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Keith John Caruana

Fortress Builders

A retired Armed Forces of Malta Captain turned artist, leather-craftsman, and designer, Keith John Caruana always craved to create unique long-lasting pieces of art that serve a purpose. Having lived in Tuscany during his training with the Italian Navy, he spent all his weekends getting inspired by the skilled traditional leather-craftsmen showcasing their art in the narrow alleys of the world-famous leather market of Firenze. Today Keith John is the man behind Captain’s Cut, a boutique leather brand specializing in bespoke belts and leather art using sustainable practices and no electrical machinery.

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Marco Parascandalo

Fortress Builders

Marco Parascandalo is a Maltese fashion designer and the founder of the contemporary label Parascandalo. With a background in digital arts and a passion for bold, culturally rooted design, Marco launched his brand in 2014 to challenge fashion norms and celebrate individuality. His work blends urban edge with Mediterranean influences, often incorporating Maltese language and social commentary. Over the past decade, Parascandalo has become known for its fearless approach to style, streetwear, and self-expression. Marco continues to evolve the brand while remaining true to his ethos: fashion should be expressive, inclusive, and always daring to be different.

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Federica Zahra

Fortress Builders

Federica Zahra, 19, is a Product Design student at MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts, specializing in furniture that blends functionality with innovative design. For the past two years, she has worked part-time at a local furniture manufacturer, designing and building custom pieces that address real-world needs, gaining hands-on experience with materials, craftsmanship, and user-centered design. Inspired from a young age by home renovation and interior design, Federica’s early curiosity evolved into a passion for creating thoughtful, practical furniture, a drive that continues to guide her emerging career in the world of design.

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Nadège Renée Cassar

Fortress Builders

Nadège Renée Cassar established her jewellery workshop, launching her namesake brand Nadège Renée in 2005. She designs and crafts contemporary pieces in gold and sterling silver, often combining them with precious or non-precious materials. Nadège specializes in unique, exclusive, and limited-edition collections, as well as bespoke jewellery created by recycling clients’ metals and stones. She is renowned for transformable designs that adapt to different styles and needs. Passionate about heritage, Nadège revives traditional techniques such as filigree, blending them with a modern aesthetic to produce jewellery that is both innovative and timeless.

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Alfie Gatt

Fortress Builders

Alfie Gatt has been shaping a bold creative path as a multi-disciplinary artist since 2022. Specializing in painting, he brings canvases to life with traditional techniques while also mastering digital media, including video editing, graphic design, and 2D animation. His work spans platforms and audiences, with collaborations including the Office of the Prime Minister, Visit Malta, Visit Gozo, and global brands with a presence in Malta. Constantly pushing boundaries, Alfie creates immersive, thought-provoking experiences that blend artistry and innovation, establishing him as a versatile force in Malta’s contemporary creative scene.

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Alda Bugeja

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Alda Bugeja is a Gozo-based weaver, textile artist, and educator who began learning the craft from her mother and grandmother at age five. She specializes in traditional weaving, spinning, macramé, and kumihimo, sourcing and preparing local wool by hand. Over her career, she has won awards, exhibited internationally, contributed to documentaries, written instructional guides, created historical textile reproductions for Heritage Malta, and wove the stole for Pope Francis’ visit to Gozo in 2022. She teaches weaving and textile arts to all ages, blending tradition with contemporary designs to preserve and promote Malta’s artisanal textile heritage for future generations.

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Mark Borg

Fortress Builders

A filigree artist who crafts intricate pieces, Mark Borg’s artistic journey began at the age of thirteen, when he studied the craft at the School of Art in Valletta. Over the years, he perfected his technique and expanded his repertoire to include not only traditional jewellery, but also innovative sculptures and automata. Mark’s work is characterized by a desire to push the boundaries of traditional filigree and explore new, uncharted territories. His creations are often inspired by the natural world, the passage of time, and diverse cultural influences, resulting in unique works that resonate with both history and modernity.

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Becky Grech

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Becky Grech, Bx, is a Maltese shoe designer, educator, and researcher. She discovered shoemaking in 2013 and has pursued constant experimentation and preservation of the craft, winning various awards at the Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti in the process. Poised to become a market-driven designer, she realised that demand and supply diminished her as an artist – a title she never imagined for herself – leading her to step from the public eye to explore a new artistic language. She is now commencing a PhD on the artisanal meaning and language of shoes in Malta, while experimenting with waste as a creative material.

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Marylynn Naudi

Fortress Builders

Marylynn Naudi is a Maltese emerging artist with a primary focus on realistic drawing and portraiture, using traditional media to capture emotion, identity, and cultural depth. While rooted in realism, she also explores concept-driven projects that engage with Malta’s evolving cultural landscape. Through fine detail, observational accuracy, and thoughtful symbolism, her practice bridges classical technique with contemporary themes. Marylynn’s current work expands into culturally reflective compositions, highlighting the transformation of identity in modern Malta.

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Luke Azzopardi x Ozzy Chien

Fortress Builders

Luke Azzopardi, founder of his eponymous couture brand – Azzopardi, studied at Central Saint Martins and the University of Malta. His studio focuses on deconstruction and researched aestheticism, informed by his academic background in costume history. His couture has appeared at London and Dubai Fashion Weeks, and received multiple local and international awards. Beyond fashion, he designs for opera and dance productions, designed Malta’s debut pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2023, and published a book on the għonnella.
Taiwanese leather artisan Ozzy Chien established the Leather Atelier within Birgu Blue in 2019, creating refined, Mediterranean-inspired leather timeless pieces.