Renowned local designers Charles and Ron Van Maarschalkerweerd Borg, the creative minds behind the fashion label Charles & Ron, have donated a dress made for the prestigious Commonwealth Fashion Exchange to the national collection. Charles and Ron were recently invited to the Inquisitor’s Palace, where they explored the national costumes and textiles collection, gaining insight into Malta’s rich cultural history. Following this, the designers visited Heritage Malta’s textile conservation laboratory at the agency’s head office in Bighi, Kalkara.
Guided by the conservation team, they were given an exclusive tour of the state-of-the-art facility, which preserves and restores Malta’s textile heritage. The donated dress, an exquisite piece designed for the 2017 Commonwealth Fashion Exchange, symbolises the unity and creative prowess of designers across the Commonwealth’s 53 countries. Made from Woolmark-certified wool crepe, the dress features a full, floor-length skirt with appliqué Maltese door knockers beaded and embellished by Mumbai-based designer Khushboo.
The coordinating blouse features Maltese lace, and the ensemble is completed with a hand-tooled leather belt. The piece is also listed on Google Arts & Culture, a platform which features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives: https:// artsandculture.google.
com /story/DwXhEd4ajOMqJg. Charles and Ron said they were honoured to donate the dress to Heritage Malta, knowing that it will be expertly ta.
