“Being creative is when my heart beats calmly,” Sam Selby tells me, but how calm can you be when your own jewellery line is on display at Malta Fashion Week?

Sam moved to Malta six years ago after growing up in Mill Hill, from where she tells me she was always making things.

“From a young age it was clear that I was creative. As a dyslexic, many aspects of schooling were challenging; so when I found something that I seemed to enjoy, and I was commended by my teachers, then I excelled.

“As a family we used to head to Barnet market on a Saturday morning, here I would get my silks for my friendship bracelets and various different jewellery making kits which would occupy my weekends. I had a passion for it. I can’t say that I was a professional straight away, but in time my items sold and my skillset has certainly developed.”

Later Sam went to Haileybury and Imperial Service College, a boarding school that had only recently allowed female pupils when she joined.

Sam was the only girl in her year to study design and technology and became the first female in the school to receive the National Arkwright Scholarship – a sum of money commending her skills which she used to purchase jewellery-making tools and beads – which is where she believes her career took off.

“I carried on with my hobby of jewellery making when moving to Malta. I created my first collection and named it BoboStar. I started to participate in markets around the island. The response was amazing. My (now) husband encouraged me to give up my role in marketing for an international bank, which I did. I am so grateful for his faith in me.

“For three years I worked hard with BoboStar and it was a three page feature in a magazine last Christmas, which landed on the desk of the director of Malta Fashion Week. I was selected to feature and then created The Sirena Collection. What an achievement. Words can’t describe how it feels to actually achieve your dream.”

Sam’s creativity has meant she has always had an eye for detail. She adds: “I love classic lines and looks, you can be extravagant with accessories to create different looks. I am a big fan of bold colours and prints with bags, scarves and hats. The key is to feel good and don’t be shy. After all, what we wear is an expression of our inner self.”

I could not resist asking her opinion of the notorious style rule from Coco Chanel, to always remove one piece of jewellery before leaving the house. She advises me to “keep the look fresh and clean; save a little something for tomorrow’s look.”

The Sirena Collection is available online at sam-selby.com