“I hate that fashion is part of the system that damages mental health by its insistence on sample sizing and the pursuit of skinniness.
Sydney-born designer Gary Bigeni can trace the colourful roots of his hand-painted fashion label to the tiny European archipel-ago of his parents’ birth, more than 16,000 kilometres from his native Blacktown. Raised in the western suburbs of Sydney as one of four siblings, his first visit to Malta four years ago was a homecoming of sorts, leading to an “a-ha” moment of recognition. “The colours, the ocean, the culture, the fishing boats, the traditional costumes and the architecture all felt very familiar to me,” recalls Gary. “They’re bright, sun-soaked and vivid, and I see a clear connection to my own aesthetic and sense of style. I also love that it’s a country which is very
