages varying from mid-20s to over 50. Some attended the course because they wanted to improve their English to increase their employment opportu- nities, while others because they never had the chance to finish their school- ing properly because of difficulties at home. Two participants continued attending lessons even during their pregnancy, with one of them returning to class after giving birth bringing her baby with her. The support for these women does not end here as Fidem will continue to mentor them as they find their way in life. Catherine Calleja, Executive Director and Chair of the Atlas Insurance Com- munity Involvement Committee said: "On behalf of Atlas, we are incredibly proud to witness the wonderful results of this initiative. Our support for the Skill Up programme fulfils our com- mitment to take action towards two key Sustainable Development Goals which revolve around inclusive and good quality education as well as gen- der equality and women's empower- ment. As the first programme comes to an end, we congratulate all the gradu- ates on their hard work. I would also like to thank all the dedicated individu- als at Fidem and volunteers from Team Atlas who have made this programme a true success." In autumn, Fidem will be starting the second Skill Up programme while con- tinuing to support, assist and mentor vulnerable women through its Educate to Empower programme. Applications for the second Skill Up programme will open shortly. Special offer on Unit Linked Personal Pension Plans from BOV and MAPFRE MSV Life BANK of Valletta is pleased to announce a special limited-time offer on unit- linked personal pension plans in collab- oration with MAPFRE MSV Life. Bank customers who sign up for a new MAP- FRE MSV Life Unit-Linked Personal Pension Plan from any one of the Bank's outlets will receive a one-time top-up of €175 when the pension plan is set up and the first premium is paid. The extremely positive response that the Bank received last year to a similar offer prompted the renewal of this in- centive, as customers continue to em- brace the importance of planning ahead for a more comfortable retirement. The MAPFRE MSV Life Unit-Linked Personal Pension Plan provides essen- tial long-term savings with additional tax benefits. Policyholders may be eligi- ble for a tax credit of 25% on contribu- tions, up to a maximum of €750 annu- ally. In addition, policyholders may opt to receive up to 30% of the retirement account, tax-free at the time they start receiving the Retirement Benefits. This offer is valid until the 30th of Septem- ber 2024. This is a limited-time offer and MAPFRE MSV Life reserves the right to close this offer earlier. Further information about this lim- ited-time offer may be obtained from MAPFRE MSV Life Unit-Linked Person- al Pension Plan (bov.com). To schedule an appointment at a BOV branch or In- vestment Centre, customers can visit the Bank's website on https://www.bov.com/ assistants/set-an-appointment, send an email to bancassurance@bov.com or call 2275 1627.