Every Sunday morning, Tonya Lehtinen arrives in Valletta from Gozo. The reason? She delivers a workshop about Ethical fashion.
To a group of participants from diverse backgrounds, including migrants and refugees, she teaches the basics of sewing and techniques for repairing their own clothes. These workshops allow them to learn new things while contributing to global sustainability. For her, teaching entails giving skills but also communicating with people and understanding the diverse cultural journeys of those she meets.
Tonya Lehtinen is a South African woman who arrived in Malta 20 years ago, and moved to Gozo in 2019. She has taken on the challenge of opening a vintage and second-hand clothing store in Victoria. VogueXchange showcases what the creator wants to transmit: her passion for sustainability.
That passion is evident as she incorporates recycled items into her collection and proudly showcases the work produced by participants to her workshops.
Prioritizing the quality of fabrics, she avoids fast fashion and wants to inspire others to embrace eco-conscious choices in their wardrobe.
Her ultimate dream is to make her store useful. “I would be able to connect with educational entities or projects either in Africa or other countries where they could literally use the shop as an internship to learn about how stores work, how business works and all the aspects of everything from running a business”.
Speaking about her challenges, she mentions time, but more crucial is keeping the workshops financially viable. She has received financial support from APS Bank and the Dutch Embassy, but has also found great support from volunteers and interns. But more is always good. She doesn't forget to mention the International Center in Valletta, property of Scots Church that hosts the workshops.
“With this project, the idea was that I would be teaching skills, but it turned out that I’ve also learned a lot.”
Whether you have sewing skills or not, if you are passionate about fashion, don't hesitate to contact Tonya to be part of the adventure.
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