Heritage Malta, in collaboration with fashion designers Charles & Ron, has launched a fashion exhibition inspired by the tapestries of the Grand Master's Palace.
The exhibition, titled Inspired by History: From Tapestries to Contemporary Fashion, features six gowns displayed in the corridor leading to the palace's Tapestry Chamber. Both the tapestries and the chamber have recently undergone restoration. Charles & Ron have generously donated one of the gowns to Heritage Malta, where it will become part of the national textile collection under the agency's care.
The exhibited gowns form part of Charles & Ron's GIOIA collection, created for the Fall/Winter 2021/22 season. The collection draws inspiration from the Grand Master's Palace tapestries, which formed part of the gioia of Grand Master Ramon Perellos - his gift to the Order of St John upon his appointment.
Due to restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the collection was never presented publicly. This year - as Heritage Malta celebrates both the return of the tapestries from Belgium, where they were restored, and the completion of the restoration of the Tapestry Chamber - an ideal opportunity arose for Heritage Malta and Charles & Ron to collaborate on this exhibition. The partnership also included a fashion show in one of the corridors of the Grand Master's Palace, during which the complete GIOIA collection was presented.
The exhibition, which will run until the end of August, celebrates the rich imagery of the exotic flora and fauna woven into the historic tapestries while offering fresh interpretations of three particular scenes depicted within them. In doing so, the designers have bridged past and present, creating visuals that are both rooted in heritage and strikingly contemporary.
The gown that will remain within the national textile collection is inspired by the tapestry scene known as The Striped Horse. It is a hand-beaded and hand-embroidered evening gown featuring long sleeves, a funnel neckline, and a figure-hugging silhouette that gently flares towards the hem. Its colour palette offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the original tapestry tones. The original forest-green tones have been digitally manipulated and translated into rich shades of pink, creating a modern visual dialogue between historic textile art and contemporary fashion design.
During the inauguration of the exhibition and the presentation of the donated gown, Heritage Malta's Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, stated that this is the second time in just a few years that Charles & Ron have made a donation to the national collection. He thanked them sincerely, noting that such gifts are a vote of confidence that strengthens Heritage Malta's determination to continue fulfilling its mission for the benefit of the nation's heritage.
He added that the exhibition is a perfect and practical example of the message Heritage Malta seeks to convey when it states that our heritage is alive. "When we say this, we mean that in a world that is constantly and rapidly changing, our heritage reminds us of who we are and where we come from, while offering us a bridge of continuity into the future. We also mean that it is people who bring historic sites, palaces and museums to life. Charles & Ron succeeded in demonstrating all of this when their models wore history," said Noel Zammit.