Pink (June 2018)

issUe164∫ JUne2018

Join the fashion festa FOR A TASTE OF THE TOP BRANDS AT THE PINK FASHION SHOW

Women’s secrets laid bare STRIPPING OFF ANY ISSUES AND EMBRACING DIVERSITY

GETTING INTO INTROVERTS he strenth in silence

More paternity leave ivin fatherhood a bier role at birth

INSIDE

June 2018 FEATURES

13 InFocus leave to parent Letting dads do their bit at birth 18 LifeStyle nothing to hide Five women celebrate their secrets in style 30 WomensWorld #I am she Networking events for businesswomen and more

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FASHION 34 ShowStopper fashion fiesta Feasting on The Pink Fashion Show 42 FashionStory felix culpa Looking deep into Luke Azzopardi 47 FashionStory hats off to these hats Stylish, safe and all set to go

HEALTH & BEAUTY 51 BeautyParlour the legacy of living beautiful 125 years of Franks 56 InThePink stopping the leaks Incontinence shouldn’t be accepted 59 RelationTips bring out the introverts The bright side of being reserved 64 PinkShrink ‘tis the season to be jolly Why summer gives off good vibes 67 ParentingTips so, I recently became a parent…

From child psychologist to real-life parent

REGULARS 7 EditorsNote 8 MailShot 25 WomanKind set in wax Marie Tussaud 48 ThinkPink fashion, food & events 54 ThinkPink beauty & health 68 TableTalk whipping up a sugary storm Pastry chef par excellence 72 SnapShot designs on life Ritienne Zammit 74 WomenOnWheels Kudos for the Koleos Renault Koleos

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COVER Photography Matthew B. Spiteri ∫ Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] ∫ Hair Ramona Farrugia from Screen Professional Hair Salon, St Paul’s Bay ∫ Make-up Chris Attard from Franks, using Guerlain ∫ Location King George V Recreational Grounds, Floriana ∫ Model Giulia @ Supernova MM, wearing swimsuit, €51.99; bag, €39.99; earrings, €19.99, all Women’secret.

4 ∫ Pink June 2018

Exclusively distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Limited Tel: 21331553

EDITORSNOTE

2013

2017

Five years ago, the Pink magazine team was asked to organise an event. Brand manager Veronica Grech Sant and myself were pulled out of our relative comfort zone and handed a tall order, but we just went for it, almost on autopilot to avoid any predicted meltdowns, plunging into the creation of a catwalk show that, somehow, had to stand out from the crowd…

For someone who had only organised her own wedding and almost lost 10 years of her life in the process, it was no mean feat to gain the confidence to entertain more than a handful of guests. The Pink Fashion Show suddenly became part of our job description, until then based on writing and editing in my case, and not on any event organisation in Veronica’s either. It was fertile ground, and we were, indeed, more ‘green’ than pink!

The first fashion show was a steep and fast learning curve, and on that

rainy night in November 2013, we had no idea how it would go. All we knew was that we had tackled it the same way we had the birth of Pink almost 10 years before – just going for it.

Before we knew it, hundreds of eager guests started queuing outside the doors in the cold, half an hour before the event was actually scheduled to begin, and the Malta Aviation Museum showcased models [not of the aircraft sort] and welcomed visitors, who, until then, had no interest in wartime planes… The rest is history.

The success of the first show meant it immediately established itself on the fashion calendar and the ‘downside’ was that we would be roped into organising two a year. While we always swore each one would be the last, we have plodded on into… yes… the 10th edition, believe it or not!

On June 13, the 10th Pink Fashion Show is being held at Floriana’s King George V Recreational Grounds, a low-key jewel, a welcomed lung and an understated address, boasting the same prime site and sensational views across Grand Harbour as the capital.

It is yet another befitting location for an event that prides itself on the uniqueness of the venue, the element of surprise and the space for the big bash that happens before and after.

It’s been 10 editions of putting imagination and creativity to the test, looking for the most complicated locations and logistics – from catwalks hovering under water to a backstage built on the sea – in order to offer an experience… more than just a fashion show.

The brief we set ourselves from the first edition was to avoid run-of-the-

mill venues and to treat our guests to a pre- and after-party in a stimulating environment, where the fashion crowd and this growing industry could meet and mingle over a cocktail, or two…

With time, the team behind this Times of Malta event has grown and the company is now also focusing more actively on event creation.

It feels like yesterday and, at the same time, so far away that the first show was held, and although we know the drill, the adrenaline before, during and after the event is always as intense as it was back then.

On our 10th anniversary, we’d like to thank those who took the plunge with us and participated in our first event, with only the magazine we had been producing for a decade to go by and their faith in the fact that we would put equal effort and the same ethos into its affiliated show.

Thanks also go to the leading clothing brands that jumped on board and continue to do so, and to everyone else who supports us, from beauty products to food and beverages, art and music, and who know their place is at The Pink Fashion Show, with the massive coverage it gets, time and time again.

Thanks also to the photographers, the influencers, our following and esteemed and enthusiastic guests.

Now, 10 editions later, everyone knows what to expect and what they are in for – or do they?!

Follow us on Facebook for sneak peeks of the preparations and join our competition to win a limited number of invitations if you’re not on the guest list.

Watch this space.

June 3, 2018 ∫ Pink is a monthly magazine ∫ Issue 164 ∫ Executive editor Fiona Galea Debono ∫ Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Printing Progress Press Ltd ∫ Production Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Contributors Chris Attard, Tezara Camilleri, Edward Curmi, Ramona Farrugia, Anna Marie Galea, Mary Galea Debono, Audrey Galea Souchet, Iggy Fenech, Marisa Grima, Helen Raine, Lara Sierra, Stephanie Satariano, Carolyn Sultana ∫ Design Manuel Schembri ∫ Photography Jonathan Borg, Chris Sant Fournier, Matthew B. Spiteri, Mark Zammit Cordina ∫ Advertising sales Veronica Grech Sant [2276 4333; veronica.grechsant@timesofmalta.com].

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

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© 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without written permission of the publishers, is prohibited.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 7

MAILSho

THE LETTER THAT TICKLED PI INSPIRED TO WORK IN ADOPTION The story I enjoyed reading most in this issue is To Have and To Hold [PrivateEye, May 2018]. I am a social work student at the University of Malta and I have always been interested in working in adoption once I graduate, but the one thing that kept me back from making up my mind to commit to this area is the fact that many prospective parents end up giving up as the process is not easy. I don’t think that I would bear to see their dream of becoming parents shatter in front of my eyes. Fiona and Dave Anastasi’s story really inspired me, because despite all the struggles they went through to have a child, they never gave up. The way they described meeting Nina for the first time, full of enthusiasm and love to give, really touched me and made me want to work in adoption once I graduate as I would really like to help prospective parents find this happiness they long for. Adoption is truly an amazing thing as many children face a very bleak future unless adopted.

By adopting, one can give a child the life and love they truly deserve!

YASMINE MAGRO, VIA E-MAIL

The writer of the letter of the month wins a Giorgio Armani Sì Passione eau de parfum; a pedicure; PLUS a selection of Diego dalla Palma make-up products, all from Chemimart.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE INDEED Hello and thank you for your excellent articles each month!

What touched my heart and made me read and reread the same article over and over again is To Have and To Hold [PrivateEye, May 2018] – the story of the love the Anastasi family has given their adopted little beauty. What an example of unconditional love indeed! Their story and experience throughout their stay in India hits reality straight on the head. How many babies and kids all over the world have to live in these heartbreaking conditions, never getting to know a better world… Thumbs up and a huge thank you to Pink for presenting such a heart-warming article. And bless those couples who give these children a ray of light in an otherwise dark life.

JENNIFER ZARB, FROM NAXXAR

A GOOD FEELING OF AFFIRMATION Dear Ms Galea Debono, at last, I sit me down to write to you.

Every month, I look forward to the next Pink, wondering what it will present. Sometimes, I read it all at one go; sometimes, it lasts me till the next one. I like its bright and clear layout. Most of the articles treat aspects of life that touch us in one way or another. But most of all, I appreciate the EditorsNote. In spite of the generation gap, I find I’m in sync with the subjects and opinions presented. It gives me a good feeling of affirmation. Reading about women whose lives were heroic made me think of Edel Quinn, an Irish lady whose life was certainly remarkable. In Malta, she’s known by many members and ex-members of the Legion of Mary.

Maybe she could be considered for the WomanKind feature.

Incidentally, I remember its author Mary Galea Debono as Mary Coster at St Theresa Grammar School in Mdina. She left an imprint on my otherwise hopeless memory. I can visualise her – energetic and lively. Best wishes for you and Pink.

GRACE SAMMUT, VIA E-MAIL

WRITe I AND WIN

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We want to hear from you. Send us your feedback on Pink and any stories that may have touched you in some way, and you stand a chance of winning the new fragrance from Giorgio Armani, Acqua di Giò Absolu for men, and a skincare pack for men by Biotherm, all from Chemimart.

Write to Pink, with your contact details, at Allied Newspapers Limited, Triq l-Intornjatur, Mrieћel, BKR 3000, or send an e-mail to pink@timesofmalta.com Correspondence may be edited for length and clarity. If prizes are not claimed within two months, they will no longer be available. Winners should be willing to have their photograph taken for marketing purposes.

8 ∫ Pink June 2018

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INFOCUS

Leave

to Parent Fathers – and their families – could benefit from 10 days of paid leave on the birth of a child if new legislation, spearheaded by MEP David Casa, is adopted. It would constitute a drastic improvement to the rights of parents and have a tangible effect on the lives of Maltese. HELEN RAINE sees it as a step in the right direction…

M

aternity leave in Malta came as something of a shock. As a British transplant, I was blithely expecting a year off with my baby, most of which would be at least partially paid. I quickly discovered that not only does Malta allow just 18 weeks off work for women, but also, paternity leave is virtually non-existent.

With no family here to look after the new arrival [who was nine weeks premature to boot], I was effectively forced out of the workforce. MEP David Casa is on a mission to change that not just in Malta, but across the EU. Casa is proposing legislation that would introduce at least 10 days of paid leave for fathers on the birth of a child and, more importantly, four months of paid leave for either parent until the

child reaches the age of around 10 [the details of rates of pay and the age of the child are still being hammered out].

This is important, he says, to “address the under-representation of women in employment” and “strengthen … men’s roles as carers in the family”. The aim of the proposal is fundamentally that of creating a better balance in the uptake of caring responsibilities between men and women.

The MEP has completed the first stage of his work on the Work-Life Balance Directive. He is responsible for establishing the European Parliament’s position on this file and represents it in negotiations with the Council of Ministers.

“The impact of these policies,” he adds, “is not just economical, but will Pink June 2018 ∫ 13

INFOCUS also benefit our families and women by promoting non-discrimination and fostering gender-equality in the workforce.”

While 10 days is still a paltry amount of statutory leave for men, it is at least a step in the right direction.

SHARE THE CARE The MEP acknowledges that the current situation in Malta is not conducive to keeping women in employment. “Traditionally women in Malta, even if well-educated, tend to, out of choice or not, be the main carers at home.”

His proposals, he says, “work at … breaking this trend … which will not only help women to re-enter the labour market, but also benefit children. It is well documented that the use of worklife balance arrangements by fathers has … a positive impact in reducing the relative amount of unpaid family work undertaken by women and leaving them more time for paid employment”.

