The Maltese Bride: 19th – 20th century Bridal wear in Malta

In this exhibition, entitled The Maltese Bride: 19th – 20th century bridal wear in Malta, five wedding dresses from the national textiles collection are being exhibited at the Inquisitor’s Palace – National Museum of Ethnography, in Birgu. The gowns date back to the 19th and 20th century and one of them, worn first in 1979, was donned for a second time in 2001 by the original bride’s daughter.

The earliest exhibit is a silk lamè handmade wedding dress from the first half of the 19th century. A black blouse and skirt bought in 1917, a 1952 satin wedding dress sewn by the bride’s mother and embroidered by the bride herself, and a 1965 wedding dress complete with veil, created by a dressmaker, are also on display. The fifth gown is a 1979 creation, complete with a hooded cape, designed and sewn by the bride and her mother. This dress was worn again by the bride’s daughter on her own wedding day 22 years later.

The exhibition is further enhanced through two interviews – one with the son of the 1917 bride and another one with the bride whose dress was worn by herself and her daughter.

Wedding dress styles and fabrics varied considerably over the years, as attested by this exhibition. Telecommunications, the advent of photography, printing of fashion and needlecraft books, magazines and patterns, as well as the manufacture and production of various fabrics and haberdashery items, all left their mark. Besides fashion trends, other factors that influenced bridal preferences included the bride’s family’s socio-economic, religious and financial status, or the bride’s personal situation, such as being orphaned or widowed.

The exhibition runs until July 2024. Its launch coincides with Birgufest, happening on the 13th and the 14th of October in Birgu. On Saturday 14th, as part of Birgufest, the Inquisitor’s Palace and Fort St Angelo will be offering extended opening hours and a combo ticket for both sites will be available at only €3. The ticket may only be bought at the door.

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F’din il-wirja, bl-isem, The Maltese Bride: 19th – 20th century bridal wear in Malta, ħames ilbiesi tat-tieġ mill-kollezzjoni nazzjonali tat-tessuti qed jiġu esebiti fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur – il-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Etnografija, fil-Birgu. L-ilbiesi jmorru lura sas-seklu 19 u 20 u waħda minnhom, milbusa għall-ewwel darba fl-1979, intlibset mill-ġdid fl-2001 minn bint l-għarusa oriġinali.

L-aktar libsa antika nħadmet mill-ħarir fl-ewwel nofs tas-seklu 19. Hemm għall-wiri wkoll dublett u blouse suwed mixtrijin fl-1917, libsa tas-satin tal-1952 magħmula minn omm l-għarusa u rrakkmata mill-għarusa stess, u libsa tal-1965 kompluta bil-velu, li nħietet minn ħajjata. Il-ħames libsa nħadmet fl-1979, u fuqha ntlibset kappa bil-barnuża li hija esebita wkoll. Din il-libsa nħietet mill-għarusa u minn ommha, u 22 sena wara reġgħet intlibset – din id-darba mit-tifla tal-ewwel għarusa.

Il-wirja tinkludi żewġ intervisti interessanti – waħda mat-tifel tal-għarusa li libset il-libsa tal-1917 u l-oħra mal-għarusa li l-libsa tagħha ntlibset kemm minnha stess kif ukoll minn bintha.

L-istili u l-materjal tal-ilbiesi tat-tieġ varjaw ħafna matul is-snin, kif tixhed din il-wirja. It-telekomunikazzjoni, il-miġja tal-fotografija, l-istampar ta’ kotba u rivisti dwar il-moda u l-ħjata, kif ukoll il-produzzjoni ta’ drappijiet differenti u oġġetti li jintużaw fil-ħjata, ilkoll ħallew l-impatt tagħhom. Minbarra x-xejriet tal-moda, kien hemm fatturi oħra li influwenzaw il-preferenzi tal-għarusa, fosthom il-qagħda soċjo-ekonomika, reliġjuża u finanzjarja tal-familja tagħha kif ukoll is-sitwazzjoni personali tagħha, bħal jekk kinitx orfni jew armla. 

Il-wirja tibqa’ miftuħa sa Lulju tal-2024. It-tnedija tagħha taħbat mal-Birgufest, li se jsir fit-13 u fl-14 ta’ Ottubru fil-Birgu. Is-Sibt 14, bħala parti mill-Birgufest, il-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur u l-Forti Sant’Anġlu se jkunu miftuħin sat-tard u min jixtieq jista’ jżurhom it-tnejn b’biljett wieħed li jiswa biss €3. Il-biljett jinxtara biss mill-bieb ta’ dawn is-siti.