designer
profile
“
It is great to be recognised and supported
within your own country and your own
city. I think the fact that Tessa Hartmann
puts on these awards in Scotland and gets
celebrities from around the world to come
and support us is just fantastic. It is good to
be part of something quite big in Scotland.”
Patriotic nature aside, William has also
experienced success in other areas of the
UK and beyond, showcasing in New York
with the Scotland Re:Designed collective,
at Royal Ascot and at the London Fashion
Week Stephen Jones Hedonism exhibit.
Grinning excitedly William said, “Stephen
Jones inviting me to Fashion Week is the
biggest thing to ever happen to me. I think
without his support I would not have
experienced such a great year. Showcasing at
London Fashion Week with other milliners
that he had chosen was such a big coup.”
Reflecting back on the success he has
experienced this year alone, William hopes
to take his brand further afield in the future.
“
Since I started out I have wanted to make
hats that were understood internationally.
It is quite interesting because every year I
get orders from The Middle East and I am
always surprised, I also get orders from
France, Spain and America. I think there is
definitely a market in America for millinery.
I have my first New York stockist.” Despite
these hopes, William remains a true home-
bird and believes he can continue to achieve
great success internationally from his
Glasgow based studio.“I love my local clients
coming into the studio and seeing what I do
in a working environment because it takes
down barriers.”
Dundee born Hayley Scanlan has fast
become one of the UK’s most popular
young designers since graduating from
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and
Design in 2009. With just one collection,
Hayley has showcased in New York with
Textiles Scotland at the 2011 Dressed to
Kilt event alongside Alexander McQueen
and Vivienne Westwood and has gained a
celebrity following with stars such as Jessie
J and Marina and the Diamonds donning
her creations. “It is so surreal when you
see a picture of someone famous wearing
your design, especially because you know
the design process that garment has been
through,” Hayley giggled. “It is crazy because
I do not even have my own studio yet, I still
make my pieces from home.”
Despite her sudden success, Hayley
remains grounded and realistic. This is no
surprise as the young Scot was brought
up in fashion conscious surroundings. “My
gran was a dressmaker so I was brought
up surrounded by clothes all the time. She
looked after me a lot when I was younger
so I have always had an interest in making
clothes. I was able to knit from around the
age of five.”
Alongside her degree, Hayley built up
her keen knowledge of the fashion industry
whilst interning under Jeremy Scott in Los
Angeles in 2007. “Working with Jeremy
Scott was the most amazing experience;
I learnt so much about how the fashion
business works. I was over the moon to have
got a placement with him. He is still one of
my favourite designers.”
Now, five years later, Hayley is paving her
own way in the industry and has impressed
many with her futuristic, geometrical prints
gaining her publicity on Vogue.com.This year
Hayley received national recognition of her
work, winning the prize for Scottish Young
Designer of theYear at the Scottish Fashion
Awards. Hayley’s speech quickens,“That was
a big shock. Everyone in my category was
very talented and most had been working
for longer than I have. To come in and win
it based on one collection was amazing. It
has opened a lot of doors for me and now
people are beginning to take me more
seriously.”
With an explosive graduate collection,
Hayley has achieved much in two years. Now,
looking to the future, Hayley is determined to
return to design in a new studio and further
prove her ability with a bigger and better
spring/summer 2013 collection and the
launch of her HS Sister Line.“I am just about
to launch my HS Sister Line which is more
affordable. Many people have asked for the
same shape and studded style of dress with
plain fabric. I know what it is like; a normal
girl does not have hundreds of pounds to
pay for a party dress. I am looking forward to
working on a new collection. I cannot wait to
get into the studio and to show people that
I am not a one collection pony.”With plans
to remain in Dundee at the moment, Hayley
Scanlan is determined to make international
ties whilst still working in Scotland.“Breaking
into America is something that is, hopefully,
going to happen soon. I want to reach a
wider audience. I know that in LA, NewYork
and Japan there are people that will like my
style.”
In recent years, Scotland’s fashion industry
has risen in profile.With the textile industry
playing a significant role in the country’s
industrial history, Scottish designers have
taken inspiration from their roots to produce
a wide and diverse range of impressive
garments. Standing poles apart in style both
William Chambers and Hayley Scanlan
represent a bright future for the continuously
expanding Scottish Fashion Industry.
www.williamchambers.co.uk/
www.hayleyscanlan.blogspot.co.uk/
Location: The Lighthouse Glasgow
-
www.thelighthouse.co.uk
Make-Up:Ailsa Docherty
link
link
link