When I put it to Casa that his proposals still fall well short of the parental leave offered in many other European countries, he says: “The difference between Malta and the UK is that Maltese mothers are entitled to a full wage for the first 14 weeks of maternity leave, unlike the UK.” In fact, British women are paid at 90 per cent of their wage for six weeks and then receive up to €160 per week for 33 weeks, followed by zero pay, but guaranteed leave until they must return to work after 52 weeks; the likelihood is that the majority of women would be better off under the UK system than the Maltese one.

However, Casa is hopeful for further change in the future, saying “these new proposals might trigger at the appropriate time … a successful revision of the current EU Maternity Leave Directive”.

He recognises that micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises [MSMEs] find maternity leave financially challenging. The fact that companies must pay 14 weeks of full wages in Malta might also discourage them when it comes to employing women.

Casa is working to address that and might find inspiration in the UK’s 14 ∫ Pink June 2018

innovative solution to the problem; all employers are required to pay the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of basic pay for every employee, regardless of gender and age, to establish a Maternity Leave Trust Fund, so they are no worse off whether they hire a woman or a man.

“I am working to ensure that this legislation can be implemented as expediently as possible, while at the same inserting safeguards so as to ensure that businesses will not be overly burdened by the obligations it will create,” Casa adds.

Among the safeguards introduced is the ability to request the postponement of the taking of such leave, the removal of administrative burdens and the requirement to provide a suitable notification period that takes into consideration the needs of the employer, he explains.

GUILTY FEELINGS Joanna Tabone, 36, has a different take on maternity leave from Sarah, having had two children. She is a public service professional and her husband works long hours, meaning that most childcare falls onto her. She finds current maternity leave provisions wholly inadequate.

“You are expected to be able to return to work when your baby is three months old – possibly still waking up every two hours at night.

You have no idea what day of the week it is and can barely find the time to have a shower and get out of your pyjamas.”

Joanna did go back to work because she was able to negotiate some unpaid leave. However, her description of the challenges will strike a painful chord with many working women.

“IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE USE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ARRANGEMENTS BY FATHERS HAS … A POSITIVE IMPACT IN REDUCING THE RELATIVE AMOUNT OF UNPAID FAMILY WORK UNDERTAKEN BY WOMEN AND LEAVING THEM MORE TIME FOR PAID EMPLOYMENT” PREGNANT PAUSE Sarah Miceli, 32, a recruitment team leader, is expecting her first baby shortly. While she acknowledges that longer maternity leave would be “beneficial”, she qualifies that by saying that “every mother’s needs and employers’ needs vary”.

She plans to go back to work after her leave ends. “My job is very important to me; I worked hard to get to where I am today and wish to move forward in my career. The way things are today, a woman is given the opportunity of choice.”

Notably, Sarah expects that grandparents might play a part in looking after the new baby. “We are lucky to have both our families’ support. However, should the need arise for alternative childcare options, we will definitely consider it.”

For women without family support, though, the choice is much starker; leaving a tiny baby in even the nicest full-time childcare facility is not an appealing option.

“I definitely wasn’t emotionally ready. The baby wasn’t ready to be separated from me either – she would scream her head off as soon as she started to recognise the [childcare] building, and we would leave each other in tears. I couldn’t wait for the time to pass so that I could pick her up again, and I just felt awful. I felt I was a horrible mother and a weak employee because I couldn’t perform at 100 per cent in either of these roles.”

Even when she was able to leave the baby with her mother, she felt guilty.

“Babies can be quite tiring,” she says.

With her second child, she worked reduced hours, partly from home, and has found it easier. But she says finding the right nursery was a challenge. “Most of the ones that fall within the Free Government Scheme only accept children under the age of three. We are lucky to be able to afford a private school that takes children aged one to five [i.e. both of her children], saving us a lot of commuting. I feel better knowing that I am not a burden to my mother, but it is still physically and emotionally difficult.

INFOCUS

Sarah Miceli intends to go straight back to her desk after maternity leave.

It breaks my heart to find them sitting in the waiting area holding hands, waiting for mummy to show up after most of their friends have been picked up.”

PATERNITY VS MATERNITY As for paternity leave, Joanna says: “The provisions in Malta speak volumes about the perceived role of fathers in the child’s early days. My husband was entitled to three days of paid leave … it’s not even enough to help a new pet settle in, let alone adjust to life with a baby. My husband didn’t even take the three days; he felt he couldn’t because of the nature of his work.”

She points out that this is not just a problem of legislation. “There needs to be a massive culture shift until it becomes more ‘normal’ for fathers to take more time off to look after a newborn.”

more time at home, I wouldn’t have been able to hide it for so long and would have sought help sooner.”

She points out that there is no reason for employers to look at parental leave as a punitive measure. “While there are short-term effects on the employer … the positive long-term effects are more significant. Employees look for familyfriendly measures when considering places of employment. Happy, grateful employees … are more efficient, and are ready to contribute better quality work if they feel appreciated. They are less likely to resign, and more likely to compromise a little in favour of their employer, even when they don’t have to.”

Sarah, on the other hand, thinks a shorter time for paternity leave is adequate. “I believe a fair start would be two weeks upon the birth of a child,” she says, although again, she gives a nod to business requirements.

“Should this impact the job tremendously … perhaps one would consider working flexibly during that time frame; anything to make the father’s working role less demanding while coping with changes in his personal life.”

She feels Malta is going in the right direction, saying: “Over the years, there have been huge efforts on the employers’ part, so I don’t believe that women have been forced out of the workplace. If both the employer and

“THE PATERNITY LEAVE PROVISIONS IN MALTA SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THE PERCEIVED ROLE OF FATHERS IN THE CHILD’S EARLY DAYS. MY HUSBAND WAS ENTITLED TO THREE DAYS OF PAID LEAVE … IT’S NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO HELP A NEW PET SETTLE IN, LET ALONE ADJUST TO LIFE WITH A BABY” Joanna thinks that paternity leave provisions should be equal to maternity leave provisions. “With my first child, I had some baby blues, which I believe would have resolved faster if my husband was able to spend more time with me. I have very painful memories of sitting on the couch with the baby, holding back tears as I watched him walking out of our apartment to go to work. I would start to cry as soon as the door closed, overwhelmed with feelings of self-pity, fear, loneliness and a little envious of his [mostly] unchanged life. Perhaps if he spent

mother are rational and fair while discussing possible scenarios after maternity, it is most likely that an agreement would be reached.”

CAREER FEAR But here’s the crunch. When I ask Sarah about the impact of becoming a mother on her career, she says: “I will definitely be affected more than my partner due to the fact that, unless [Casa’s proposals] come into force, it is the mother who is expected to adjust her working hours and not the father.”

Pink June 2018 ∫ 15

INFOCUS The reality is that we need to go further than offering parents four months of additional leave; only equal amounts of parental leave for both mothers and fathers, as under the German model, can really make women equal to men once they start a family. That allows one parent to start off caring for the child, then to extend that care by passing the burden equally to the other parent for a comparable amount of time.

“I WILL DEFINITELY BE AFFECTED MORE THAN MY PARTNER DUE TO THE FACT THAT, UNLESS [CASA’S PROPOSALS] COME INTO FORCE, IT IS THE MOTHER WHO IS EXPECTED TO ADJUST HER WORKING HOURS AND NOT THE FATHER”

I have seen this in practice with German friends and it works beautifully; fathers no longer ‘babysit’, or look to the mother when the child cries – they become joint ‘primary parents’. This avoids the harsh choice of leaving a very young baby in the care of strangers and, equally importantly, normalises the role of males as principal childcare givers. Casa has made a good start – but there’s more to do here.

The European Commission proposals on Work-Life Balance for Parents and Carers include: The introduction of paternity leave; the strengthening of parental leave; the introduction of carers’ leave for workers caring for seriously ill or dependent relatives; the extension of the right to request flexible working arrangements; ensuring protection against discrimination and dismissal for parents and carers; encouraging gender-balanced use of family-related leave and flexible working arrangements; better use of European funds to improve long-term and childcare services; removal of economic disincentives for second earners.

LIFESTYLE

NOTHING TO HIDE

They’re set apart by their nonconformity, united by their diversity, and join forces in a trailblazing Women’secret photo shoot that aims to tear down stereotypes and break the rules.

IGGY FENECH draws out five women’s secrets as they lay themselves bare, no holds barred. He finds there’s nothing private and confidential about their unconventionality.

Meet MAXLINE BARTOLO, a mother who has never let alopecia determine her self-worth.

About standing out: It’s difficult, particularly when dealing with nasty comments and people staring at you on a daily basis. Yet, every day is an opportunity to acknowledge the difficulties people who suffer from alopecia go through. And, no matter what, I will keep on motivating and empowering women to my best ability. After all, there is nothing wrong with being comfortable in your own skin and with your own personality, even if you have no hair.

About women in the media: I feel that both women and men are sexualised in the media, even after all the awareness that has been spread.

About the Women’secret shoot: This is a great opportunity to empower women who have lost their hair for whatever reason. Just remember, ladies: your hair doesn’t define your beauty.

One thing people should talk about more: Alopecia is a topic that is rarely discussed. I think we need to create more awareness by speaking about it and by teaching children from a young age not to bully others just because their appearance is different.

Biggest achievement: Having my daughter, Julia.

“IT’S NOT AN EASY WORLD, BUT WE NEED TO BE STRONG AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER”

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate!

Biggest fear: Leaving my family behind due to death.

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LIFESTYLE

Meet KARLY NAUDI, a transgender feminist who continually speaks out about injustice, diversity and respect.

About standing out: Sadly, people will always have something negative to say, be it about celebrities, or the quiet co-workers… Nowadays, I’ve become oblivious to it all, although I make it crystal clear that I am not amused by anything nasty that may have been said or done to myself and others.

About women in the media: We are blessed to have a variety of strong and capable women who young girls can look up to as role models. That is a great place to start, but as I learnt for myself growing up, inequality between men and women is still very much alive.

About the Women’secret shoot: Very excited! I would have never imagined that I would be in Pink… in a swimsuit!

One thing people should talk about more: Embryo freezing/donation, IVF and surrogacy could bring happiness to so many people, so why object to them? After all, the same technology that gave us cures for cancer and other diseases is giving people the chance to be parents.

“THERE IS AN UPSIDE TO ATTRACTING ATTENTION, AND THAT IS THE ABILITY TO CONVEY A MESSAGE” Biggest achievement: Getting out of a toxic work environment.

Guilty pleasure: Food and online shopping.

Biggest fear: The inability to stop or rectify injustice.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 19

LIFESTYLE

Meet DENISE GAFA, a tattoo-loving businesswoman who has never turned her back on her individuality.

About standing out: I’ve never been shy, so I’m not sure how not to stand out.

However, now that I have all these imprints on my skin, I’m even harder to miss. The only thing that annoys me is that when I do something people don’t like, my tattoos seem to be an excuse for them to turn me into a scapegoat.

About women in the media: I have an issue with the way they associate flowers and dolls with women, and muscles and hard work with men. I think anyone of every gender should be allowed to pick stuff for themselves.

About the Women’secret shoot: Women’secret definitely deserve to be praised for this!

“I REFUSE TO LOSE MY AUTHENTICITY” One thing people should talk about more: Something that ticks me off is the misguided message on gender equality in our country. I highly believe that men and women can be anything they want to be, but we don’t need to become inconsiderate either. What happened to the woman who said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’? I’m sure you can wear the pants and be polite.

Biggest achievement: Overcoming my anxiety and moving to Ireland alone to start afresh.

