There was a certain frisson (to use one of Nicole's favourite words) of anticipation as the guests filed into the hall. Their large number alone was testament to Luke Azzopardi's popularity. We watched curiously as they shuffled into Sir Robert Sammut Hall, reverently keeping their voices down as if in the presence of the Dalai Lama. "Reverence" is a good word, because it encompasses both the attitude of the attendees towards Luke's creative genius, and the designer's approach to the art he 'borrowed' for his Pierced collection. A twisted reverence, perhaps – if one had to imagine a conversation between Luke and the artists he referenced, with lots of hair whipping and flicking for good measure, it would go something like this: "I admire and adore your work. However, I have my own way of showing my appreciation, so you sit back and watch the show and let me do my thing with your work. You don't have a say in it, but you will like it." And like it we did.