A tartan two-piece design by an Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) student was the main attraction at Exhibition: Coordinated – a fashion showcase on Multrees Walk.
Held at Genesis Studio Edinburgh, the exhibition featured 10 selected final designed from an original cohort of 23 second-year fashion students, each chosen to represent the strength and originality of the students’ work.
Leading the showcase was Megan Atkinson’s design, Inscribed in Tartan. Described as a contemporary reinterpretation of her own family tartan, the design is inspired by the heritage of the Scottish kilt and reshaped into a “refined, feminine silhouette”.
The event marked the culmination of a collaboration between Multrees Walk and ECA, which saw students mentored and supported by leading retailers including Harvey Nichols and Johnstons of Elgin.
Throughout the project, students were tasked to create commercially minded co-ord garments that balanced innovation with sustainability, customer profiling and commercial viability.
Professor Mal James, programme director and personal chair of Fashion Design, BA (Hons) Fashion at ECA, said: “Having our students’ designs exhibited within Multrees Walk was a hugely rewarding opportunity.
“To see their ideas showcased in the city’s luxury fashion district, alongside some of the world’s leading brands, was a powerful celebration of their hard work, talent and creativity.”
Dr Patricia Wu, year two fashion lecturer and academic project lead, added: “This collaboration gave students invaluable experience in understanding the relationship between designers and real-world customers.
“It encouraged them to consider consumer needs while expressing their own unique design identities.”
Leigh Aitchison, centre manager at Multrees Walk, said: “We were truly impressed and inspired by the students’ creativity, their passion for research and the originality they brought to their final designs.
“It was fantastic to celebrate their achievements through this exhibition.”