Guilty pleasure: Country music.

Biggest fear: Not having the chance to pay my parents back for all that they’ve done.

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LIFESTYLE

Meet DANITA DIMECH, a blogger and influencer who keeps it real about life, self-image and marriage.

About standing out: Although I don’t really see myself as someone who stands out, I guess what I say does. And that is what makes me happiest. We need more women to speak the truth about themselves, to show their flaws, and see the beauty in every imperfection.

About women in the media: Well, to be honest it was never an issue for me to see perfect women in the media because I’ve always tried to make a distinction. Can we ever be as picture-perfect as the lives in the media? We all have flaws.

And, besides, it’s not only being a size six that makes you beautiful. Your smile matters too.

About the Women’secret shoot: Overwhelmed, but I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this! I never expected to be recognised for something I preach about on my blog.

“IF YOU ARE HAPPY IN YOUR OWN SKIN, THEN YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!” One thing people should talk about more: The double standards we, as women, set for ourselves. Why can’t we empower each other rather than judge and talk behind each other’s backs? Stop the hate, give compliments and stand up for one another!

Biggest achievement: Having a happy marriage.

Guilty pleasure: A burger, or slice of cake on a Friday night.

Biggest fear: Not being a good enough mum if I ever had children.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 21

LIFESTYLE

Meet ANGELIQUE ATTARD, a children’s swimming instructor who identifies as lesbian.

About standing out: I do not seek to stand out.

However, I have no issue with it if it means I’m doing a good job.

About women in the media: Although I have seen big improvements since I was younger – which is great, mind you – I still feel there is room for improvement. I don’t feel greatly affected by it as, all my life, I have been surrounded by very strong, independent women.

About the Women’secret shoot: This is my first experience of the sort at the young age of 45, so I’m taking it as a new and fun adventure. I’m also in my element here as I am representing a product that is part of my job: swimwear with a personal touch!

One thing people should talk more about: One of my favourite quotes is: ‘The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’ I really do hope the government will be more present and effective when it comes to animal cruelty and the strays in this country. After all, although these animals don’t pay taxes, they deserve our care.

“EVEN AS A CHILD, I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN SPORTS” Biggest achievement: Working with young adults on a voluntary basis in competitive sports.

Guilty pleasure: Travelling – I feel super guilty about leaving my dog behind.

Biggest fear: Underestimating the power of the sea and all the creatures in it… spurred largely

by Jaws!

Photography Luca Gouder Photography Hair Looking Good, Bay Street Shopping Complex Make-up Rhona the Make-up Artist Clothes Women’secret

22 ∫ Pink June 2018

WOMANKIND

SET IN WAX Madame Tussauds was founded and successfully managed as a profitable business by a woman, Marie, who lived in an era when her gender was virtually barred from business undertakings. MARY GALEA DEBONO maintains this says it all about the intrepid and shrewd creator of waxworks.

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arie Tussaud’s decision in 1835 to establish a permanent home for her waxworks in London was taken for practical reasons, but it turned out to be also a momentous one. Marie was 74; too old to cope with the strains and difficulties of touring the main cities with her exhibition, but still capable of managing, with the aid of her two sons, the business enterprise she had created.

There were other valid reasons for the step she took; transportation of her works was costly and the exhibits often arrived damaged during the handling. With the improvement of the railway network, she soon realised there was no need for her to take her waxworks to other cities; visitors who were keen on seeing the collection could just as easily make the trip to the capital. Aware of the importance of being within easy reach, she made sure the first place she leased for her Marie Tussaud as an old woman, based on a drawing attributed to one of her sons, Francis Tussaud.

permanent display was in Portman Square, which was close to the main railway stations.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, waxworks were not only commissioned as portraits. Recreations of the famous and infamous, exhibited as collections, became a very popular form of entertainment, which attracted many visitors. It was a craft that required great technical skills.

The great thing about Marie’s exhibition is that, unlike other similar collections, hers has not only survived into the 21st century, but the company that now owns it also has several branches all over the world.

“MADAME TUSSAUDS, AS THE EXHIBITION IS NOW KNOWN, REMAINS ONE OF LONDON’S MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. THIS SAYS A LOT NOT ONLY ABOUT THE SKILL AND TECHNIQUE – GREAT THOUGH THEY WERE – OF THIS REMARKABLE WOMAN, BUT ALSO ABOUT HER VISION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP” The entertainment industry is well known to be a changeable one; what is all the rage to one generation is often considered passé by the next one. It is a challenging industry, competitive and in constant need of innovation.

Yet Madame Tussauds, as the exhibition is now known as, remains one of London’s main tourist attractions. This says a lot not only about the skill and technique – great though they were – of this remarkable woman, but also about her vision and entrepreneurship; that it was founded and successfully managed as a profitable business by a woman who lived in an era when her gender was virtually barred from business undertakings says everything about this intrepid and shrewd woman.

Marie learnt the techniques of wax modelling from Philippe Curtius, a Swiss doctor living in Bern, who started making his models for the study of human anatomy, but later abandoned his medical profession to set up a waxworks business in Paris. Marie’s mother, Anna Maria Grosholtz, was his housekeeper, and soon after settling in this city, where his new business flourished, Philippe sent for her and her sixyear-old daughter to join him there.

Marie’s exact relationship with Philippe is shrouded in mystery. Her memoirs, which she wrote with the help of Henri Hervé, a family friend, rather than clarifying the picture, simply raise more questions. Marie does not seem to have been after the whole truth and nothing but the truth when she decided to tell the story of her early years; she was more interested in creating her own myth about her connections with Pink June 2018 ∫ 25

WOMANKIND the French royal house and her familiarity with life in Versailles, where she claimed to have spent some time.

Her father was Johann Grosholtz, a soldier who fought and died in the Seven Years’ War, and her mother was Anna Marie Walder, daughter of a Swiss clergyman, who, according to her memoirs, had several sons by a previous marriage. As Rachel Knowles points out in her book What Regency Women Did For Us, this detail cannot be true as according to the records in a Catholic Church in Strasbourg, Marie was baptised in December 1761 in the same church where her mother had been baptised 18 years earlier. Later, Marie was legally adopted by Philippe.

Marie received very little formal education, but she was intelligent and her aptitude for wax modelling was remarkable. In 1778, she made her first wax figure of the French philosopher Voltaire.

“MARIE WAS OFTEN TO BE SEEN NEAR THE GUILLOTINE, MAKING CASTS OF THE HEADS THAT HAD JUST BEEN CRUELLY DISMEMBERED BY ITS SHARP BLADE” This was a period of widespread political and social turmoil in France.

Although both Marie and Philippe were probably royalist, it soon became obvious to both of them that they had to adjust to the new state of affairs if they wanted to survive.

When one revolutionary leader fell from grace, they swiftly removed his model and, not to risk retribution, replaced it by that of the new favourite. Models of richly attired members of the French royal family, engaged in aristocratic pastimes, were also unacceptable. Instead, Philippe and Marie started recreating scenes of the brutalities that were happening on an almost daily basis. Marie was often to be seen near the guillotine, making casts of the heads that had just been cruelly dismembered by its sharp blade.

Both Philippe and Marie understood that the more gruesome the action, the more it appealed to the bloodthirsty masses. When Marat, one of the leading revolutionaries, was murdered in his bath by Charlotte Corder, Marie was asked by the National Assembly to make a waxwork of the victim, and the murderer herself asked her to make one of her before she went to the guillotine. This morbid scene soon became one of the exhibits that visitors flocked to see.

In 1794, Philippe died, bequeathing the waxworks to Marie, who carried on with the business. The following year, she married François Tussaud, an engineer a few years younger than herself.

She may have thought that, in her position, a husband by her side was a shield and protection against a society that was not prepared to accept her in her role as entrepreneur.

But if that was her reasoning she was mistaken – François 26 ∫ Pink June 2018

was better at spending money than at making it.

However, Marie was shrewd enough to foresee such a possibility, and contrary to the prevailing custom, she drew up a marriage settlement that made sure she kept control of her property.

Marie’s first child died in infancy, but two other sons were born later.

With the help of her mother and her aunt, who lived with her, she was able to carry on with her work.

But the business was not doing very well and when a certain Paul Philipstal, who was taking his magic lantern show to London, offered her to accompany him, she immediately accepted the opportunity. Perhaps she also saw in this opening a chance to get away from her husband.

The arrangement was that she would share the profits with Paul, while he would cover the cost of travelling and advertisement. She took with her the elder four-year-old son and left the younger one in the care of his grandmother.

Marie and Paul set up their show at the Lyceum Theatre.

She divided her exhibition into two rooms, and by separating the more macabre exhibits – Marat’s murder in the bath was one of them – from the rest of the other 30, she could charge an extra sixpence for them. This separate display later came to be known as the Chamber of Horrors.

When the London season ended, Marie and Paul moved their exhibitions to Edinburgh in Scotland. Their stay coincided with the horse show that attracted many visitors to the city and Marie grasped this opportunity to double the entrance fee to her show. Thereafter, she always sought cities and towns where important events were happening; visitors to such cities were more willing to pay to see her waxworks.

Profit was all important for Marie, but she knew that to keep making it, she had to be innovative in her approach.

One of the first things she did was to issue a brochure with a brief historical background of every character, charging sixpence for it. This enhanced and added value to the experience; the entertainment could now be described as educational and family oriented.

Marie eventually felt that Paul was not contributing enough to the success and profit of the enterprise. He had earlier shown that he was an unreliable partner, having failed to fulfill his promise of advertising her waxworks and paying fully for her travel costs. She considered him just a drain on her income and decided to buy him out. In 1808, she became the sole owner and manager of her waxworks.

“PROFIT WAS ALL IMPORTANT FOR MARIE, BUT SHE KNEW THAT TO KEEP MAKING IT, SHE HAD TO BE INNOVATIVE IN HER APPROACH” In the meantime, her husband in France was not doing well. She had no intention of returning, where, according to law, she would have had to hand over all income to him.

Convinced that he would simply live off her earning and contribute nothing, she transferred her French property to him, but refused to share any profits.

Marie continued to tour the main cities, stopping longer in some when the going was good and packing up early when customers decreased. She added more works, including the British royal family, which the public loved, as well as the protagonists of the events of the time, such as the Duke of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo. Marie also made a mask of Napoleon when his ship stopped at Portsmouth on the way to his exile on the island of St Helena.

Once Marie found a permanent home for her waxworks, she could focus more on the finer details of her exhibition.

She dressed her models in authentic clothes where possible, and when she could not procure these, she made faithful replicas. Queen Victoria allowed her to make a copy of her clothes for the tableau of her coronation.

Marie collected memorabilia of the people she modelled to set up lifelike tableaux and, where possible, she added paintings. In the case of Napoleon, she succeeded in acquiring a huge collection of his relics, which included, among other things, his abandoned carriage after his defeat in Waterloo. Unfortunately, all these, and much more, were destroyed in 1884 when the new purpose-built building in Marylebone Street was gutted by fire.

Marie’s approach to business was avant-garde; she introduced background music, and as profit-making remained her ultimate goal, she not only made and sold silhouettes of her models, but also set up an area between the main exhibition and the Chamber of Horrors from where visitors could buy refreshments.

Marie transferred her business to her two sons, in this way making sure her husband was cut off from any profits, but she remained involved in it until a few months before her death in 1850. Her last waxwork was a model of herself.

SHE Malta founders Sass [Sarah] Woods and Julia Perry.

