Once a year, Malta’s capital city becomes a destination for all things fashion. From fashion shows to fashion parties, Valletta is awash with beautiful people and beautiful clothes.

At the centre of all this activity is Adrian Mizzi, the founder of Malta Fashion Week – a man who many might have thought mad when he first conjured up the idea for the Malta Fashion Awards back in 1998. And as these rare photos show, things were a lot different back then!

“My memories of the first Malta Fashion Awards?” Adrian repeats my question back to me. “Well, my weight plummeted to 45kg, so that might give you some insight into how stressed I was! But, I wanted to create an event related to the local fashion scene that would go viral. My target was very clear, even though the resources at hand were limited and everyone around me was skeptical about my dream, that’s what I wanted to do.”

So, the first Fashion Awards took place at a Bugibba hotel in March 1998, after two years of careful planning. Back then, Adrian recalls that there was very little to showcase when it came to local fashion, as there was barely an industry to speak of. But he was resolute that it was worth fighting for – so he fought, with no sponsors, no budget, no manpower (and very little sleep).

Today, Adrian says it’s clear that the local fashion industry has come on in leaps and bounds. “Look at how many fashion outlets there are out there, even though many of them are imported. We have a long way to go as I would love to see more local brands in prime locations, but we also need to look at how far we’ve come.”

And while it’s impossible to say how much of that was down to the Malta Fashion Awards – and the subsequent Malta Fashion Week that was introduced eight years go – I can’t help but think it did play a significant role – and the standards of the events today are absolutely fantastic.

Meanwhile, it’s fun to look back at the first ever awards, smile at the bygone style, and look forward to the up-coming jam-packed week of events that is Malta Fashion Week 2018.

Unmissable MFW2018

Parascandalo
27th May, 9pm, Fort St Elmo
As one of the top local fashion designers of the moment, this is an opportunity to see Maltese fashion on the catwalk. This year is set to mark a new chapter in the Parascandalo story, and the designer plans to commemorate it with a collection simply entitled: S.T.A.R.

Carla Grima
29th May, 8:30pm, Fort St Elmo
Known for her day-dreamy designs, talented designer Carla Grima’s collection will doubtlessly take Malta Fashion Week by storm. From the rich orange hues of Maltese citrus fruits to the serene tones of green banana leaves, this is a story of summer obsession.

Gagliardi
1st June, 7:30pm, Fort St Elmo
This Malta-born gentlemen’s brand may have gone international, but it’s stayed true to its local roots. There’s a little bit of Malta in everything Gagliardi does, but for this season (AW18) the collection hopes to transport you to one of the most beautiful places in the world – Milan.

The Malta Fashion Awards
2nd June, 7pm, Fort St Elmo
Everything in Malta Fashion Week leads up to this moment – when another set of designers, models, bloggers, hair stylists and make-up artists are crowned the best in their field. And apart from handing out these much-coveted awards, the event will include spectacular hair shows, fashion shows by local and international designers, and the popular after-party.