MATERIAL GIRLS
Stephanie Abbot talks to four designers championing Scottish textiles
The high quality of Scottish textiles is perhaps one of fashion’s worst-kept secrets. Ever since Coco Chanel created her iconic and elegant tweed two-piece skirt suit in the 1920s, fashion powerhouses have incorporated our celebrated materials and the surrounding heritage into their designs across couture runway shows and ready to wear lines for the eager and dedicated fashionista.
Over the years, tartan has played a major role in collections by Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger and Prada, while Vivienne Westwood has become synonymous with it ever since the launch of her Anglomania collection for autumn/winter in 1993. It was during this show that a certain Naomi Campbell memorably tripped over her 10-inch mock crocodile skin shoes while wearing a tartan skirt.
Heavily inspired by his Scottish roots, the late Alexander McQueen used materials in his runway shows to create a commentary on the country’s dark history and the commodification of Scotland’s textile industry.
Another big name to utilise the appeal of Scottish fabrics and patterns is Christopher Kane, a Glasgow-born designer who has received worldwide recognition for some startlingly original designs informed by his Scottish heritage.
Like the fashion giants before them, the four designers featured in the following pages have been drawn towards using materials steeped in heritage and renowned for their quality.
In order to avoid the many resulting pitfalls of fast fashion, where clothes are mass produced quickly and cheaply, our four contemporary designers source materials such as lace, tartan, cashmere and wool from Scotland. This allows the final pieces to outlive seasonal trends and exist as investment staples for their wearers. The challenge is striking a balance between the traditional roots of the fabrics while still earning a place in a modern wardrobe.
Through a variety of techniques including unique colour waves, bold silhouettes and experimenting with texture, their clothes are conspicuously contemporary yet maintain the tradition of style and quality which has been the hallmark of the seemingly timeless appeal enjoyed by rich textiles.