Photography: Majda Toumi

WOMENSWORLD

#I AM SHE

LARA SIERRA attends a SHE Malta event, a network that brings women in business together – to connect, laugh, support and celebrate a woman’s many talents. The lessons she learns are not just for entrepreneurs, but for every woman who has ever doubted herself. Whatever path you’re on, just know that there’s a roomful of women rooting for you – and it’s the warmest room around.

W

hat does being a housewife mean to you?

What does being a working mother mean to you? What does being childless mean to you?

It’s highly likely that if you’re a housewife, you feel like you’re judged for not working. If you’re a working mother, then you feel torn about spending enough time at work and enough time with your kids. If you’re unmarried, when was the last time someone asked you when you were going to get hitched?

And let’s be honest, no matter what you’re doing, you feel judged for it. You can’t win. Society’s expectations of a woman 30 ∫ Pink June 2018

are confusing and mixed, and whatever you’re doing, you feel the eyes of the world making its decision about you. Women are perceptive and sensitive; we notice these things more than men, and as a result, we care more. And who is judging you more than anyone else? You know the answer.

SHE Malta is the Social Hub for Entrepreneurs, and its main purpose is to support you, as a female. With the ethos being “collaboration over competition”, its networking events encourage women in business to talk and listen to each other, sharing their experiences and laughing together at their frustrations. The network is for working women, yes, but at its

WOMENSWORLD

Women supporting women… and having a laugh while they’re at it.

events, it feels like every single woman in the world has a place there. The focus of the most recent was on women in business, but the discussion was about women supporting other women, and encouraging each other to grow in their own way.

“If you see someone else getting on and doing well, it’s easy to feel resentful, even though it’s nothing to do with you,” says Sarah Kennard, MPS PR manager and editor of Served magazine.

“You can look at someone and think: ‘She’s so beautiful; she’s so talented… bitch’,” laughs Emma Hogg, psychotherapist and founder of A Life I Choose.

“You go underground with your feelings,” continues Sarah, “when you see someone so successful. Instead of aspiring to be like them, we go underground and allow ourselves to feel jealous. But you can channel this competition to something positive; always surround yourself by people better than you and you will do better.”

Emma explains how to do this. “I have to be compassionate with myself, with my shame and jealousy. If I notice myself looking at my successful friend, I say: ‘OK. This is OK. I’m OK. I’m a good person and I’m trying my best.’ Then you can let it go and the jealousy fades away.”

Sass [Sarah] Woods, founder of Fit Malta Mums, and Julia Perry, director of You & Media, started the SHE Malta network to bring women together to create stronger bonds

and business opportunities. “We want to listen to you,” Julia explains to the buzzing audience. “We want to learn more about you and your businesses.”

The conversation and laughter flows throughout the event, and during the break, everyone is invited to stick their business card on a board. The event is professional and inspiring and, crucially, warm.

With the first section of the event titled Women Versus Other Women, this could be an opportunity for the four panellists on stage to brag about how they’ve beaten others to get to the top of their game. But they don’t.

“I had a business partner in my first clinic, but it didn’t work out,” Joanna Delia, from the clinic People and Skin, explains quite simply, without mentioning names. “I don’t do business partners anymore; I’ve learnt I’m better on my own.”

A member of the audience stands up to thank her for turning her down when she approached her for plastic surgery.

“You could have just taken my business, but you were so professional. I felt really inspired.” Everyone applauds Joanna.

Angele Satariano, whose Active Spirit gym has been transformed to host the SHE Malta Women’s Networking Event today, also talks about allowing other women to inspire her.

“When people come to train here, they often bring their kids and that inspires me. They’re so busy, but they still make the effort Pink June 2018 ∫ 31

WOMENSWORLD

“DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF WITH THE FEAR OF JUDGEMENT. YOU’LL MAKE MISTAKES AND THAT’S TOTALLY NORMAL. VOICE YOUR FEARS AND CHOOSE WHETHER TO SUBSCRIBE TO THAT BELIEF, OR TO CHANGE IT” to do the best for themselves and their children. I don’t feel like I should compete with a woman any more than I should a man.”

The initial discussion about jealousy among women has allowed any awkwardness and discomfort to dissipate. Here, in the Mediterranean, we are known for speaking our minds and sharing our inner thoughts, and the benefit of this is evident at this event. Everyone is at ease, all tensions aired and released, and now there is nothing but warmth exuding from the stage and between the women sitting in the audience.

“We, as women, are nurturers,” explains Sarah. “But that does not mean we just make pasta for the family, or bring cake into the office. It means we also bring efficiency, flexibility and an ability to cope.”

In ancient Mesopotamia, Sumerian women were not only wives, mothers and housekeepers, but ran businesses, owned properties, could be doctors, judges and high priestesses.

Goddesses were as highly revered as gods. So, women’s empowerment is nothing new; our capabilities have always been there, just as there have been inspirational and strong 32 ∫ Pink June 2018

women throughout history. It’s just that somewhere along the way, we were told we had to be a certain way. We had to look a certain way and behave a certain way.

Networks like SHE Malta highlight that you can do it your own way. Businesses come together as women celebrate each other’s talents, while sharing stories about partners and children, how supported they feel, and equally, how difficult it can be.

“Own the identity of whatever you want to be,” says Emma.

“Don’t be scared to be stupid. Try on different ways of being; some of them will fit, others will not. Don’t limit yourself with the fear of judgement. You’ll make mistakes and that’s totally normal. Voice your fears and choose whether to subscribe to that belief, or to change it.”

Lessons, then, not just for entrepreneurs, but for every woman who has ever doubted herself. Whatever path you’re on, just know that there’s a roomful of women rooting for you.

The next SHE Malta Women’s Networking Event is scheduled for June 28.

Tickets are available from www.ticketline.com.mt Check out Facebook: @shemalta; Instagram: @she.malta

Exclusively distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Limited Tel: 21331553

SHOWSTOPPER

Fashion Fiesta THE PINK FASHION SHOW GOES GREEN. TIME TO PARTY IN THE GARDEN OF LIFE.

Photography Matthew B. Spiteri Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] Hair Ramona Farrugia from Screen Professional Hair Salon, St Paul’s Bay Make-up Chris Attard from Franks, using Guerlain Model Giulia @ Supernova MM Location King George V Recreational Grounds, Floriana Watch the making of the ShowStopper fashion shoot on www.timesofmalta.com

Jacket, €39.99; trousers, €29.99; top, €9.99; bag, €19.99, all Orsay.

34 ∫ Pink June 2018

SHOWSTOPPER

Bag [on model], €395; bag [top, on tree], €260; bag [bottom, on tree], €248; silk scarf, €98, all Coccinelle ∫ jeans; shirt, stylist’s own.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 35

SHOWSTOPPER

Animal bikini top, €39.95; Animal shorts, €39.95; Ipanema flip-flops, €16.99, all Eurosport.

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SHOWSTOPPER

Top, €39.99; trousers, €59.99; skirt [worn on top], €69.99, all Cortefiel.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 37

SHOWSTOPPER

Bikini, €155, Isle & Aqua ∫ Roberto Cavalli sunglasses, €310, O’hea Opticians.

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SHOWSTOPPER

Swimsuit, €195, Carla Grima Atelier ∫ sun hat, €70, Emthunzini.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 39

SHOWSTOPPER Jumpsuit, €299; bag, €159, both Pedro del Hierro.

40 ∫ Pink June 2018

SHOWSTOPPER

Porsche sunglasses, €320, O’hea Opticians.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 41

FASHIONSTORY Photography Marija Grech

“MUCH LIKE THE ROMANTICS HE LOOKS UP TO [SUCH AS THE 18TH-CENTURY ENGLISH POET JOHN KEATS], HIS WORK IS BETTER WHEN HE’S IN A DARK PLACE: SADNESS FOR HIM BECOMES INSPIRATIONAL” 42 ∫ Pink June 2018

FASHIONSTORY

FELIX CULPA

This is the story of how couturier Luke Azzopardi turned heartbreak into art. And how art turned him into the living embodiment of his brand’s aesthetic. IGGY FENECH tells the story of the artist who is so convinced of the power of women that his creations for men have been adapted from traditionally female cuts and not the other way around.

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uke Azzopardi doesn’t blend well in a crowd.

Everything from his platinum white hair to his over-the-top personality is enough to draw anyone’s attention. But that is who Luke is: not demure, not understated, not timid.

He is what he creates and what he creates always gets people talking.

“I hate the idea of cheap glamour; of fashion trash.

And that’s why there’s nothing that hurts me more than someone thinking my work is superficial,” the 25-year-old fashion maverick, who studied at Central Saint Martins in London, says halfway through the interview.

That would come as no surprise to anyone who knows and follows him. Each of his collections has united space and time to create work that tells a story.

Opium Addict, for example, which was unveiled in the summer of 2016 at camilleriparismode in Valletta, revisited the structural fashion of the Victorian era, with colours and motifs that harked to the East… an ode, in a way, to the shared culture of opium dens that united the two cultures.

His latest, meanwhile, the highly-acclaimed On the Museum’s Ruins [OTMR] – supported by Arts Council Malta and showcased at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta – looked at the beauty of creating, of decaying and of restoring; anything that isn’t static; anything that shows that the object is alive.

Bringing these ideas to life is the way he constructs his clothes – using a sculptural method that hasn’t changed since he took up sewing aged 14. Luke, in fact, uses a technique known as ‘draping’ to create his one-off pieces, which sees him swathing fabrics on a dress form and pinning them into place [rather than assembling a piece by using various flat patterns]. And it’s for that reason that Luke doesn’t see himself as a fashion designer per se, but rather as an artist.

“To me, fashion design is about creating pieces for mass production and consumption. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and it’s something that continues to push the industry forward, but I prefer creating bespoke pieces, based on the client and her or his personality,” he says.

Of course, his collections are based on his personality – or, more accurately, his state of mind at the time he is creating them. And much like the Romantics he looks up

to [such as the 18th-century English poet John Keats], his work is better when he’s in a dark place: sadness for him becomes inspirational; heartbreak a muse; lost love a story worth telling.

“When I was content and tried to create pieces, I felt like they didn’t say anything. Sure, the technique was there, but it didn’t scream what I wanted it to scream. I feel like the more lost I am, the more beautiful my ideas turn out, the more human they become… My work is very confessional: my mourning, my sorrows, my fantasies are all in it.”

This relationship between Luke’s work and his emotions goes back all the way to when he was a boy, growing up in Gozo in a household that was extremely matriarchal.

Seeing the shift that putting on clothes and heels had on his older sisters inspired Luke to want to empower both himself, and others, through fashion.

The result is not just clothes that celebrate the lines and curves of the female body, but also address gender politics and sexuality. In fact, while each show Luke has had included at least one outfit for men, the reality is that even that was predominantly female.

“Many times, you see designers creating clothes for women in the cuts and shapes normally used in male clothing. This is meant to empower them but, in reality, all it does is say that the cuts based on a woman’s figure and body are less powerful than those created for men.”

Both in his latest show [OTMR] and in his If You Ask Me, I’m Yours held at Hagar Qim, Luke’s pieces for men were adapted from traditionally female cuts, with the former literally including a dress adapted to the male body.

All this, Luke admits, stems from his childhood, when life at home ingrained in him three ideas he has never turned his back on: that women are powerful; that homosexuality is a non-issue; and that he has to face people even when he doesn’t want to.

