Scottish fashion under the spotlight as RGU launch new project

The project will bring together fashion experts from across Scotland and include four in-person networking events.

An opening event has already taken place in Aberdeen with great success, and further events are planned in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee in November and December. There will also be a virtual event for people living in Scotland’s remote communities.

Led by Dr Madeleine Marcella-Hood, a senior lecturer in Fashion Management and Dr Karen Cross from Gray’s School of Art, the project will gather a fresh insight into Scottish fashion and go beyond the traditional image of Scottish fashion associated with tartan as a symbol of Scottish fashion and cultural identity.

Dr Madeleine Marcella-Hood said: “Scotland is a country with a rich heritage and distinctive iconography. Colours, textiles, settings and perhaps most significantly tartan are powerful symbols of Scottish fashion and cultural identity. Existing research focuses on the production of traditional textiles, particularly tartan and tweed, and these tend to be looked at retrospectively in terms of their impact and evolution throughout history.

“We want to create an inclusive, authentic, and forward-looking representation of Scottish fashion in the broad sense of the term – dress, appearance and style - which would include but not be exclusively focused on textiles. We’re looking forward to bringing together researchers, designers, makers and business owners, and to identifying new opportunities for the Scottish fashion sector.”

Elane Colville-Arthur who owns the Closet Vintage in Aberdeen, joined the first event held in Aberdeen in September. She said: “It was such a pleasure to return to my old university and to participate in the first Scottish Fashion: Identity, Influence & Impact event. It was a hugely successful afternoon with such a wide & varied range of participants, led by Professors Madeleine Marcella-Hood and Karen Cross. 

“The talk and ensuing discussion were inspiring and motivating on so many levels. Coming from a sustainable retail angle, I found the discussion around the future of Scottish fashion heartening. I left with lots of great ideas and more than a few new independent designers and businesses to look out for. The fact that Scottish fashion identity is being discussed is the first step in implementing a future for the industry and I look forward to seeing the project go forward and the success it will bring.”

Kirsty Scott, owner of Weave Consult, also attended the Aberdeen event. Kirsty said:  “It was a really interesting and enjoyable event, with a great discussion exploring the contribution of Scottish fashion and textiles to national identity and wider sectors including tourism.  It is great that Gray’s School of Art is leading this project and supporting the Scottish fashion industry. I look forward to seeing the project develop.”

As part of the project, academics will explore and review existing literature about Scottish fashion and reflect on national identity and the opportunities and challenges that this presents. They hope to challenge preconceived ideas around Scottish fashion, that centre around heritage, symbols and stereotypes of traditional Scotland.

The network discussions will be based around the themes of identity, influence and impact and use visual methods to identify opportunities and challenges for the sector.  It’s hoped the research will help future funding bids to support the Scottish fashion industry.