Scottish Music - Living Legacy
Scottish traditional and folk music is as popular and influential today as it ever has been.
Scottish design running wild in the Big Apple
As part of Scotland Week, which takes place across North America and Canada, April 3 – 10, students at the Scottish Fashion Academy were asked to design a T-shirt motif for the 10,000 runners participating in the Scotland Run, a 10k event through Central Park, New York on Sunday April 10.
The students were asked to create an image that reflects modern Scotland and our links to the USA.
The winning design by Linsey Orr of Edinburgh College of Art, incorporates a large apple over-layed with a repeated pattern of a thistle, and the stalk cleverly replaced with a silhouetted figure holding the Saltire above their head.
Linsey will receive a framed t-shirt signed by the winner of the race. But the real prize is to have her design turned into the official race t-shirt worn by 10,000 entrants!
Dressed to Kilt
Scottish creativity is high on the agenda at Scotland week. Along with Linsey’s winning design, Grey’s Art School student Daniel Crozier will have his tartan coat – which was inspired by portraits of the 18th century French queen Marie Anttoinette – showcased at Dressed to Kilt, the annual fashion show where the best of Scottish design creativity is showcased on the catwalks of New York.
The theme of the 2011 gala will be Country Chic drawing inspiration from country music and it's Scottish origins.
Major designer labels to be featured include Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, House of Holland, Katherine Hooker, and Locharron of Scotland, together with award-winning, US-based country and western designers such as Montana, Dreamwear, Pat Dahnke, IOTA, Prophetik, a favourite with Oscar-winning Colin Firth's wife, Livia, and Manuel Cuevas.
A number of well known faces have already signed up to take part including Kelly Brook, Rosanne Cash, and Miss Scotland.
One Scottish-based fashion designer gearing up to take part in this year's Dressed to Kilt is Irene Wadsworth. This is the third time Irene's outifts have been featured in the annual catwalk show, but the first time she has designed a collection specifically for the event.
Irene, who runs Edinburgh based Impractical Clothes, and whose tartan designs are featured in the top image, said:
"The theme of the show this year is country chic and utilitarian couture. It is all about the spirit of the settlers who moved from Scotland to the Appalachians. They had a make do and mend culture which is why I used remants of fabric to create a patchwork effect."
Dressed to Kilt in 2010 made a significant impression on international fashion to become:
- The highest profile Scottish event in the world
- One of the top three fashion shows in the world (right behind Victoria’s Secret)
- Featured by more than 150 international broadcast outlets
- Viewed by a combined broadcast, print and online audience of more than 1.5 billion
Interested in finding out more about Scottish creativity?
Go to Creative Scotland for more information.
Want to find out more about Scotland Week?
Visit out Scotland Week section to find out more
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Did you know...
"Auld Lang Syne" written by Robbie Burns is one of the most sung songs in the world. Many polls list it as the 2nd most popular after Happy Birthday and it is sung everywhere at New Year celebrations.