“Growing up, our house was like a kazin and everyone in Gozo sort of had an idea of who I was… As a child, that changes how you interact with people, particularly as gossip spreads like wildfire.”

This ideology has not simply become his brand’s ethos, but also who he is. In fact, he is renowned for always speaking his mind – something that has won him praise from

“TO ME, FASHION DESIGN IS ABOUT CREATING PIECES FOR MASS PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO PUSH THE INDUSTRY FORWARD, BUT I PREFER CREATING BESPOKE PIECES, BASED ON THE CLIENT AND HER OR HIS PERSONALITY” Pink June 2018 ∫ 43

FASHIONSTORY

politicians and people in the industry, but has also lost him contracts and made him enemies along the way.

But all that is also what makes Luke and his work part of the same narrative, and why it is difficult to distinguish between Luke the human being, the friend and the lover and Luke the professional couturier.

And what’s particularly interesting is that, as Luke’s personal style changes, so does his work, but in the opposite direction.

And that’s due to one thing: the fact that whatever he puts into his work, he needs to take out of himself.

FASHIONSTORY

HATS OFF TO THESE HATS When style, health and practicality join forces, you know you’re onto a good thing. Nothing beats the fact that you’re not just looking good, but also feeling comfortable – and that you know you’re even seriously protecting yourself against the sun’s damaging UV rays. Hats off to high-quality Emthunzini Hats!

A

hat is a hat. Or is it?

Apparently not all are equal. And some come with the official Seal of Recognition of the Cancer Association of South African [CANSA] and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency [ARPANSA].

Oh. OK. So, what exactly does that mean? We’re encouraged to wear hats, especially in summer, and when we do, we’re effectively blocking the sun off our head and face, right? Wrong.

Not all clothing is rated UPF 50+ [Ultraviolet Protection Factor] – the highest possible. But the Emthunzini Hats, sold in Europe and the Middle East, have been tested by both the Australian and South African cancer agencies and have met the standards required to be considered serious sun protective clothing.

With all we hear about slapping on the sunscreen and staying out of the sun, throwing on a hat that effectively shields us from UV rays is yet another step in the right direction in the fight against skin cancer. Next to sunscreen, in fact, clothing is the most effective type of sun protection.

UPF 50+ is considered to be “excellent” in terms of the percentage of UV radiation that is blocked. This relatively new rating designation for sun protective textiles and clothing, represents the ratio of sunburn-causing UV, measured with and without the protection of the hat’s fabric; how much radiation is absorbed by it – and not your skin! And obviously, the higher the UPF rating, the more you are out of harm’s way.

But let’s set aside the all-important health aspect of these hats for a moment.

This is, after all, a fashion story, based on the fact that the Emthunzini brand

Beau

Celeste

Pink’s picks The Beau – a classic fedora style; the Celeste, the first felt-looking hat, which is in fact a suede, wide-brimmed fedora; and the Gillaroo, with the wire in the brim allowing for creative styling.

actually looks good. Available in 21 classy, cool and trendy styles in a variety of colours, the product range encompasses 63 different hats to choose from and to pair appropriately with the right attire.

Now, this next point may seem like a petty detail, but for those who have dropped a hat in the sea and watched it completely lose its shape on drying and be fit for the dustbin; who have stained it, but know washing it would make matters worse; or who have had trouble packing one in a bag or suitcase for fear again of ruining it, another unique feature is that they are either crushable, or washable, or both.

For the golfers and the sailors out there – and not only, because we all know what it means to hang onto a hat for dear life,

Gillaroo

or watch it glide away in an unexpected gust of wind – these hats have a hidden drawstring [a Velcro tab for the unisex version], allowing for them to be adjusted to fit perfectly. It’s not just the sportsmen who have praised this feature. Everyone likes a perfect fit, and the one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t do the trick.

In a nutshell, the Emthunzini brand offers fashionable, mostly washable and crushable hats that are adjustable to ensure the perfect fit while giving consumers the peace of mind that they are protecting their head and face from the harmful UV rays thanks to the official Seals of Recognition.

What’s not to love?

Chapeau!

Emthunzini Hats were launched in Europe last year, with Serendipity Marketing Europe being the exclusive distributors also for Russia, Turkey and the Middle East. Find them on Facebook – Emthunzini Hats EU, Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East; www.sunhats.com.mt; @sunhatsmt

Pink June 2018 ∫ 47

THINKPI FASHIOn, FOOD & EVEnS

3 DREAM BIG

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Pink‘s guide to summer 2018; how you should have started it; where you should end up; and what you should be seen in.

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5

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Chopard’s Happy Dreams collection, launched in 2016 to mark the 40th birthday of moving diamonds, takes the world’s most joyful diamonds on an ethereal, fantastical journey. Gracing new pendants and rings, diamonds spin inside a mother-of-pearl cocoon. Against this shimmering background, evoking the exquisite fluffiness of clouds, moving diamonds whirl between two sapphire crystals. The diamond-set 18-carat white gold versions feature a sky-blue colour evoking the cradle of dreams, while the polished 18-carat rose gold variations are adorned with textured mother-of-pearl in pink – epitomising femininity and embodying the filter of optimism [as in rose-tinted spectacles] – or pure and timeless white. The Happy Dreams collection is exclusively available from Edwards, Lowell Co. Ltd. Call on 2138 4503; www.elcol.com

4 MODEST ELEGANCE In celebration of inclusivity, and inspired by the great diversity in our world, ALDO launches its inaugural Ramadan-inflected capsule collection, featuring slip-on styles, scarves and lively accessories in celebratory colours that sing with the season. And all of it is family-gathering approved.

WHERE TO BE 5 LADIES’ NIGHT A Ladies’ Exclusive Event was held last month at Baia Beach Club, with a gorgeous sunset in the background and a glass of Prosecco in hand.

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6 MALTA FASHION WEEK

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The launch party of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Malta and the Chamilia Malta Fashion Awards 2018 was held at MedAsia Playa, with guests partying until the early hours.

WHAT TO EAT 7 The De Mondion recently launched its

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HOW TO WEAR IT 1 ABOUT THE BLOUSE Women's loose, off-the-shoulder blouse in light pink satin fabric, with tie straps and flared sleeves, €17.99, Jennyfer in Tower Road, Sliema; Bay Street, St Julian’s; Savoy, Valletta; and Arkadia, Gozo.

2 A TOUCH OF WHIMSY Pomellato is instantly recognisable through its signature aesthetic and attitude, imbued with a touch of whimsy through the use of the diverse and rare coloured stones that 48 ∫ Pink June 2018

adorn each of its jewels. Raw gems, such as amethyst, diamonds, lapis, onyx, rubies and topaz, are just a few of the vital components making up their stunning pieces. The brand’s fashion-oriented designs have enabled it to maintain leadership status in the fine jewellery market on an international scale for 50 years. The company’s expert artisans have crafting techniques that are irreplaceable and enable the designs to be brought to life in the most meticulous and skilled manner. Pomellato is exclusively available from Edwards, Lowell Co. Ltd. Call on 2138 4503; www.elcol.com

all-new menu for 2018-2019, serving up a celebration of the senses in the elegant and warm atmosphere of the top-class Mdina restaurant, perched on its centuries-old bastions, within the Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux. Among the exquisite items on the menu – featuring the best of local, seasonal produce to whip up original and contemporary culinary creations – are the local red prawns with lemon, quinoa and red pepper, as well as the mouth-watering and melt-in-themouth baked ricotta and honey agnolotti, with broad beans, black garlic and truffle for a heavenly sensation with every morsel. The de Mondion chefs can prepare top-grade local pork in a way you have never tasted before, with a crispy belly and braised neck carrots, caraway and cabbage, to continue the unique fine-dining experience they are known to offer. Among the desserts is a tantalising trio of mascarpone mousse, hazelnut cake and lemon sorbet, leaving you hard-pressed to take your pick of the best.

BEAUTYPARLOUR Family run: Claire, Andrew, Lauro and Marthese Abela.

THE LEGACY OF LIVING BEAUTIFUL More than just a family business, more than a concept store, Franks is an institution that has spanned five generations. Celebrating its 125th anniversary, the Abela family sits down with ANNA MARIE GALEA to discuss all things beauty and how the youngest generation is planning to build on this legacy and move forward in the art of living beautiful.

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usiness minded and market savvy, Lauro Abela’s great grandfather, Salvatore Abela, founded the business in 1893, selling whatever his customers asked for and needed out of a shop on the Bormla front. His two sons eventually took over, but after a falling out, one of them moved to Valletta in 1915 and opened a shop in St Mark’s Street next to the very busy St John’s shopping street.

When Lauro’s accountant father eventually took over the business, he was somewhat wary of passing it over to his son because his wish was for him to be a doctor or a lawyer. Ironically, it was Lauro’s takeover in 1992 that took Franks to the next level and propelled it into an entirely new dimension. Lauro is now happy to pass on his work to his twin son and daughter, Andrew and Claire, who have been managing different parts of the company for the last few years.

So, how do they fit the Franks ethos of living beautiful into their daily lives? “In the 1980s, it was all about the tan,” Andrew and Claire’s mother Marthese says.

“In fact, considering how hard I used to try to get a tan back then, it’s ironic that now my ultimate must-have

item is sunblock! Of course, nowadays, everyone knows the importance of preventative skincare and of staying hydrated, but back then, things were different.

“I don’t only wear sunblock all the time, but I’m also a big fan of Sisley and Guerlain skincare. I swear by the Sisley Hydra Global Intense Anti-Ageing Hydration face cream, but I also love trying all their new stuff. I also love Dior eye shadows for their glamorous, rich and pigmented colours.”

“CONSIDERING HOW HARD I USED TO TRY TO GET A TAN BACK THEN, IT’S IRONIC THAT NOW MY ULTIMATE MUST-HAVE ITEM IS SUNBLOCK!” Unlike her mother, Claire favours a faster pace to her beauty regime: “I like change and I live at a very fast pace, so I don’t have very many firm favourites. Something I can’t live without though is my moisturiser; that, and my red Sisley lipstick.”

Although the foundation of the Franks we know and love was scent, it has now grown in a number of directions to meet the needs of a very fast-changing society: “In the past, people were less conscious of their appearance.

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BEAUTYPARLOUR

Salvatore Abela

In the 1990s, it was unthinkable for a man to pay so much attention to his personal grooming, but thankfully, times are changing,” Andrew states.

“I’m very much like my mum in temperament, whereas Claire is more like my dad. My dad is very happy to put on his signature scent [Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet] and go out the door, but I invest a lot more time in my appearance.

My beard needs to be washed, dried and combed every day and then I apply beard oil. I believe very much in cultivating the lifestyle that we at Franks are inviting others to share in. We are offering our customers an experience; a luxurious way of living.”

While the Franks world has changed from how Lauro and Marthese used to experience it, Claire has a wonderfully unique perspective of how the Franks experience has helped her grow: “When I was young, I remember my parents travelling a lot for work. There was always this air of luxury around their travels although, of course, the industry has changed a lot since then. What growing up in this world has given me is confidence.

“Forty per cent of our employees have been with us for over 10 years and they were always there to help and give advice. As a result, my transition to taking on more responsibility has been easy and very natural. I’ve now 52 ∫ Pink June 2018

“WE WANT TO GIVE OUR CUSTOMERS A LIFESTYLE RATHER THAN JUST A PERFUME” opened my own make-up store in the Plaza called Lucy, which is aimed at a millennial clientele that wants to spend a little less but still desires quality.”

