This project aims to establish a network of researchers and practitioners who are interested in Scottish fashion as a cultural, social, and industrial practice, to provide insights and/or author a chapter as part of an edited collection.
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.
This project seeks to uncover and portray 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. The inclusion of textiles will be from a contemporary perspective, which is currently lacking in the literature.
Literature in the field of Scottish identity studies supports the rationale for this research, suggesting firstly that national identity should be reflected on and updated over time and secondly that Scottish identity in particular presents opportunities and challenges – where it is argued that Scotland suffers from too much heritage and that symbols and stereotypes of traditional Scotland can be limiting. This project seeks to build on existing research by exploring new areas, embracing but also challenging the literature and preconceived ideas around Scottish fashion.
Call for Abstracts
We’re looking for researchers who are interested in Scottish fashion as a cultural, social, and industrial practice to contribute to an edited collection book on contemporary Scottish fashion. Chapters should consider different aspects of Scottish fashion aligning to the themes of identity, influence and impact. Chapters might be conceptual or empirical but must be original and evidence-based. Collaborative and individual contributions from network event attendees are encouraged.
Submissions should be in the form of a 300-word abstract sent to m.marcella-hood@rgu.ac.uk before 13:00 on Monday 6 January 2025.
Final manuscripts would be required by the end of June 2025.
Network Events
The project will initially comprise four in-person network events across Scotland's four main cities and a virtual network event.
Previous Events
- Aberdeen - our Aberdeen network event was held on campus on Wednesday 25 September 2024.
Register Now
- Edinburgh - 13 November 2024, 13:00 - 16:00
- Glasgow - 22 November 2024, 13:00 - 16:00
- Online (via teams) - 5 December, 14:00 - 16:00
- Dundee - 11 December, 13:00 - 16:00