Fresh off his success at being the official stylist for the presenters of ‘Mużika Mużika – Festival Kanzunetta Maltija’, Drew Warhurst speaks to CARISMA about the experience of dressing some of the best-known faces in Malta and how beautiful, quality jewellery really does make an outfit.
“I have loved the CARISMA brand ever since it launched,” Drew states. “I am a perfectionist myself and I was struck by how professionally everything was done from the get-go. I was impressed with the way the website looked and the way the jewellery was presented, and I instantly knew that it was a brand that I wanted to work with in some way or another. I really do believe in the importance of local brands and the beauty of working together and when I had the opportunity to style key players in the ‘Mużika Mużika Festival’, I instantly thought of CARISMA.”
Speaking about the process of putting together all the looks for the show, Drew gives a lot of insight into how much thought goes into every look: “The way that I and the team at CARISMA worked was made easy by their attention to detail. First, I exchanged ideas with them via telephone and when we met for a meeting, the looks were prepared. They were always so kind and ready to help; I had planned for one of the presenters to wear Elena’s 18 Coin Pendant Unique Hoop Earring Set with her black dress, but we realised that that wouldn’t be possible because presenters can’t wear earrings which make clinking sounds as it interferes with their microphones. The CARISMA team instantly came to MFCC and provided me with a new option. For me, it was important that everyone that I dressed was comfortable and happy in what they were wearing so I changed and adapted their clothes several times over. This meant that in some cases the jewellery had to change too. I kept changing my mood boards and my looks till I saw everyone smiling. As a designer and stylist, I think it’s important not to just impose your wishes on a client but to be sensitive to their needs.”
The amount of work that went into each look to achieve the results that both Drew and the presenters wanted is nothing if not staggering: “When it came to the black dress, for example, I originally had no plan to include my signature belt with the dress. There was also meant to be a corset added to that dress in the beginning. The fact is I felt that the dress was not dramatic enough, so I ended up adding metres of tulle for a showstopping effect. The white flower dress too ended up completely different from what I had planned. You have to be open to change and adapt when it comes to designing pieces for others. Something which I hadn’t done before and was beautifully received was the tuxedos I made for Keith Demicoli, I was really happy with the way that they turned out and ever since they appeared at the festival, requests for similar versions have been pouring in.”
Looking to the future, Drew is excited to announce that he has now branched out into making very exclusive, custom-order wedding dresses: “Something I’m going to be focusing on is bridal wear but with all the beading, embroidery and detail that will go into every piece, I have told clients that they have to book at least a year in advance. I am also looking to continue to build my brand both locally as well as abroad. It would be great to be able to launch a ready-to-wear line. Collaborations like the one I have just had with CARISMA, continue to fill me with hope and passion and really have me excited about what new adventures and partnerships are in store.”