Our third episode of ‘CARISMA Talks’ ties in with our Valentine’s Day Collection and discusses love. This ‘Maħbuba Kif Jien’ episode will include a psychotherapist discussing what love is, the perceptions and perspectives around it, and the importance of feeling loved for who you are.
]]>This time we invited 3 cancer patients who went or still are going through treatment for cancer, a surgeon, and Michelle Muscat from Marigold Foundation. Let's get to know more about the personal ordeal of the 3 patients and professional advice from who faces cancer day-in-day-out.
]]>As part of our corporate social responsibility programme, CARISMA Collections will be tackling sensitive subjects every month to create more awareness around them. In honour of Pride Month, the first topic we will be covering is the process of "Coming Out”. Like and subscribe to our page to get all the information.
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Known for her beautiful tile prints, Stephanie Borg has become synonymous with quality and creativity. Her ‘Pop Collection’ design was one of the first designs to be adopted by CARISMA, and now, almost a year later, she is on the cusp of launching a new collection. CARISMA sits down with her to speak about how she makes memorable pieces and her artistic evolution. “When I came back to Malta in 2008, I rekindled my love for the Maltese tiles. The ‘Pop Collection’ was a result of this fascination. I was eating, sleeping, and dreaming different patterns, and I wanted to reach more people. I kept thinking to myself, how can I bring these designs into people’s homes? That is where the mugs came in. Around a decade later, the CARISMA team were inspired by two of my patterns and used them in their jewellery. My pop pieces were particularly joyful because I felt this wonderful freedom when I made them. As a self-employed artist, I am my own boss, and so I have the liberty to explress myself freely and create what I want. I am looking forward to collaborating on more things in the future.” Indeed, when it comes to her work, Stephanie is all about being passionate and states that if she does not start getting a good feeling about a piece, she feels unable to do it: “With the way I work, unless I am in the right frame of mind, I cannot create, my heart has to be in it.” On asking her if the pandemic has affected her creativity, Stephanie states that this period has been one of creativity for her where she has done her best to continue getting on with things: “During this COVID-19 breakout, I came up with a new collection in a particular hue of blue, which I find quite joyful. I associate blue with the sky, the sea, and the Mediterranean way of life, where the sun and fresh air dominate everything. All the ‘NWAR Blue Blossom Collection’ has been made in Malta using a blue that has been mixed especially for me, and every last cup, bowl, and plate have been painted by hand so that each piece is essentially a unique work of art.” So, what was it that put the idea for Nwar in her head? “In the way I work, there is no real routine. This visual concept was something that was brewing in my head for some time. I was looking at all the different ways to express and extend my thoughts, and before I knew it, I was sketching. For me, NWAR is the climax of a creative energy that was piling up for some time. I have combined different patterns and concepts to evoke a flora and foliage effect, inspired by the local tile and wrought iron patterns, that seems to blossom in front of you. I work closely with ‘Mediterranean Ceramics’ in this collection who bring my vision to life as we see the designs bearing fruit. Nwar is an ode to Malta and Maltese craftsmanship; the fact that it is made and finished completely by hand pays homage to our forefathers who would spend their lives making things with love and patience. In Nwar, there truly is more than meets the eye.” Stephanie’s final message further builds on how essential it is to give our heritage the respect and pride of place it deserves: “It is important for people to keep supporting local and to appreciate what we have. We must not only celebrate our rich traditions, but we must also preserve them for future generations to enjoy. If we want others to respect us, then we must first respect ourselves and what we offer.” The ‘Nwar Blue Blossom Collection’ is currently available at Stephanie Borg’s studio in Rabat and online at: www.stephanieborg.com.
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As we come to the end of this year and the first few months of living our dream, we want to take this opportunity to talk a little about what starting our brand has meant to us. From the very beginning, we were humbled by the amount of genuine interest in CARISMA and how warmly we were embraced by people who loved our play on Maltese heritage and our designs. This enthusiasm has not only fuelled us, but it has spurred us to go the extra mile and put everything we have into creating our unique pieces.
Designing fresh collections and constantly making our CARISMA family bigger is only the very tip of the iceberg of what we have to do every day but the long days have been made easier and sweeter by the support of our loyal customers who are always ready to embrace our ideas and give feedback. The love you have given us and the brand allowed us to grow from jewellery to scarves to even bags in a short time and it is that encouragement which we will be carrying with us into the New Year where we are planning on launching more collections than ever before and where we will be continuing to do our best to give the best customer experience on the island.
2020 has been a year of growth for us both on a personal level as well as when it comes to the brand and we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store for you in 2021.
