Our Story

The VF Group story spans more than four decades, and is one which is built on passion, innovation and unwavering determination. Starting off as a modest tailoring business on the island of Malta, the vision was clear, even in those early days: to deliver fine quality products and experiences through a steadfast commitment to quality, design and good taste.

These founding values of our Chairman, Vincent Farrugia, have proved vital to our destiny as pioneers of the retail, manufacturing, and media sectors in Malta. As curious innovators, we challenge the status quo, deliver the bespoke, and have built a world class organisation on a series of illustrious firsts.

Today the Farrugia Textiles manufacturing arm trades as BTI, and offers made to measure apparel, uniforms and workwear for all sectors and industries. It caters to specialised areas and offers value-added services such as embroidery and direct to garment printing.

Our first foray into retail came in the 1978 through Malta’s first multi-brand fashion concept. Swinger offered a mix of locally-manufactured garments and imported ready-to-wear brands. Such was its popularity that by 199 7 Swinger operated a total of thirteen stores and by 2000 it had launched Malta’s first franchising model.

In 1998, VF Group introduced Malta’s first internationally franchised fashion brand, Mexx, which developed into four stand-alone strategically located mono-brand retail units. What followed was ambitious expansion which saw the company taking investing in the franchises for French Connection and Calvin Klein through mono-brand stores located in Malta’s primary shopping districts.

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The definitive shift to premium and luxury retail came in 2011 with the opening of the first Malta-franchise store for Hugo Boss. It is within this segment that VF Group is best represented: our vast experience in tailoring, large-scale manufacturing, and retail operations coupled with an innate appreciation for quality, attention to detail and customer focus led us to secure the representation for some of the world’s top fashion maisons.

Our first foray into retail came in the 1978 through Malta’s first multi-brand fashion concept. Swinger offered a mix of locally-manufactured garments and imported ready-to-wear brands. Such was its popularity that by 1997 Swinger operated a total of thirteen stores and by 2000 it had launched Malta’s first franchising model.

The retail arm also manages the exclusive representation for Samsonite, through several standalone stores and distribution arrangements across Malta and Gozo.

 

A bold diversification venture came in the mid-2000s with the establishment of Faces, an outdoor media and large format printing company. Faces introduced the first national branded bus shelter concept and today owns and operates over 700 advertising displays, making it the largest outdoor media setup in Malta.

While VF Group has grown exponentially it remains true to its roots as a family business with Chairman Vincent Farrugia at the helm, and Michelle Farrugia and Matthew Farrugia assuming its day-to-day leadership as Executive Directors. Today, the company employs a workforce of over 150 across its three key divisions: Fashion & Retail, Manufacturing & Uniformity and Media & Design, all of which are supported by a skilled workforce and management team in the functional areas of marketing, logistics, operations, human resources, sales, finance and business development.

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VF Group is an undisputed market leader with an unmatched portfolio of Malta’s most recognisable corporate and consumer brands.​