On Tuesday, 2nd September, the Malta Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka presented The Black Garment, a live fashion installation by Azzopardi Studio, commissioned by Arts Council Malta.
This project revisits the traditional Maltese Għonnella, continuing Luke Azzopardi’s earlier research published in Għonnella: Deconstructing the Garment (2011). Through six unique couture pieces worn by live models, the work bridges heritage and innovation, blending elements of folk dress with contemporary fashion to create a dialogue between memory and imagination.
The Black Garment not only reflects on the history and cultural weight of the Għonnella but also reinterprets it as a forward-looking artistic statement. The Malta Pavilion frames the installation as a meeting point of art, history, and design, reimagining traditional rituals for a modern context.
The project is supported by Malta Enterprise, the Embassy of Malta in Japan, Malta Crafts Foundation, and Heritage Malta.
