A fashion hit made in Scotland

DURING London Fashion Week earlier this year, there was one name on everyone's lips: Graeme Black. The "newcomer" had turned heads with his first catwalk show – inspired by Edinburgh – and had industry insiders, fashion press and buyers alike wondering whether the Scottish designer could be the "next big thing".

Graeme simply laughs. With good reason, too. For the 36-year-old who graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 1993 with a degree in fashion and textiles has been a fashion designer for 15 years. And a pretty impressive one at that. He's worked alongside John Galliano and Zandra Rhodes, was the head of design for Giorgio Armani and then Salvatore Ferragamo as chief designer. Hardly a novice, then.

"It was a conscious decision not to go straight into my own label," explains Graeme, pictured below, who splits his time between London and Florence, but has kept his Scottish lilt. "I didn't want to be a one-hit wonder, have a fabulous collection and then disappear.

"It's a complex business. I learnt in London that many companies start up and within two years they've failed. They don't have the experience – especially the sales experience. It's all well to have a wacky show that everyone loves, but if you don't have any sales after two seasons you're gone. I think sometimes there's an emphasis from art schools and London that you have to create a buzz with what you do, often there is no structure and you can go under.

"If you don't get the stores, if you don't get people to believe in you, you go nowhere. So that's why I waited, got international experience and really understood the industry before I started."

Unlike the Christopher Kane's of the fashion world who have jumped headfirst from graduation, Graeme made the decision to learn his "craft" slowly. He worked his way up the ladder of the international fashion world before standing on his own too feet. The resulting collection is impressive – Graeme knows how to do luxury. He also knows what women want. And this, he stresses, is key.

"The consumer is ultimately who makes you a success, and the stores will drop you if your label doesn't sell," he explains. "Christopher Kane is a wonderful designer," he enthuses. "I'm not sure when I was 25 I understood what a wealthy woman wants, the woman who ultimately buys the collection. Today I do."

His show and collection – which is based on Scotland and his heritage – demonstrated his individual style and was based on a summer 2007 trip to the Capital.

"I saw some great exhibitions, including one in Market Street about the arts and crafts movement. There were all these great embroideries and wonderful historic craft things. I thought, hey there is something I can do with this.

"I then watched the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and I loved how prim and proper the character was. So I looked at the prim sexuality and what I could do to evoke it. I went to the fabric mills in the Borders and used fabrics which were evocative of that era, but mixing it with something that was modern and light."

He continues: "People think of Scotland as being all about tartan and kilts, so I wanted to show something different. I hate the idea of costume and I want things to be wearable. There's a fine line between a great show, projecting an image and something that's gimmicky and not sellable."

His collection and the Made In Scotland label has already garnered international attention.

"People like the romance of Scotland, the quality and integrity of it," acknowledges Graeme. "Wherever I go, people love the accent and my heritage. There's such goodwill towards Scotland – it's the way we communicate, the way we work."

Which is why he is far from surprised about the wealth of creative talent in the Capital and the rest of Scotland.

"The quality of talent isn't often recognised here and I don't think it's pushed enough. When you move from being provincial to international that is when you get more credibility, and that's what will put Scotland on the map.

"This is the first time I've stood up and shown that I am Scottish, I am proud of it and I am using Scottish fabrics. People have responded in an incredible way. And I think it will continue. There's such a wealth of talent that comes out of Scotland. There's a huge movement from Scottish designers and there's a real momentum of people building."

A self-proclaimed Morningside boy, Graeme misses his old haunts such as the Merlin, Montpeliers and the Canny Man's.

"I loved it there. There's such an energy there that is hard to find elsewhere. The festivals are amazing, the museums are wonderful and going away and coming back you appreciate it much more.

"I've been coming back more and more, and I've almost re-discovered it. Coming from Milan to London to Edinburgh, it feels like a great city. The restaurants are of a great calibre, and the stores have changed a lot since I lived there and have become a lot more international. I'd love to one day have my collection shown in Edinburgh."

With the likes of Elizabeth Emmanuelle, Giles Deacon, Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald all creating high street collections, does Graeme – who clearly relishes luxury – approve.

"If you can do it successfully then why not," he answers. "Visually they can look similar but it comes down to the fabric. When you do a high-end label, it's the fabric, it's how you fit it, it's how you choose everything.

"I'm very against disposable fashion. What I stand for and am trying to evoke is to buy something because of the style, the quality, the fabric, the cut. They are collectable items.

"I appreciate the market and what you have in your pocket determines what you can buy. One of the amazing things about the UK is their ability to interpret trends on to the high street and do it quickly. Why shouldn't we all be fashionable?"

MADE IN SCOTLAND PAYS HOMAGE TO EDINBURGH

GRAEME BLACK'S Made in Scotland collection, which will not be available until the autumn, is a range of hand-crafted pieces which are light in construction and heavy on Caledonian glamour. The colour palette of navy, smoke and black, with earthy hues and jewel tones work well with the ruffled blouses, pony skin coats, tailored leathers and silk jersey sheathes, all with pleating and draping, and the collection pays homage to Edinburgh.

The range will be available on www.net-a-porter.com.