From the very bottom of our hearts, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year full of health, wealth and beautiful pieces which make your eyes light up and your heart beat a little faster.
Love,
Carlos, Ismael and Martina
]]>In honour of Pink October, CARISMA has spoken to very strong breast cancer survivor, Nathalie Cortis. We honour her journey and hope that her story will help countless others who are on their own roads to recovery.
“I felt a lump at the top of my breast but thought nothing of it because sometimes I would feel it and others not,” Nathalie states. “My son Kane urged me to go and get it checked out so after I spent a whole morning cleaning the house from top to bottom, I washed and went to the doctor. I remember that it was a Saturday. The doctor saw me, and I instantly realised something was wrong because he told me that I actually had two lumps: one which was constituted of fat and the other which he couldn’t identify. He told me that we needed to get a biopsy and I made an appointment for the Monday after because I didn’t want to wait.”
Shocked and unprepared, Nathalie received a call from one of her best friends Claire Debono as she was leaving the clinic, it was only when Claire who didn’t know that she had been in for a check-up told her that she had been thinking of her all day that she broke down. Claire offered to come and meet her but Nathalie hadn’t even told her family yet so she went straight home and broke the news to them one by one: “As soon I got home, I told my daughter Naomi who started to cry, then Kane and then my husband. By the end of it, we were all crying. Once we got the biopsy done and they told me I had Stage 2 breast cancer, it was just a waiting game till I had the operation to remove it.”
An only child, the date that Nathalie was given for her surgery was the anniversary of her father’s death. She took this as a sign that her father was looking over her and his grandchildren and it gave her hope that things would go well: “I felt his presence on the day and after the operation, instead of resting, I just started to dust everything in the house. I wanted to feel normal again. When they checked the cells under my arms to see if the cancer had spread, they found nothing, however, despite this, my doctor still wanted me to get chemotherapy and told me to cut my very long hair which I decided not to.”
A former hairdresser, Nathalie’s hair was her pride and joy, it wasn’t till the third chemo session that she realised that she would have no choice in the matter: “My daughter Naomi came with me to every single chemo session I had and refused to let my husband or her brother take her place even when they asked to. She would take days off work to make sure that I was never alone. Before I started chemo, I cut my hair into a bob and as soon as a woman who had already started treatment at the hospital saw it, she gently told me to buy a wig and to be prepared. She also told me that her husband had never seen her without her wig. I decided there and then that should my hair fall out; I wouldn’t cover it up. I was determined to fight for my life for my children. I wanted to see them grow up, I wanted to be a grandmother, I wanted to be with my family, and I was willing to do whatever it took for that to happen.
I remember that I had my first chemo session right before my birthday. I was washing the downstairs floor of my house when my hair started to feel heavy. When I finished cleaning, I went to take a shower with some trepidation and as I started to lather shampoo onto my head, my hair started to fall out in clumps. There was no one at home and I started to scream, I then looked up at the sky and told my dad that I was going to be okay. After that, I wrapped my head in a towel and went to the hairdresser with Claire. When the hairdresser shaved it off, I felt relieved.”
Speaking about what got her through this time, Nathalie is full of love and gratitude for the people she had around her: “I work at St Catherine’s High School in Pembroke and to be honest, I wouldn’t have managed to remain as positive as I did without the support of the headmistress, Ms Sue Midolo, Mr Brian Gauci, Mr Paul Midolo, or Ms Karen Galea. Karen would message every time I had chemo and a few days after to check on my progress. On my birthday, I was sent flowers and a beautiful wish box full of lovely thoughts for Christmas.
My son who was reading for his degree at the time was there for me even though he had to work hard, and I was so, so proud of him when he graduated with honours and my daughter didn’t leave my side. I have so many good friends. I feel really lucky to have been blessed with so many wonderful people.”
Nathalie’s message to the public is a simple one: “It is so important to always think positive and to always hold your head up high. We are all in the same boat together and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Of course, the worry remains even now but it is important to keep strong because you are going to be undergoing the fight of your life for your life. My daughter Naomi tells me that she couldn’t be as strong as I was but when your family is at stake, you will do anything. This experience changed me in some ways but not in others and I believe that it is important to remember that everyone has their own way because we are all different people. We should never forget that everyone is fighting their own battle.”
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Designs from the iconic Stephanie Borg® Pop Tile Collection are now a fashion statement!
Stephanie Borg® collaborates with Carisma® Collection on the Licensing of Pop Tile Artworks
Carisma® X Stephanie Borg® Pop Tile Collection
Beautiful tile pattern jewellery designed by the talented young team at Carisma® Collections have just added glamour to our Summer! The collection depicts two of the famous Stephanie Borg® Pop Tile artworks, namely the Blue & Fushia and the Red & Ochre. The Stephanie Borg® Pop Tile Collection forms part of Carisma’s Maltese Tile Collection and consists of lavish statement earrings, necklaces, stud earrings, pendants, and sets.
