Fiona Vella

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! What is the wardrobe must have item for this season? And what colours are in fashion?

Colours are bright and energizing this season with reds and yellows, pale lilac and blush and a more neutral palette of winter white, gray and beige. Green is the colour of the season, from a vibrant ‘lawn’ green to an olive shade. This colour is more popular with the youngsters as there is a superstition among the older generation that green brings bad luck. The powder blue that was in fashion last summer is still one of this season’s favourites in a slightly darker shade.

Christmas spirit brings along with it a sense of urge to dress up and show up but the cold weather doesn’t always complement our clothing plans. What outfit tips do you suggest to keep warm yet still feel elegant?

There’s nothing like a little sparkle to get one in a festive mood. A sequinned scarf or camisole can add a festive touch to any outfit. Likewise a plain dress can be accessorized with statement jewellery. Velvet is one of my favourite materials for this time of the year. It gives a chic luxurious touch without being over the top. Many events this year will be held outdoors so it doesn’t really make sense to have a stunning dress hidden underneath a coat or jacket. My advice for those attending outdoor events and wanting to look good without freezing would be to shift the focus on the outer layer of clothing; pair of plain pants and a polo neck with a statement coat on top. Fur collars and cuffs, an original colour and embellishments could easily make a cost the focal point of an outfit.

What clothing item you absolutely cannot do without?

Pre covid, you’d rarely have seen me without heels. I’m still a big fan of heels but I’ve also learnt to feel great in flats, especially after finding a brand of trainers that are comfortable but still look classy. I love the T shirt. blazer and jeans combo and long flowing dresses for summer.

Tell us more about your story, how did your career take off in the fashion industry?

Designing clothes has been a passion since I was a child. My grandmother used to design and make clothes and she used to have what she called ‘lavranti’ with her which would be today’s interns. My mother is also an excellent seamstress and she used to design curtains and soft furnishings. After winning the Best Fashion Designer Award in 2000, I started my line Exclusive Designs and later launched Fiona Couture. I spent 10 years choreographing international beauty contests where I had the chance to exhibit my work both locally and abroad. This also provided the opportunity to work in the international fashion scene. I have lately shown my collections in local and international fashion weeks

Throughout your journey so far, are the challenges encountered and how do you overcome them?

It’s not easy juggling fashion design with a full time job but I really love what I do and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Time management is crucial and I sacrifice most holidays and weekends but the satisfaction I get when I see my work makes it all worth it.

What’s next? Are there any further dreams to be achieved?

I’d say the mind of a creative person never stops working so I have a lot of projects in the pipeline, one of which I’ve been seriously looking into for the past 2 years. My only problem is that there are only 24 hours in a day, though I’m sure that even if I had double the time, I would still manage to fill it up without any difficulty 😉