Indeed, while the challenges of the internet age have not gone unnoticed, the Franks family has definitely been quick to answer: “We are not only online, but we have increased our services and increased the facets of our shopping experience so that each customer feels unique.

“We have gone from a perfumery to a lifestyle brand, where people can find some of the best wines, whiskeys, leather goods and accessories available in the country.

What’s more, we are constantly on the lookout to evolve and increase our product choice as well as our services.

“We want to give our customers a lifestyle rather than just a perfume. After all, who wouldn’t want to live a beautiful life on all fronts?”

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NECESSARY PROTECTION Did you know that UV rays affect the skin not only on sunny days?

Even during cloudy weather, it’s important to use the necessary protection from the sun to avoid the effects of photoageing on your skin. Pharmaceris S 50 + body lotion is recommended for delicate, sensitive and problem skin requiring very high protection from intense sunlight, sunburns and harmful UVA/UVB radiation. Call Brown’s Pharmacy on 2142 2999; www.brownspharmacy.eu

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A LIGHT SIDE OF LOVE The sparkling, white, floral fragrance of the original Mon Paris Eau de Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent is transformed into an ultra-luminous floral citrus. A citrus start, with grapefruit and raspberry juicy notes, brings about a new fruity freshness. The floral and delicate heart of white flowers from the signature eau de parfum is romanced by orange blossom for a light side of love. Yves Saint Laurent fragrances are exclusively distributed by Chemimart. Call on 2149 2212.

INTHEPINK

STOPPING THE LEAKS Are you the person who is always sitting at the back of an exercise class and avoids jumping?

Do you miss social outings due to fear of leakages?

Do you check for a toilet everywhere you go?

Can you leave the house without using the toilet?

In view of World Continence Week this month, women’s health physiotherapists Carolyn Sultana and Audrey Galea Souchet insist leakage should never be considered a natural part of ageing – no matter how small – and neither should it be accepted as part and parcel of having children.

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ncontinence is the unwanted or involuntary leakage of urine, faeces, or both. Leakage should never be disregarded or considered a natural part of ageing no matter how small.

Stress urinary incontinence is the most common type, where the person leaks with a cough, laugh, sneeze, or sports. People who suffer from urge incontinence feel the need to go to the toilet, often very frequently, but do not always make it on time.

problem is really severe. Leaking when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or jump is not normal and the problem should always be addressed to prevent worsening later on in life.

Incontinence associated with pregnancy is usually also one of two types: stress and/or urgency. Stress incontinence is due to the increased pressure on the bladder by the uterus.

It is especially common in the third trimester due to the increasing size of

“LEAKING WHEN YOU LAUGH, SNEEZE, COUGH, OR JUMP IS NOT NORMAL AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD ALWAYS BE ADDRESSED TO PREVENT WORSENING LATER ON IN LIFE” Meanwhile, faecal or bowel incontinence affects over 53 million people in Europe and is the inability to control diarrhoea or a solid motion. This might happen daily, or less frequently, and it may also involve involuntary passage or loss of wind.

Incontinence after childbirth is more common than we think, but it is not something we usually talk about unless the 56 ∫ Pink June 2018

the baby and is also affected by the hormones that make the tissues and joints more elastic in preparation for delivery.

Urgency is the strong feeling of needing to use the bathroom to urinate and is usually due to hormones. Pregnant women may need to go to the toilet many times during the day and night and may even leak before they get there.

INTHEPINK The tissues and muscles that support the uterus, bladder and bowel are known as the pelvic floor.

They run from the front of the pelvis to the base of the spine at the back.

During pregnancy, a combination of increased pressure and hormonal influence can weaken the muscles. During birth, the pelvic floor is stretched and, in some cases, may be torn, which can further weaken the area.

Having a weak pelvic floor means it is harder to control leaking and it is essential to strengthen these muscles during pregnancy and after giving birth.

• Keep a healthy weight.

• Avoid straining of the pelvic floor.

It is important to avoid lifting heavy weights and avoid straining when passing stools.

• Avoid going to the toilet just in case.

• When you go to the toilet always sit down to ensure bladder emptying and never push to empty.

• Eat a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables to avoid constipation.

• Drink about 1.5 litres of water per day and avoid consumption of caffeine and alcohol.

• If you have respiratory problems, consult your doctor to help control your cough.

• Check with your GP if any of your medications are causing incontinence.

“YOU MAY THINK THAT IF YOU DRINK LESS YOU WILL URINATE LESS, BUT THIS WILL ONLY MAKE YOUR URINE MORE CONCENTRATED AND IRRITATE THE BLADDER EVEN MORE, RESULTING IN MORE URGENCY” Following childbirth, it is likely that women would be unable to feel the sensation of a full bladder, so it is a good idea to go to the toilet at regular intervals throughout the day for the first few days. After a couple of days, they should start to go to the bathroom only when they feel they need to.

Pelvic floor exercises can be started right after giving birth and are a proven and effective way of strengthening the muscles and treating incontinence.

Doing these exercises also helps the body heal and reduces the swelling caused by stitches and bruising, so the sooner they are done, the better.

Remember to drink plenty of water and avoid caffeinated drinks that can irritate the bladder and make it harder to avoid leaking. You may think that if you drink less you will urinate less, but this will only make your urine more concentrated and irritate the bladder even more, resulting in more urgency.

TIPS TO PREVENT INCONTINENCE

• Keep a strong pelvic floor. This is more important for women who are pregnant or have just had a baby, women in menopausal age, and those having gynaecology or spinal surgeries.

HOW CAN PHYSIOTHERAPY HELP?

A pelvic floor physiotherapist will first ask a series of questions about the particular problem, perform an examination and devise a treatment plan. Treatment most often focuses on improving the strength, endurance and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles.

Bladder training might also be advisable if the person suffers from urgency and frequency. If the muscles are very weak, the physiotherapist might suggest the use of muscle stimulation to help in the initial stages of training.

Muscle strengthening takes a while, but with the correct guidance, perseverance and tailored exercise programme, complete continence is possible.

Incontinence after childbirth responds well to exercise and lifestyle adjustments if necessary. Seek help from a women’s health physiotherapist if you still have issues with leaking six to eight weeks after giving birth.

Incontinence is not something you should accept as being part and parcel of having children!

World Continence Week from June 18 to 24 is a global initiative intended to raise awareness of bladder weakness, pelvic pain and other debilitating conditions that impact greatly on the lives of patients and caregivers.

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A photographic exhibition titled STREET: people and places, featuring some 21 works by Vincent Kraft, will be showing at the upper galleries of the Malta Society of Arts (MSA), Palazzo de la Salle, between the 31st of May and the 16th of June.

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION BY VINCENT KRAFT

Title: STREET Artist Name: VINCENT KRAFT Event: PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION Inauguration day: 31st May / 7-10pm Date: 31st MAY – 16th JUNE Address: PALAZZO DE LA SALLE, 219 REPUBLIC STREET, VALLETTA Curator: LISA GWEN Art Director: ANTHONY GALEA Website: www.vincentkraft.com Opening time: INAUGURATION: Thursday 31st May 2018 from 19:00hrs to 22:00hrs EVERYDAY: Friday 1st June – Friday 15 June from 08:30hrs to 19:00hrs OTHER DAYS: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Thursday 7th June 2018 (Public Holiday) Saturday 9th June 2018 Saturday 16th June 2018 from 11:00hrs to 15:00hrs

Residing and working in Malta, Vincent was born in France, yet defines himself as a ‘globetrotter’.

Through his many travels, he has developed an extensive body of work – a curated selection of which is being presented at Palazzo de la Salle (Malta Society of Arts – MSA) as his debut show on the island.

Vincent’s work betrays an intense preoccupation with light and shade as well as positive and negative space.

His images range from minimalist to exuding a sense of horror vacui. Quiet, dilapidated and abandoned spaces abound in his work, which often contains a tinge of the absurd, poignant, inexplicable or surreal.

Having studied art and photography at the IPESAA in France, Vincent embarked on an ongoing discovery that has taken him through 50 countries and across 200,000 km. He is intrigued by the themes of instantaneity, perspectives, and the temporal nature of abandoned places.

Over the years, his artwork has been featured in prestigious photography books and various international exhibitions in London, Cardiff, Paris, and Valletta. Vincent Kraft was also the recipient of the ‘Prize of the Public Award’ at the London Photo Festival and he has recently received recognition from Valletta 2018, European Capital of Culture.

STREET is a collaboration between Vincent Kraft and design / curatorial team comprising Anthony Galea and Lisa Gwen.

RELATIONTIPS

BRING OUT THE INTROVERTS At least one third of the population are introverts [even if some hide it well]. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, HELEN RAINE finds out, having worried about her own reserved son for years.

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y son is eight years old and he loves to read and draw.

When his classmates are running around at playtime, you’ll most likely find him holed up in a corner, deep in a book. He can bounce around on the trampoline, or play Nerf wars with the neighbourhood kids for a while, but then he withdraws, inking elaborate comic strips for hours at a time. I’d see him sitting off to the side of the hullabaloo and worry.

Didn’t he have friends? Why wasn’t he playing with them? And then I read Susan Cain’s book Quiet. It was a revelation, not just about my son, but about myself and many of the people around me.

QUIET REVOLUTION Cain has been credited with starting a ‘quiet revolution’ and she did it simply by explaining what now seems perfectly obvious to me; that at least one third of the population are introverts [even if some hide it well] and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

In fact, Cain goes further – she reveals that introverts have made some of the greatest contributions to society in terms of art, science and innovation. Among these are Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Mark Zuckerberg, JK Rowling, Al Gore and Charles Darwin… all introverted to the core.

Over the 20th century, however, the beauty and creativity of introversion has been eclipsed by what Cain describes as the ‘extrovert ideal’, which has permeated our culture. If you’re not backslapping and leading the fray in a brash, noisy, ‘American’ sort of way, then you just don’t count.

The ability to ‘work in a group’ has become prized above all else, along with confidence at public speaking, or in a meeting. Yet Cain notes dozens of examples where introverts have quietly changed the world, from Newton’s discovery of Pink June 2018 ∫ 59

RELATIONTIPS

gravity to Gandhi’s struggle for independence. Gandhi himself said: “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

Had he been a raging extrovert, India’s emancipation could have ended very differently.

STRONG AND SILENT Cain wants us to reacquaint ourselves with the strengths of introverts; their ability to beaver away at a problem until they solve it; their skill in resolving arguments without confrontation; their boundless creativity. That’s important because our reverence for rabidly outgoing personalities results in the most introverted children [and like everything, there’s always a scale] seeing themselves as failures. Introversion is currently ‘something to overcome’ and not a gift to treasure.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS To unlock their potential, Cain says we need to work with introverted children on their reaction to novelty.

“Introverts react not only to new people, but also to new places and events,” she says. “Don’t mistake your child’s caution in new situations for an inability to relate to others. She or he is recoiling from novelty or overstimulation, not from human contact…

“Introverts are just as likely as the next kid to seek others’ company, though often in smaller doses. The key is to expose your child gradually to new situations and people, taking care to respect his or her limits.”