Stephanie Borg® is a leading artist and surface pattern designer based in Malta. Her inspiration comes from the love for her home island, Malta – the nation of colourful vibes and patterns seen all around the island from wrought iron to tile patterns, charming doors to iconic ‘Luzzu’ boats and the all vivid cultural activities.
Stephanie’s passion for heritage awareness and preservation were the key triggers in setting fashionable trends for tile patterns, door and wrought iron designs. Today, after a journey of 12 years of hard work, Stephanie has made us all aware of (brought back the focus on) the beauty of Malta’s heritage through her art and products. This has resulted into a trend that has caught the eye of young artists and designers who are now inspired by her work and following the lead on the trend for heritage preservation through fashion and design.
“I believe that by collaborating, one’s message is stronger. Having my artworks from my Pop Tile Collection chosen to be interpreted as jewellery by the young designer brand Carisma® shows that there is great value in the preservation of our heritage which is being widely recognised. In my Pop Tile Collection I decided to break away from tradition by giving a more contemporary and vivid colour palette to the tile patterns whilst Carisma® ensured that these vibrant designs can be worn in style” says the artist and designer Stephanie Borg®.
Carisma® was founded by 3 siblings, eldest Carlos, Ismael middle and youngest Martina. The brand was formed by unifying birthnames to create Car-Is-Ma representing family and cohesion. This can be defined as a strong bond in any family and the warm or strong emotional ties that exist among family members which contribute to our designs. The meaning of the word itself "Charisma" also represents what we aspire to do, we create compelling, attractive collections that are heart-warming and familiar to inspire confidence in yourself.
“Our Jewellery pieces are inspired by Maltese heritage & our brand reflects diversity, charisma & Self Love.”
“As a young designer brand, we look up to Artists as Stephanie Borg®️ who has preserved and established heritage awareness for a number of Years. Through this collaboration we aspire to widen our horizons and create compelling, attractive collections that are heart-warming and familiar to inspire confidence in yourself.” Carlos, Ismael & Martina.
The collection is exclusively available from www.carismacollections.com or from www.stephanieborg.com and her Studio Boutique in Rabat.
Stephanie Borg® is a registered trademark. Artworks in this Maltese Tile Collection by Carisma® form part of a licensed agreement. Copyright 2008© Stephanie Borg®
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Here at Carisma, we don’t only trust in the beauty of diversity, but we also believe in the joy of giving to others. This is why every so often, we will be choosing a person from our local community who we would like to give back to. The first person we will be speaking to is Sister Michaela Paris, a woman who has touched hundreds of lives with her joyous spirit and warmth.
Unlike many others, Sister Michaela did not always know that she was destined to be a nun, and in fact, the first few years of her life were marred with a lot of pain: “I had been sexually abused for a decade and by the time I was 14, I had given up on God and turned to drugs and alcohol. My life was full of darkness. My parents were rightfully worried about me and so they decided to take me to a charismatic group. At first, I only agreed because it was an excuse for me to get away from home but then I found a lot of genuine friends who appreciated me and built many precious friendships.”
Although this was the beginning of Sister Michaela’s journey, 32 years later, she still isn’t exactly sure how she ended up becoming a nun: “I always wanted to get married and have a family because I’ve always adored children but the Lord had other plans for me. I remember going to the Sliema creche to help out once a week and then that once a week became three times a week and then I moved in for 3 months and was still going to my job every day and helping with the children in the afternoons. When I had just started going to the creche, it never crossed my mind that I would take this path but I remember pacing the corridor and asking a nun how old you had to be to be initiated into the order. When I went home that evening, I felt elated. I literally felt like a weight had been lifted off me. I’ve never looked back.”
Although Sister Michaela says that not having her own children was something which she struggled with, she feels like her life has been one of great fulfilment: “In these 32 years, I have had hundreds of children in my charge and I honestly feel like they are part of me. I am happy because I have given all my heart and all my being to each and every child who has crossed my path. This has given me a great amount of satisfaction and joy. This period has not been the easiest of times for our 30 children as they have suffered from being apart from the rest of the community, but we have done our best to keep them as entertained and as active as possible. We feel that it is our duty to protect them while giving them as much of a home as we can. We derive a lot of our joy from their happiness. There is always so much joy in giving.”
As a sign of appreciation for all of Sister Michaela’s sterling work, Carisma will be gifting her with the CARISMA CROSS PENDANT.
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