Former Newsnight anchor Kirsty Wark has praised the “timeless” nature of Scottish fashion as she awaits the airing of her new doc on the subject this weekend.
“I think Scottish style is always in vogue, because it’s timeless,” the host told the BBC. “The pieces created in Scotland are made to last and to be loved and cherished by each generation.”
Delving deep into the social history of Scottish fashion, from Selkirk to Shetland, Icons of Style will see Wark explore how Scotland made a big impact on the global fashion scene. Along the way, she meets the iconic designers, influencers and celebrities who brought catwalk style to international notoriety and championed the country’s unique sense of style.
Reflecting on 60 years of Scottish fashion and an enduring influence on the world’s fashion stage, Wark meets the Scots who shaped the industry through the decades and highlights its enduring appeal.
“I think Scottish textiles and fashions are unique because they transcend trends. Good quality pieces made with care will always be in fashion. Tartans and tweeds have been remade and repurposed no matter what the fashion trend is at the time, worn by everyone from punks to princesses,” she added.
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Among the Scottish labels, models and fashionista’s Wark is namedropping ahead of the show are student designer and model Iona Hay, French/Scottish-designed label La Fetiche, “Scottish Vivienne Westwood” Pam Hogg (main pic, with Wark), brother and sister design duo Christopher and Tammy Kane (below, with Wark) and actor and Traitors US host Alan Cummings, who she said “takes tartan and adds a twist, making it uniquely his own.” She added: “As well as being an incredible actor and presenter, you can tell that he really loves clothes, and he really loves Scotland, and that comes through in his outfits on screen.”
As for how a relatively small country like Scotland manages to punch so dramatically above its weight in the fashion stakes, Wark has her own theory: “I think we’ve made a big impact because of the textile industry here,” she said. “We stay true to what we do – making things well – and then the fashion houses find us. Then, we also have the amazing designers who draw on the country’s ethos of making pieces that last and add their own twist to Scottish fashion sensibility.”
Icons of Style is produced for the BBC by Glasgow’s Two Rivers Media and will air on Sunday 16 March at 9pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC Scotland.
Pics: Two Rivers Media/BBC
