Heritage Malta has unveiled a striking new capsule exhibition in collaboration with Azzopardi Studio, blending the elegance of contemporary fashion with the depth of Malta’s textile heritage. 

Titled “Couture and Spectacle”, the exhibition is now open at the Inquisitor’s Palace, inviting visitors into a space where art, history, and design intersect.

At the heart of the display are four couture gowns created by Azzopardi Studio, presented alongside a remarkable piece from Malta’s national textiles collection, a mid-20th-century evening gown by American designer Will Steinman. This original blue tulle and taffeta dress, once owned by Mrs Peggy Mamo née Edmonson, was generously donated by Mrs Claire Pisani née Hughes, in honour of her aunt-in-law Peggy.

The exhibition transforms the historic palace into a dreamscape inspired by theatre, where historical garments are reimagined through the lens of contemporary couture. The four new gowns pay homage to the Steinman piece, drawing from Art Deco geometry, alchemical symbolism, and celestial motifs from tarot iconography. The result is a bold, poetic conversation between the past and present, fashion as both artefact and performance.

“Couture and Spectacle” doesn’t just revisit history; it challenges the boundaries of costume and couture, tradition and modernity. It positions fashion as a living, breathing art form, deeply rooted in cultural memory but alive with fresh interpretation.