The third annual Scottish Fashion Awards took place in the dining hall of Stirling Castle, with the skirl of the bagpipes masking the sound of London fashionistas who quailed at the prospect of haggis. Alice Wyllie dipped into the goody bag
STIRLING Castle had surely never seen such meticulous war paint or outlandish battle garb in its 600-year history: on Sunday evening, the great and the good of Scottish fashion gathered for the third annual Scottish Fashion Awards.
The tartan carpet was rolled out, the pipers were piping, and the unmistakable aroma of fake tan filled the cool night air as hundreds of guests made the steep and unsteady ascent towards the castle’s Great Hall. Fashionistas stumbled over the cobbles in their slim-heeled Louboutin sandals, negotiating the unpredictable terrain with admirable pluck.
Guests were ushered in to the Chapel Royal for Campari cocktails, before filing in to the atmospheric Great Hall to take their seats and enjoy an evening celebrating all that Scotland’s considerable fashion talent has to offer. Outfits worn by attendees ran the gamut from the kooky and chic – by designer Louise Gray, for example, a nominee for young designer of the year, there was a Geisha-inspired topknot and deep-blue dress – to a ‘pile on the glitz’ approach with feathered bustiers, naff hairpieces and body glitter, just a few of the fashion faux pas on show.
After an awards ceremony that honoured our finest fashion talent, including Christopher Kane, Johnstons of Elgin, Graeme Armour and Henry Holland (and, inexplicably, Darius Danesh, who won the Style Icon Award, despite his only apparent sartorial credential being the ability to knot a skinny tie) we were treated to a three-course dinner courtesy of Nick Nairn.
At a table hosted by Warehouse, the high-street chain that sponsored the Scotland’s New Face award, the haggis, neeps and tatties caused concern for more than one squeamish London fashionista, who insisted that visceral details of the exact ingredients of the dish were kept from them until after the plates were cleared.
Throughout the ceremony, the audience was treated to mini catwalk shows, showcasing the work of some of the nominees, from Bebaroque’s incredible fringed tights to items from Christopher Kane’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection.
As the ceremony drew to a close, guests dipped into their goody bags to snack on Tunnock’s caramel wafers and Walkers shortbread, before being ushered back into the Chapel Royal for the after-party.
London designer Henry Holland, who won the award for best use of tartan by an international designer, was looking dapper in a blue-and-green tartan blazer and skinny jeans, but confessed that having made the trip up from Glastonbury, his ensemble wasn’t quite as flawless as he’d hoped.
“I realised when I got here that I had a really muddy arse!” he told me, trying to rectify the situation with a spare napkin. “I almost wished I hadn’t won, to avoid the embarrassment of going on stage in front of hundreds of people in grubby jeans.”
He did win, however, beating D&G Dolce & Gabbana’s floor-sweeping tartan frocks and Ralph Lauren’s elegant tartan ball gowns with his youthful take on the traditional fabric, which was seen on London catwalks earlier this year, worn by his best friend and model of the moment, Agyness Deyn.
“It’s an incredible fabric to work with and I took a good look at Scottish heritage for this collection. I was really interested in coats of arms and clan tartans; I’m really pleased with the way it turned out.”
Holland wasn’t the only visitor from London to be heard singing the praises of the Scottish fashion industry. The aristocratic stylist and “queen of couture” Daphne Guinness was one of the judges for the awards and presented the Hall of Fame award to hairdresser Sam McKnight.
In her signature monochrome couture, elegantly dripping with jewels and fur, she marvelled at the spectacular views from Stirling Castle’s courtyard and raved about the fashion talent coming out of Scotland right now.
“This is just one of the most incredible settings. It feels steeped in history and the views are wonderful. The castle is amazing – I can’t stop looking up!” she exclaimed, pointing to the grand roof of the Great Hall. “I’m excited about this event because it’s outside of London, and it’s great to be reminded of how much is going on in Scotland. Christopher Kane’s work is incredible. He’s one of the most talented young designers working in the UK at the moment, so I’m happy to support him.”
Kane seemed pleased – if a little bashful – to have won his third gong in three years at the event. Clutching his award in a cowhide-decorated VIP area, he admitted that, currently working on his Spring/Summer 2009 collection, he’s suffering from a spot of designer’s block. “What’s inspiring me right now? Ummm, lesbians!” he says, laughing. “No, no, not really. To be honest, I’m suffering from a bit of a lack of inspiration at them moment. I’m waiting for that lightning bolt to hit!”
Not everyone at the event was having quite such a good time, however. Later, on the dancefloor, designer Deryck Walker confided to The Scotsman that after missing out on an award this year, he won’t be returning to the event.
“It doesn’t seem to be particularly balanced,” he said with a weary shrug. “Christopher Kane has won the designer of the year award twice and I felt it was my time. I don’t take this event very seriously, to be honest.”
As the evening drew to a close in the wee hours, I made my way back down the cobbles, sans goody bag (mine was pinched) and, I’m ashamed to say, heels in hand.
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www.scottishfashionawards.comThe full article contains 1004 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
