A high-profile fashion show, which will feature some of Italy’s finest designers, is to be held on 15 July at Manoel Island.

The show will be broadcast by popular fashion channel TV Moda.

TV Moda presenter Jo Squillo, who was in Malta yesterday, said the publicity that will be generated as a result of the show would put Malta on the map along with other fashion capitals of the world.

“With its rich history and culture, Malta has the potential to become a fashion capital of the world,” she added.

TV Moda is broadcast around-the-clock on satellite and is aired weekly on Rete 4. The channel is watched by millions of people in over 40 countries.

The fashion show is being held following an agreement between Renaissance Productions Ltd and the fashion channel.

The fashion show will be presented by Jo Squillo herself and will be covered by some of Italy’s top fashion journalists.

TV Moda, which will be the artistic and technical producer of the show, will also record and screen the 120-minute Malta International Fashion Show on their 24-hour satellite fashion channel.

In the weeks before the event, TV Moda will air 500 30-second promotional spots about Malta.

On Saturday, TV Moda will feature a 60-minute special feature on Malta as a tourist destination, said Renaissance Production Ltd director Anton Tabone. The programme will be aired after the evening news on Rete 4 at 7.40pm.

Thirty top international female models will be wearing the latest designs by Italy’s top houses, including Giorgio Armani, Versace, Valentino, Gianfranco Ferre’, Salvatore Ferragamo, Laura Biaggotti, Blumarine, Cerruti, La Perla and Roberto Cavalli.

Local fashion house Beatrix by Charles and Ron will be modelling their own creations and five of Malta’s top models will be participating in the event.

“Sites like Manoel Island are venues for international events and they greatly help to promote Malta as a tourist location,” Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.

Dr Zammit Dimech pointed out that Manoel Island had the added advantage of offering Valletta as a backdrop to the fashion show.

Malta needs to focus on quality over quantity, said Malta Tourism Authority executive chairman Romwald Lungaro Mifsud.

The Italian production house Futura has also been engaged by Renaissance Productions Ltd to broadcast excerpts from the fashion programme on Rai 1, Sky TV, and La 7.

“Not only do these events offer the Maltese and Gozitan public the opportunity to participate in stylish productions, but they also contribute towards our tourism industry and its promotion all over the world,” said Dr Zammit Dimech.