Artist and playwright John Byrne named Scotland's most stylish man

John Byrne, the celebrated artist and writer, has been named Scotland's most stylish man at the age of 78.

John Byrne was named most stylish male at Kelvingrove gallery in Glasgow.

The Paisley-born creator of The Slab Boys and Tutti Frutti was crowned at the Scottish Style Awards in Glasgow.

Rachel Maclean, the visual artist who represented Scotland at last year’s Venice Biennale, was honoured with the most stylish woman title at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The awards, which were launched in 2005 to “celebrate style and creativity in their widest sense,” were staged for the first time in three years with a Harris Tweed fashion show as its centrepiece.

Artist Rachel Maclean represented Scotland at the Venice Biennale last year.

Byrne, who designed album covers for The Beatles, Gerry Rafferty, Donovan and Billy Connolly, beat Outlander star Sam Heughan to the coveted most stylish male title, which was previously won by Richard Jobson, Robert Carlyle, James McAvoy and Paolo Nutini.

Other contenders had included Young Fathers rapper Kayus Bankole, Aldo Kane, a former Royal Marine Commando turned adventurer and TV presenter, lifestyle and fashion blogger John Robertson, and artist and designer Philip Colbert.

Edinburgh-born Maclean, whose Venice show was a satire inspired by Disney’s Pinocchio, as well as the era of fake news, Donald Trump and Brexit, followed in the footsteps of previous winners Shirley Manson, Sharleen Spiteri, Katie Leung and Lauren Tempany when she collected her most stylish female award.

Maclean had been shortlisted along with rising singing star Charlotte Brimner, actress Chloe Pirrie, actress and model Eunice Olumide, fashion blogger Emily Shakarji and Christina Jansen, managing director of the 19th century Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.

Artist Rachel Maclean represented Scotland at the Venice Biennale last year.

Other winners at the Kelvingrove ceremony, which was hosted by actress Pollyanna McIntosh, included Dakota Deluxe, in Glasgow city centre, which was named most stylish hotel, and the Barras Art and Design, in the Gallowgate, which was named most stylish venue. Long-running Glasgow record store Rubadub, which was established in 1992, was named tastemaker of the year, while The Voyage of Buck, in Edinburgh’s west end, was honoured as Scotland’s most stylish bar.

A special lifetime achievement award went to Glasgow hotelier Ken McCulloch, who opened the city’s celebrated One Devonshire Gardens hotel, in the west end, and went on to create the Malmaison hotel, in the city centre, and the Dakota brand.

Scottish Style Awards founder Mary McGowne said: “We are delighted the show enjoys such high levels of respect and support from the industry as well continue our quest to present the very best creative excellence.

“It was a particular thrill to welcome our friends from Harris Tweed Hebrides. Everyone in the fashion and textiles industries admires the company’s exciting and remarkable success.

“On their 10th birthday, it’s only right to recognise it with a special show which gives a taste of what has been achieved with the fabric.”