First ever runway fashion show staged at V&A Dundee

Dundee’s V&A museum has hosted its first ever runway fashion show since it opened to the public.
The first runway fashion show has been staged at V&A Dundee.The first runway fashion show has been staged at V&A Dundee.
The first runway fashion show has been staged at V&A Dundee.

The upper floor of the national design museum on the city’s waterfront was transformed for the opening night of the revived Scotland Re:Design Festival.

The runway models were given a standing ovation after a fashion show running for well over an hour in one of the biggest event staged at the museum since it emerged from the pandemic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Designers showcased included Dundee’s Dreamland Clothing, Edinburgh-baed Freja Fashions, and Irregular Sleep Pattern and Finneston Clothing, both based in Glasgow.

V&A Dundee hosted the opening event for the Scotland Re:Design Festival. Picture: Julie HowdenV&A Dundee hosted the opening event for the Scotland Re:Design Festival. Picture: Julie Howden
V&A Dundee hosted the opening event for the Scotland Re:Design Festival. Picture: Julie Howden

The return of the flagship showcase for the country’s leading designers and textile companies, which has been staged around the world since 2005, is aimed at encouraging people to “buy Scottish and shop locally” this year.

Both the runway show and the festival programme, which is running until Sunday, have been designed under the themes of sustainabilty, equality and technology in fashion by fashion social enterprise Scotland Re: Design.

The runway show, which was staged in collaboration with the Model Team Scotland agency in Glasgow, was planned as a major fundraiser to help revive an industry said to be worth £2.8 billion to the Scottish economy and supporting more than 29,000 jobs pre-Covid.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other designers showcased at the runway event included Dundee’s Hayley Scanlan, Jo-Ami and Isolated Heroes, Glasgow-based House of Black, Siobhan Mackenie, from the Black Isle, in the Highlands, and

The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.
The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.

V&A director Leonie Bell described the event as “a celebration of fashion in and from Scotland, and a tribute to all those that work with such commitment to support fashion, and events like this.

She added: “The fashion industry has a really important role to play in promoting equality, sustainability and diversity."

Model Team Scotland director Michael O’Brien said: “For us this unique and vital platform in Scotland enables our new faces to experience a quality runway show, meet with brands and designers here, and carve out successful international careers.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The festival is being backed by the Scottish Government’s official Events Recovery Fund.

The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.
The Scotland Re:Design fashion festival was launched at V&A Dundee with its first ever runway showcase.

Paul Bush, director of events at VisitScotland, said: “We are proud to support Scotland Re:Design’s fashion festival.

"The festival will showcase Scotland’s top and emerging design talent for five days through a range of creative content and events.

"Following the week of COP26, sustainability will naturally be a prominent theme throughout, with a clear message to shop Scottish and shop locally.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We are pleased that this festival joins our diverse portfolio of events and festivals that deliver sustainable impacts and spotlight Scotland as the perfect stage for events”.

V&A Dundee has hosted its first ever runway fashion show. Picture: Julie HowdenV&A Dundee has hosted its first ever runway fashion show. Picture: Julie Howden
V&A Dundee has hosted its first ever runway fashion show. Picture: Julie Howden

Culture minister Jenny Gilruth said: “This year’s festival focus on sustainability, equality and technology in fashion could not be more timely following Glasgow’s role as the host city for COP26. It is fitting, too, that the first night of the Festival took place in Dundee, UNESCO’s City of Design, at V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum and centre for design.

V&A Dundee opened in September 2018 and had attracted more than a million visitors by February of last year. It has since hosted major exhibitions on iconic fashion designer Mary Quant and the evolution of nightclubbing and club culture around the world.

The attraction secured national status from the Scottish Government and an additional £2m a year in funding in the spring.

Related topics: