Scottish Fashion & Textiles

A history of fashion design

One of the greatest British fashion designers of the twentieth century was a Scot: Jean Muir. In her designs she distilled the essence of modernity and although she did not officially invent the 'little black dress' she took it to a new, universal level. Jean Muir died in 1995 but her label outlives her – her style was a mature, sensual elegance that remains timeless. Muir is an inspiration to younger generations. She had no formal training but had a steely addiction to work, a trait she attributed to her Scots provenance.

Mentioning a few other names, Belinda Robertson – the feisty Glasgow fashion designer has taken cashmere to a heady new plane. Orcadian fashion lecturer Isobel Mowat, Scottish fashion designer of the year 2002, has her own eponymous label aimed at the top end avant-garde designer market. Melrose-based Shirley Pinder has revolutionised scarves transforming them from something practical into something luxurious and aesthetic with designs stocked in more than 140 stores worldwide.

Picking up the thread

There's steel and flair in the Scots nature that are pre-requisites for a career in the fashion world – also a natural propensity to travel the globe. But Scotland also offers first-rate educational opportunities in the fields of fashion design, textiles design, clothing design and manufacture, design through digital media and photography. Edinburgh College of Art is a hot-bed of fashion design and is famous for its dazzling annual fashion shows. The 2004 shows attracted a record 2,400 people and tickets are like gold dust. And the Scottish Borders Campus of Heriot-Watt University, based in Galashiels the heart of Scotland's traditional weaving industry, is recognised as a leading centre in textile design, textiles and clothing technology and fashion.

Weaving and spinning

Scotland's love affair with fashion goes deeper than the clothes themselves, with a long history of yarn spinning and fabric manufacture. Harris Tweed, once described as the 'champagne of fabrics' is only produced in the Outer Hebrides. At present there are three mills on the islands producing the fabric, the youngest Harris Tweed Hebrides, established for almost three years has taken the market by storm. Exporting to over 50 countries they note design behemoths such as Vivienne Westwood, the late Alexander McQueen and Calvin Klein as customers

Scottish Cashmere is equally as famous. Produced in Scotland since the 18th century, cashmere for many is the last word in luxury fabrics. The Scottish Cashmere Club was formed in 2000 as a collective to incorporate and represent all sectors of the cashmere industry in Scotland. Members of the club, such as Z. Hinchliffe and Sons of Ayrshire, supply yarn to some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses including Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Burberry.