STUDIO MWAM: Sewing and Fashion Design Skills Project

The STUDIO MWAM Project provides sewing and fashion design training to help participants develop skills to enhance their employability in Malta’s fashion and design sector.

The Sewing and Fashion Design Skills project ran from June 15th 2024 – July 22nd 2025 before continuing as STUDIO MWAM. Participants learn essential skills such as material selection and use of sewing tools through training sessions with Sarah Portelli and Tonya Lehtinen, and partnerships with local businesses.

Since 2020, MWAM has collaborated with Mango to receive minorly-damaged clothing donations that are then been repaired and distributed to over 500 women and families. These materials allow participants to practice repairing and repurposing items during the training sessions. 

One of MWAM’s key objectives is to provide for the social integration of migrant women. One of the most crucial aspects of social integration is employment. MWAM has identified key obstacles to employment for migrant women in Malta, and we hope this project will allow for a collaborative learning process to help women enter the labor market.

The project aims to:

  • Engage asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women facing barriers to employment in Malta
  • Promote economic empowerment by generating income to sustain MWAM’s services through the sale of additional products
  • Foster a supportive community, and a safe space for women to participate in future projects
  • Support livelihood building for migrant women through partnerships with local businesses
  • Promote sustainable fashion, upcycling, and textile waste reduction in Malta

This project is supported and funded by Bank of Valletta

STUDIO MWAM Exhibition

On the 12th of December 2024, MWAM hosted an exhibition to showcase the products created during the project. This event allowed participants to display their skills and creations to potential employers, customers and future participants. The exhibition also served as an opportunity to showcase the project and bring in potential future participants.

You can find the first collection of STUDIO MWAM at Vogue Xchange. Please place your order to enjoy items crafted by the talented participants of the project!