Wild outfit out to tame New York Scots week

Published on 29/03/2012 17:56

IT is a wild outfit in more ways than one.

Edinburgh design student Ellen Macdonald is set to showcase her unusual creation when it takes centre stage at New York’s famous Scotland Week celebrations.

Inspired by Scottish wildlife, the skirt and bodice will be worn by a model at the star-studded From Scotland with Love fashion show on Monday.

Ellen, 19, in the second year of a graphic design course at Edinburgh Napier University, is the only Scottish student to have a design featured in the show.

As part of her week in New York, she will shadow award-winning couture fashion designer, Michael Kaye, who has been dubbed “The Bonnie Prince of Tartan” because of his love of the fabric.

Brian Cox, Kiefer Sutherland and Sex in the City star Chris Noth are among the celebrities due to grace the catwalk as part of the week-long salute to Scottish culture.

Ellen, who lives in Fairmilehead, said: “I am incredibly excited about jetting off to New York this weekend. This whole process began months ago with a sketch on a piece of paper.

“Now I’m going to be showcasing my design in one of the world’s most inspirational cities, and in front of hordes of celebrities. It’s absolutely amazing.”

The outfit includes a leather-look bodice with a multi-layered skirt formed using printed patterns of everything from owls and eagles to kingfishers and butterflies, and tweed patchwork. It is completed with an antler and pheasant feather headdress.

It was made by Ella Humphries, a former student at Edinburgh College of Art, who runs her own costume design company.

Ellen added: “We were set the task of designing something that was reflective of Scotland.

“I took inspiration from the global success story of Harris Tweed and the country’s stunning wildlife.

“In combining these two elements, I also wanted the design to have a bit of edge and a punk-modernism feel, so included the leather- look tight bodice with a fuller skirt to get a really dramatic look.”