COME Saturday evening, Scotland's most glamorous people will be donning their finery for a night of celebration. It may be Halloween, but these fashionistas have no intention of hitting the guising circuit. Instead, they'll be attending the fifth annual Scottish Style Awards.
Hosted by singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the awards are taking place at Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket on Saturday night, and honouring the most stylish people and places in Scotland.
Awards are being given for everything from Most Stylish Restaurant t
o Most Stylish Male and Female, but as always, one of the most hotly-anticipated awards of the evening will be the Fashion Designer of the Year, sponsored by House of Fraser. Previous winners of the category include Aimee McWilliams, Christopher Kane and Jonathan Saunders. This year, six young designers are up for the accolade, including last's year's winner, Glasgow-born Deryck Walker.
Each designer will contribute work to a runway show held on the evening. But in the week leading up to the awards ceremony, their designs will be showcased at House of Fraser in Glasgow as part of its exhibition to celebrate 160 years of the store's existence.
With each of the designers in the category offering wildly different approaches to their craft, it's shaping up to be one of the most hotly-contended categories of the evening. In an exclusive shoot, we introduce you to the six nominees.
Laura LeesAn artist and embroiderer, Lees's designs are colourful, idiosyncratic and unique. Her hand-crafted pieces often pay homage to her favourite iconic horror films, including The Wicker Man, and have gained her a cult following. She has worked with several name-brand designers, including Giles Deacon, Fee Doran and Luella Bartley. A Topshop partnership sealed her status as one to watch – her leopard print stars and lightning dress became an instant best-seller. www.lauralees.co.uk
Deryck WalkerWalker makes a second appearance at this year's awards, after receiving the Fashion Designer of the Year prize last year. Known for putting a modern twist on classic pieces, the designer recently collaborated with Harris Tweed Hebrides and for the second year running made an appearance in the glossy bible British Fashion Designers. He recently returned home to Glasgow, where he'll be opening a studio-cum-store next week. www.deryckwalker.net
Niki TaylorRenowned for its distinctive cutting and tailoring techniques, Niki Taylor's Olanic label (an anagram of her first name, Nicola) counts Alexa Chung, Florence and the Machine, the Ting Tings and Ladytron among its fans. Taylor regularly works with film-makers and video directors, and recently collaborated with heritage brand Mackintosh. Olanic is stocked across the globe, and Taylor has a cult following in the Far East. www.olanic.co.uk
Judy ClarkJudy Clark produces bespoke garments using Scottish wools, Harris Tweed – courtesy of her family's loom at Shawbost on Lewis – and hand-dyed Nepali silks. Her work, which secured her a coveted internship with no less a name than Alexander McQueen, marries playful glamour with artisanal technique. Hailing from the Highlands and now working in Edinburgh, she recently returned from exhibiting in New York and Tokyo. www.judyrclark.com
Vidler & NixonDesign duo Stefan Vidler and Kerry Nixon hail from Perth, Australia, and Glasgow respectively. While Vidler's background is in landscape painting and textile art, Nixon has a musical background, having graduated from London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama in violin and electronic music in 2001. Their work is sleek, crisp and modern, with sharp silhouettes and funky tailoring. www.vidlerandnixon.com
Alice PalmerNamed Best Womenswear Designer at this summer's New York Fashion Week, she went on to make a successful debut at London Fashion Week. As a result, Palmer's unconventional knitwear is attracting attention throughout the fashion industry. Having previously sold her designs to Louis Vuitton, Donna Karan and Etro, Palmer says that a diffusion line for online retailer www.asos.com is next in the pipeline. www.alicepalmer.co.uk