She also says it’s important not to say they are ‘shy’ because they’ll believe the label and experience nervousness “as a fixed trait rather than an emotion he or she can

“OUR REVERENCE FOR RABIDLY OUTGOING PERSONALITIES RESULTS IN THE MOST INTROVERTED CHILDREN SEEING THEMSELVES AS FAILURES. INTROVERSION IS CURRENTLY ‘SOMETHING TO OVERCOME’ AND NOT A GIFT TO TREASURE” IN THE GENES The tendency to either introversion or extroversion seems to be hardwired. Developmental psychologist Jerome Kagan has carried out experiments that show babies who reacted violently to stimuli such as popping balloons [known as ‘high reactives’] were more likely grow up to be quiet teenagers. They are also more vulnerable to challenges like the breakdown of a parental marriage, or abuse.

But Cain says their sensitivity can have an upside. “High reactive kids who enjoy good parenting… and a stable home environment tend to have fewer emotional problems and more social skills than low reactive peers… Often they’re exceedingly empathetic, caring and cooperative.

They work well with others… They’re successful at the things that matter to them.”

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control”. Introverts aren’t necessarily shy [although again, some can be]; “shyness,” says Cain, “is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not.”

EMBRACE YOURSELF This is a message that goes well beyond childhood.

Adults too need to understand that introversion is nothing to be ashamed of.

“I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is for introverts to take stock of their own talents and how powerful it is when they finally do,” Cain says, adding, “there’s a word for people who are in their heads too much; thinkers.”

Those introverted thinkers, working alone on something they are passionate about, can achieve more than

RELATIONTIPS Cain says: “Even multitasking … turns out to be a myth.

Scientists now know that the brain is incapable of paying attention to two things at the same time. What looks like multitasking is really switching back and forth between multiple tasks, which reduces productivity and increases mistakes by up to 50 per cent. Many introverts seem to know these things instinctively and resist being herded together.”

a roomful of extroverts in an open-plan office. And being an introvert does not preclude being a leader. In her Manifesto for Introverts, Cain says: “Quiet leadership is not an oxymoron.” It simply means leading in a different, and often more productive, way.

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT Cain helps us to understand that introverts can behave like extroverts sometimes. “[Introverts] may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while, wish they were home in their pyjamas,” she explains.

Having some downtime to recharge is important for them.

Extroverts, on the other hand, can be in company 24 hours a day – they need the social interaction to thrive.

Being naturally introverted doesn’t mean we can’t function well and be happy out in the big wide world. A new field of psychology, pioneered by Prof. Brian Little and called Free Trait Theory, says we are born and culturally endowed with certain personality traits, but that introverts “can and do act out of character for core personal projects”, i.e. things they consider important, people they love, or anything they value highly.

Equally, an extroverted person will be able to behave with more restraint than usual when appropriate. No one can keep that up for ever… but that’s OK. The burst of energy or restraint only has to last long enough for us to complete the task at hand.

THE BUSINESS OF PERSONALITY Working with the strengths of employees is important for businesses too. There’s now a wealth of data to show that employees who are given privacy, personal space and freedom from interruption are more productive.

In a study called the Coding War Games, researchers found that 62 per cent of computer programmers, who performed the best, had ‘acceptably private’ workspaces, compared to only 19 per cent of the worst performers. The excessive stimulation from open-plan offices has also been shown to impede learning – a study of 38,000 knowledge workers showed that being interrupted is one of the biggest barriers to productivity.

ONE-OFFS One of the unique powers of introverts is that they do not conform easily. They are off on their own, thinking about things, without necessarily consulting with others. While that might reduce interactions that spark new ideas, it also means they escape the ‘chains of conformity’, in other words, going along with a bland, or even incorrect, idea just because the rest of the group agrees.

In a fascinating and now famous experiment, psychologist Solomon Asch asked students in a group to look at three lines and answer simple questions about which was longest, and which matched other lines. Ninety-five per cent of students answered correctly. But, says Cain, when Asch planted an actor into the group, who confidently volunteered the wrong answer, the number of students getting the question right fell to a staggering 25 per cent.

A similar experiment, which included a simultaneous brain scan, showed that peer pressure had not simply made the participants too embarrassed to offer the correct answer, or unsure that they were right. It had actually changed participants’ perception of the lines. And worse, those who volunteered the right answer, despite the peer pressure, showed heightened activity in the amygdala, an ancient part of the brain that processes emotions like rejection.

Cain notes that “standing alone activated primitive and powerful … feelings of rejection”. But she points out that we need the dissenting voices of introverts in society if civic institutions such as juries and elections are to work and if new ideas are going to develop.

The effect of the group dynamic motivated Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to write in his memoir iWoz: “I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone. Not on a committee. Not on a team.”

WE NEED BILL CLINTON AND BILL GATES The reality is that we need both introverts and extroverts.

Cain’s work shows us the path to a centre space – it’s a beautiful ode to introversion in all its calm, creative glory.

The book helped me to stop worrying about the quiet parts of my son and to celebrate his ideas and his ability to stand away from the crowd.

It also helped me take a long look at myself. I skirt the border between introversion and extroversion, but I no longer feel bad for leaving a party after a couple of hours, or for the fact that I avoid small talk with strangers at all costs – that is just how I am wired.

Introverts should read Cain’s book to better understand their strengths; and extroverts should read it to help them relate to and celebrate the introverted people they love.

After all, it’s the quiet ones you need to watch.

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PINKSHRINK

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY Dott. EDWARD CURMI talks about the positive vibes of summer and tries to understand why it makes us feel more joyful. Here’s hoping we are inspired to look forward to and get even more excited this season.

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t’s that time of the year… when we get excited about taking out our swimsuits, sandals and sun cream.

Some find summer annoying and complain about the heat, but most of us just love it.

The truth is that summer seems to have such a positive effect on the way we think, feel and behave, and it’s worth exploring what could be behind such a phenomenon of joy. Why does summer make us feel more joyful?

Most research about the psychology of summer is positive. Below are a few interesting perspectives that allow us to appreciate even more why this season is so special to so many.

HOLIDAY MODE As human beings, we seem to be positively conditioned by the fond memories of our summer childhood. Most of us will remember the fun we shared with our family and friends. It’s about that sense of freedom once the summer holidays started and we could leave exams behind us.

Psychologist and psychotherapist Dr Yvonne Thomas believes our happiness around the summer season stems from our school-out childhood. All those good summer vibes unconsciously trigger a strong sense of happiness in us.

Also, as adults, the majority choose to live up to the tradition by booking a long, well-deserved holiday, rather than a weekend break. It just feels like the summer season gives us a licence to break off from all stresses and cherish that strong sense of freedom we all had as a child.

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EXERCISE When it comes to exercise, on the one hand, the awful winter weather instigates us to find a million and one excuses not to work out, and on the other hand, the gorgeous summer weather is more likely to inspire us to go for a long, brisk walk, jog, or swim. Therefore, the summer months allow us to enjoy the benefits that come along with exercise, which include improving our physical health and immune system, and also promoting our mental well-being as we produce endorphins that encourage happiness.

“IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE SUMMER SEASON GIVES US A LICENCE TO BREAK OFF FROM ALL STRESSES AND CHERISH THAT STRONG SENSE OF FREEDOM WE ALL HAD AS A CHILD” SOCIALISING Summer stands for pool parties, barbeques, boats, open-air clubs and lots of other activities that involve socialising. Through interaction with other persons, our brains become more stimulated to cope with the everyday challenges of ageing. Neuropsychologist Prof. Angela Troyer studied the impact of socialising on our brain and her research confirmed that it allows us to live longer, enjoy better physical and mental health and even lowers the risk of dementia.

INDULGENCE The heat may often make us feel drained, lethargic and dehydrated, but we have a number of ways of coping with such negative effects. Most of us indulge in a thirstquenching, ice-cool lemonade, cocktail, or beer. However, most studies indicate that ice cream happens to be one of the most effective ways of coping with the heat.

It not only has the ability to make both children and adults happy due its taste and flavours, but also a scoop of ice cream helps us feel less sluggish and recuperate depleted glucose stores in their brain. This results in an improved cognitive performance and willpower.

NATURE The weather in summer, accompanied by the sound of humming bees and whistling crickets, is nothing but a source of nourishment as we immerse ourselves in the beauty of our natural surroundings. The feeling of dry salt on our skin after a swim in the sea and the background sound of the waves hitting the seashore all enhance our well-being and sense of mindfulness. For example, one study in the journal Social Science and Medicine in 2013 confirmed that spending a certain amount of time near a body of water has a therapeutic effect. Therefore, seeing that summer allows us to get more in touch with nature, it has the power to help us switch off, slow down and take in all the beauty of our surroundings.

THE SUN More often than not, we hear about the negative health hazards of staying in the sun. As much as we need to acknowledge such health risks, we cannot forget the benefits of UV rays. Studies have confirmed that when our body absorbs the UV light of the sun, it produces serotonin – that feel-good factor hormone, which boosts our morale and allows us to feel energised and more optimistic about life. Not only… Prof. Ellen Marmur, director of Marmur Medical in New York, tells us that sunlight shuts down our production of melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel tired and sleepy, thus helping us to stay more active and alert throughout the day.

LOVE Musicians, poets and authors have dedicated themselves to describing the beauty of summer loving. Although people experience love in different ways, it is hard to come across someone who never had a summer romance. Most describe summer love as short and sweet, but an interesting statistic by Facebook confirmed that the months of May through August seem to be the most common for relationship breakups. Could such results be a reflection of more people seeking new relationships in summer and leaving old ones behind?

Dott. Edward Curmi is a registered clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and author of the book Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, and its sequel More Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, available from Agenda Bookshops.

The creative agency TBWA\ANG celebrated the 50 years of experience that shaped their legacy. By challenging conventional wisdom they have produced an innovative vision and a creative approach. Today the agency is 50 years young, all the wiser and ever more determined to deliver stand out creativity that helps their clients succeed.

PARENTINGTIPS

SO, I RECENTLY BECAME A PARENT… New mother, educational and child psychologist Dr STEPHANIE SATARIANO admits that despite knowing it all before, she was blown away by the mass of contradictory advice on motherhood and children there is out there when she had her own son. So, how do non-child psychologist parents manage to navigate this minefield of information?

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lthough in my practice, I’ve always felt that I take a non-judgemental stance and treat parents as the ‘experts’, having your own child and having to trudge through the heaps of parenting advice and apply it to your own little human is a whole new experience.

I have so often guided parents in supporting their children and solving problems, but now I am faced with my own little being; with the pressure of applying all I know to make sure I am the ‘perfect’ parent and could raise the ‘perfect’ child.

I honestly feel that he looked at me and said: ‘You think you know what you’re doing… ha!’ And at every turning point, I have felt confused and baffled, resorting to the web, or books, or forums to seek some advice on sleep, weaning, vaccines, colic, reflux… You name it, I’ve googled it.

You see, despite knowing all this stuff before, I was blown away by the mass of contradictory advice there is out there.

Me, a parent, who has a pretty good knowledge base of child psychology, is mystified by the diverse opinions out there. So how do non-child psychologist

parents manage? How do parents who are entering this journey – this new full-time, 24/7 role – make sense of all the advice out there? How do they learn to enjoy being a parent, and ultimately, try not to scar children for life?

In both my professional practice and personal journey of being a mum, I have found that two key things work:

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Listen to your ‘parent gut’. Most of the time, we know what is right for our children; for our family. But we get so preoccupied with doing ‘the right thing’, making sure we’re ‘perfect’, that we lose the connection with our gut instinct – our ‘parent gut’. So, if something doesn’t sit right with you and if you feel that it’s not

“YOU ARE THE EXPERT ON YOUR CHILD, AND DEEP DOWN, YOU KNOW WHAT’S BEST, ESPECIALLY IF YOU REALLY ARE LISTENING TO YOUR CHILD” 1

Listen to your child. Yes, many parenting experts make generalised claims about things that work 100 per cent of the time; crying it out, time out, when to use a dummy, no iPad/yes to iPad, co-ed schools or single sex.

