The old and scenic town of Rabat, with its many high-walled streets and fascinating facades, has welcomed a new shop in its midst. With a yellow and black shopfront and a lovely display visible from the street, this one is hard to miss if you’re visiting the historic town.

Known for her textile designs inspired by a range of influences, including the Mediterranean region which she hails from, local designer Sef Farrugia’s collection of accessories, homeware and soft furnishings includes silk scarves, bowties, lavender-scented eye masks and cushions, all in her distinctive, self-designed prints, using a range of fabrics, including silk satin and organic cotton.

Sef Farrugia studied fashion, art and design in Malta and the UK, and kicked off her label locally in 2012 with a striking clothing collection called Casa Azul. Soon after, she ventured into accessories with a collection of silk scarves and bowties. Despite offering a bespoke clothing service, Sef tells me that she hopes to launch another clothing collection in the near future once her new Rabat shop – which opened late last year but was officially launched yesterday – comes into its own.

The shopfront should be enough to lure you in – housed within a converted old building which was previously a clothing boutique, the interior is tastefully-designed and showcases the local artisan’s work beautifully.

Finding the shop might take a bit of exploring, but that’s part of the fun of walking around Rabat in the first place! If you’re arriving to the town by bus, hop off near the Domus Romana, a fascinating Roman Villa, and walk in through St Paul’s Street (past the famous pastizzi place, Is-Serkin), which is dotted with beautiful buildings. Located on Republic Street (which is not easily identifiable on Google maps, I warn you!), you’ll need to take a few left and right turns to get there, but the friendly locals will be more than happy to show you the way.