Wednesday 28 September 2011

Scots at LFW

So my attention has been particularly drawn to all things Scottish and fashion-related recently, stemming from my recent discovery of the Design Collective Scotland. Another contributory factor may be the low I often experience when returning to Scotland from my fashion-laden trips. Reminding myself of the good things here helps to ease the pain...


While wandering through the massive maze of an exhibition at this season’s designer exhibitions, I was lucky enough to stumble across the Design Collective room, featuring four Scottish designers who have teamed up to take on the fashion world. Their sartorial expertise varies from knitwear to shoes and aesthetically they all have their own distinct look. Watch out for them around Scotland and beyond...


Di Gilpin
With a collaboration with Meadham Kirchoff under her belt, Di’s unique knitwear is being noticed as innovative and striking by all the right people. Being surrounded by the beautiful landscapes around rural Scotland has definitely influenced her designs, and her technical mastery means she is able to create pieces with varying types of construction and pushes the boundaries of what can be done with knitwear. I really loved what I saw at the exhibition - I particularly enjoyed her fisherman/fishing nets inspired knits and the way she uses wool to mimic other materials. Unique,wearable and beautiful.

 A sexy fisherman's wife vest? Yes please.

I would definitely replace denim shorts with knitted ones..

Iona Crawford
Soft cuts mixed with masculine silhouettes, Iona’s SS12 collection is a contrast of inspirations with great execution. Feminine prints and the best fabrics like silk, merino and cashmere make the garments look (and, no doubt, feel) luxurious to wear. Her self-designed prints are the perfect complement to the ultra-refined creations. I especially love the delicateness of the bird print on the V cut of the dress and on the subtle upturn of the tux jacket. Divine!




Marc Ross
With a love of leather and strong looks, Marc Ross is the definition of edgy chic from Scotland. His roots in pattern cutting are channelled through the expert use of brave designs throughout his pieces. His creative flair allows him to make garments that are both striking yet well structured and wearable. After learning and perfecting his craft outside of Scotland, he returns to work on new things with his eponymous label. As a fellow lover of leather (try saying that fast), I'm definitely excited to see more.

Due to my lack of new shoe designer discoveries, I was delighted to ‘discover’ Emily Lamb. Her beautifully hand-crafted shoes are understated yet timelessly elegant, with intricate details such as cut out sides and multi-tonal and multi-texture leathers. Each shoe is made to order so patience is required to get your hands on them. Shoes so delicate and precious, I want to put them all on display.
 One of the rare mid heels I've seen that I actually like!


The Design Collective is jetsetting to more global fashion destinations and are setting up shop in Glasgow very soon. Details to come when I know more, as I'll definitely be visiting...

And even more Scottish fashion stuff is happening this weekend in my very own Edinburgh! The launch party of the Edinburgh Fashion Fall/Winter Event is just in time for the Indian Summer we are having. I know next to nothing about the launch and the event itself so am quite excited to get acquainted with the fashion show that's closest to home.

You bet there'll be pics to come.

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