The offering of Luke Azzoprdi Studio has always been curious about the nature of the art object, and how when this interfaces with fashion, it lives through its audience. Its wearable nature generates a participative opportunity for the brand’s audience to be a part of the investigative nature of each collection. This has created a genre which is unique to the studio within the local cultural landscape, and which has positioned the brand at the receiving end of critical acclaim since its inception.
About Luke Azzopardi Studio
Luke Azzopardi Studio focuses on the idea of timeless elegance stemming from the creative director’s academic background in costume history. Luke Azzopardi’s methodology of fusing together powerful visuals, academic research and artisanal design is what distinguishes his work as one of Malta’s foremost fashion artists. This translates into the ethos of the maison, a self-sustainable atelier embracing concept-based fashion and beauty. The nature of the brand’s work looks to fashion as an art object. Wearable products are presented as results of investigations into art history, and studio events are designed as immersive cultural experiences. The priority of the brand is to revive the domestic couture salon that does away with the overly commercial trends within the industry, and which prioritises immaculately finished, beautifully designed bespoke clothing.
A Young Couturier
Luke Azzopardi is a couturier and multidisciplinary artist from Victoria, Gozo. After studying at Central Saint Martins (UAL) and the University of Malta, Azzopardi launched his eponymous brand, Luke Azzopardi Studio. The studio focuses on design research and sartorial deconstruction stemming from Luke’s academic background in costume history. Luke was awarded the prestigious Premio Cultura e Moda 2016 by L’Istituto Italiano di Cultura and was shortlisted for the Artist of the Year 2018/19 award by Arts Council Malta. He is also part of City of Art’s production team, winners of the Best Production (Multidisciplinary) award by Arts Council Malta in 2023. Luke has designed large-scale national and international operatic as well as contemporary dance productions. Għonnella: Deconstructing the Garment, his book on Malta’s enigmatic national costume, was published by MidSea Books in 2022.
Sustainability
Luke Azzopardi, the atelier’s creative director, is very vocal about the mass environmental degradation of the Maltese islands and the Mediterranean Sea. The atelier uses only the highest quality fabrics in its collections and bespoke commissions, and keeps away from polyester, nylon, acrylic, and other harmful synthetic fibres, all of which have been proven to be heavy contributors of marine pollution through the bioaccumulation of microplastics. Our products also make use of plastic-free lining and packaging, and function solely on the premise that as a luxury product, the Luke Azzopardi garment is intended to be passed down from generation to generation, never to be thrown away.
It’s no secret that fashion has a waste problem, and the Luke Azzopardi atelier refuses to be complicit.
A prime cause of this is the industry’s seasonal set up, which we are seeking to bypass by only releasing immediately purchasable, seasonless collections which aim to marry art, sustainability and longevity. Apart from this, we are extremely careful to order small amounts of fabric so as not to end up with excess seasonal deadstock. In order to keep our carbon footprint to an absolute minimum, we operate with an international direct-to-consumer system. Garment production takes place in our local studio as well as in family-run production houses based in India.
Luke Azzopardi studio is proud to champion the slow fashion movement — upholding the highest ethical standards while keeping our environmental impact to a minimum. Intended to be passed down from generation to generation, Luke Azzopardi atelier gowns are luxury heirlooms in their own right. To own one of our gowns is to actively challenge the carbon-heavy, throwaway culture which continues to plague the fashion industry and place profit over our planet.