However, no two children are the same, like no two adults for that matter, and I really do believe that a one-size-fits-all approach is impossible. We should be sceptical about claims that something works for all children. Watch your child. If you watch attentively enough, they will tell you what’s best for them.

working for your child, then listen to that. You are the expert on your child, and deep down, you know what’s best, especially if you really are listening to your child.

Yes, it’s a minefield. Yes, there is more advice out there than we could ever make sense of, and yes, most of it contradicts the other. So, remember, you are the expert on your child, and most of the time, they are pretty good at telling you what they need. You just need to learn how to listen.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 67

TABLETALK

From as young as three, Marica Attard could be found alongside her nanna and mother in the kitchen, playing with the flour and dipping her fingers into the cookie dough.

Today, the 23-year-old may be an award-winning pastry chef, but she tells PINK she still gets her mum’s kitchen dirty. These delightful dessert creations she shares are well worth the mess.

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air pulled tightly back, Marica frowns as she concentrates on carefully balancing a petal on a berry using medical tweezers, while opening up about her passion to continue working as a pastry chef for as long as she can.

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WHIPPING UP A SUGARY STORM The young woman is undeterred by the fact that she works in a maledominated world and she’s proven she can hold her own, having recently clinched two silver medals at the Malta Kulinarja championships; the only internationally recognised culinary event organised locally.

Forming part of the kitchen brigade at Le Méridien St Julian’s Hotel & Spa, Marica won the Banquet Desserts Static: Silver Best in Class; and the Entremet/Gateaux: Silver Best in Class.

In the latter category, she was a junior, competing in a senior heat, so she was extremely thrilled with her placing.

At the moment, Marica is busy concocting a tempting dessert menu for the hotel’s new restaurant at The Villa, overlooking the serene Balluta Bay, which will be opening its doors in the coming weeks.

When she’s not working the occasional 16- to 18-hour shift, Marica tends to find herself back in mum’s kitchen making desserts for family and friends. Here’s what makes her tick…

Comfort food: Pasta with seafood, or a meaty, hearty stew.

TABLETALK Lime and Hazelnut Financier INGREDIENTS Serves 12 150g egg whites 184g sugar 71g ground hazelnuts 108g melted butter 108g flour ½ lime [zest]

METHOD [150°C; 15 minutes] Make a meringue with sugar and egg whites. This is done by whisking up the egg whites and gradually adding sugar to them until a stiff peak is reached and looks shiny.

Sieve the flour and ground hazelnuts together in a bowl and add the lime zest. Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients.

Lastly, fold the meringue into the melted butter mixture.

Berriolette Ganache INGREDIENTS – they’re elegant and you can express an artistic flair with them.

so I tend to stick to one dish when I go out to eat and rarely order desserts.

12g invert sugar [honey] 127g Berriolette purée* 167g Bahibe milk chocolate, 46 per cent, melted 13g unsalted butter, softened

Favourite food memory: My mum’s

METHOD

bragjoli. It’s still a Sunday treat.

Bring the invert sugar and purée to the boil. Pour the hot mixture [purée and honey] over the melted chocolate and whisk to emulsify. Leave the mixture aside to cool down to 35°C before adding butter, and blend until smooth. * The Berriolette purée can be changed with any berry purée. This can be done by cooking the fruits in a little bit of water and sugar to taste and then blending everything.

Best restaurant dessert: I don’t eat much,

Break the fast or fast: If I’m working, I Current craving: A good ice cream… The

other day, I made this chèvre and hazelnut ice cream and the experiment went down really well with guests. I have to make it again.

never have time for breakfast, but on the days I’m off, I usually nibble on a cereal bar, or toast; nothing fancy.

Best cooking tip I learnt: My mum taught

Most hated ingredient: Pepper, especially

crushed peppercorns.

Bacio or Ferrero: Ferrero… but Lindt is my ultimate favourite.

me how to make the perfect batter – the rubbing-in method of flour and butter, which can very tricky and requires a lot of patience.

Most admired pastry chef: I’d have to

Chocoholic or sweeties: I’m a self-confessed

chocoholic, especially 60 per cent dark chocolate. This is why I love making pralines

Serves 21 pralines

choose American Antonio Bachour.

My dream is to one day attend one of his private masterclasses. He’s inspirational.

Pink June 2018 ∫ 69

DESIGNS ON LIFE

Photography Kurt Paris

As a fashion designer, Ritienne Zammit has been asked to work on all sorts of creative projects over the years.

Now, though, she is putting her pen to something completely different and has dreamt up the beautiful costumes behind upcoming ballet Parade.

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here’s something very special about fashion designer Ritienne Zammit and her unfailing dedication to creating Maltese fashion that, quite literally, represents the island she loves to call home.

Part of the fashion industry for five years – a role she absolutely loves – she is known for being true to her roots and has received some of the loudest applause ever in Malta Fashion Week history, largely thanks to the unconventional and historicallyinspired style of her designs.

“I am inspired by everything that makes us Maltese, especially our culture,” she says. “I like to present collections that are wearable, but stand out. A large part of what I do comes down to my custom-made fabric designs, based on artworks.”

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However, now that Malta Fashion Week is over, Ritienne has set her sights on another creative project – the costume design for Parade & the Velvet Gentleman, a family-friendly performance that combines choreography with stop-motion animation, puppetry and projection dancing, being held at the Manoel Theatre on July 27.

You do so much career-wise… How do you manage? Well, I actually have a

full-time job on top of my design work, so that keeps me busy too! Financially, it would be almost impossible to rely only on designing at the moment. So, juggling everything means working on my days off and late into the night.

What inspired you to become a designer? Ever since I can remember,

creativity has been my driving force and it always manages to spur my enthusiasm. As I was growing up, I was drawn down the path of design. It was risky, of course, especially as this was still very new and in development at the time. But with lots of dedication, sacrifice and hard work, I am proud of what I managed to achieve.

You recently presented you latest collection, _Atronymic, at Malta Fashion Week. What drew you to this project? The idea for my _Atronymic

fashion collection came exactly after I presented my last collection, I Love Valletta. It took eight months of research before the fabric-testing process could start. The inspiration lies in the fact that I have always wanted to know more about the meaning behind Maltese surnames and their origins

SNAPSHOT

Photography Stephen Buhagiar

“I THINK MALTA’S FASHIONISTAS AND LINGUISTS APPRECIATED THE IN-DEPTH RESEARCH THAT WENT INTO IT, AND THE METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT”

because they obviously reflect our history and genetics. Finding out more about this was extremely interesting because, as I delved into detail, I realised how our surnames have been influenced by the countries around us, just like our language.

As you explained, this collection is a manifestation of Maltese family names and their meanings. How was it received? I think Malta’s fashionistas

and linguists appreciated the in-depth research that went into it, and the metaphorical representation of the project. Of course, it isn’t just metaphorical, but also vibrant and fun!

How do you look back on your past collections? And have they shaped your love for design? Every single

one of my collections was somehow inspired by Malta. For instance, the 2015 collection was all about patriotism, featuring patriots like Dun Mikiel Xerri and Manuel Dimech, who were included on my printed fabric. Last year’s was inspired by Valletta, with St John’s co-Cathedral as one of my key prints. I love pushing the boundaries, and I use fashion design to transmit an expression.

You have designed the costumes for the upcoming show Parade & the

Velvet Gentleman, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the ballet Parade that premiered in 1917 by Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. What inspired your costumes for this dynamic remake? The point

of departure was the original sketches for the original costumes designed

by Pablo Picasso himself. The challenge was to maintain the Picasso reference, while still giving the costumes a contemporary twist.

The costume for the ‘American Girl’ features the iconic New York City John Lennon T-shirt, as well as a motif of white stars lifted from the stars and stripes banner. For the ‘Acrobats’, I decided to use blue glitter paint over white leotards. The ‘Horse’ character is perhaps the most obvious contemporary development to the costume. The mask is practically a replica of the Picasso design, but the whole ensemble is inspired by the innovative Lion King costumes of Julie Taymor, where the dancers are not concealed but rather contribute to the physicality of the action.

What’s next for you, and what are you most excited about at the moment? I plan to keep on developing

my design style, artistic perspective and fabric techniques.

Finally, what are you most looking forward to this summer? Working in

my brand-new studio!

Parade & the Velvet Gentleman is organised

by Modern Music Days as part of the Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme. Modern Music Days is organised by Teatru Manoel and the Malta Association for Contemporary Music, with the support of the Finance Ministry. For tickets, visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

Pink June 2018 ∫ 73

WOMENONWHEELS

KUDOS FOR THE KOLEOS TV personality TEZARA CAMILLERI goes down the manual route for the love of the Renault Koleos. She’s especially impressed by the retractable compartment for her sunglasses… apart from the fact that she can just sit back and watch herself park in the rear parking camera.

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his weather is close to perfect, isn’t it?

Well, not for long, really. The sun isn’t yet scorching and the light breeze throughout the day are just what you need to keep fresh.

I let the great day in by making use of the opening panoramic sunroof feature found in the Renault Koleos. I then made myself comfortable by using the electric seat and height adjustment button, changed the electric mirrors to better suit me, and off I went for a quick drive to Rabat.

I felt a little bit anxious at first because the model I was driving happened to be manual, but I quickly got used to it and could really enjoy the drive. Speaking of manual cars, one of the first things I noticed in the Koleos was the fact that it doesn’t have a manual

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parking handbrake, as I would ordinarily be used to, but an electronic one.

It’s also got automatic headlamps and wipers, halogen headlights and full LEDs Pure Vision headlamps, as well as an Eco mode and a lane-departure and blind-spot warning.

that include TomTom live service with Western European mapping, Bluetooth and hands-free calling.

My small city car obviously hasn’t got space for a spare tyre, so I took it for granted that, given the size of the Koleos, I would find it in the boot. But I didn’t think it

“THE CAR MEASURES THE PARKING SPACE WITH ITS SENSORS, BE IT PARALLEL, PERPENDICULAR, OR ANGLED, AND ACTUALLY DECIDES THE PARKING TRAJECTORY” When it got a bit too warm with the sun directly on me, I decided to turn the air conditioning on and discovered that the Koleos has dual climate control, which means the driver and the passenger can actually have different temperatures.

It has the R-Link 2 8.7-inch touchscreen, with features

would come complete with the tools needed to change it.

I also didn’t expect to just slide my leg under the car to activate a sensor for the boot to automatically open and close; a feature that is more formally known as the powered automatic tailgate.

Just imagine yourself with your hands full of groceries

and other bags and not needing to look for your car keys – bliss!

The Koleos also has handsfree parking, which means the car measures the parking space with its sensors, be it parallel, perpendicular, or angled, and actually decides the parking trajectory. Then, I just had to control the speed and the braking while the car steered itself into place. Of course, I’m watching all this unfold through the rear parking camera displayed on the touchscreen in the car.

Before returning the Koleos, I wanted to make sure I looked as close to decent as I could, so I opened the car’s vanity mirror, as most women do [come on!], only to be pleasantly surprised by the fact that it was illuminated. I also noticed a retractable compartment for my sunglasses and was bummed I had to return the car before I got a chance to use it.

Ah well, I’ll just have to head back to Kind’s – Auto Sales Ltd in the near future.