Heriot-Watt students pitch contemporary textile designs for Edinburgh’s Royal Scots Club

Textile design students at Heriot-Watt University have proposed new designs for Edinburgh’s historic Royal Scots Club as part of a collaborative industry project.

Students studying design for knitted, woven and printed textiles at the University’s School of Textiles and Design submitted design ideas for interior furnishings, such as upholstery fabrics, wall coverings, curtains, soft furnishings, lampshades and gifts such as scarves, hats, tote bags and greetings cards.

The Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh’s New Town is a members’ club that was founded in 1919 as a tribute to 11,000 local soldiers from the Royal Scots Regiment who lost their lives in World War I.

Combining three Georgian townhouses built in 1810, the Club has more than 2,000 members and also operates as a hotel and events venue.

Twenty two students in the third year of Heriot-Watt’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Design for Textiles took part in the project.

Candice Given, 23, a student from St Andrews in Fife studying Design for Woven Textiles, won the project and was presented with £250 and a certificate. Candice used a type of woollen yarn to design a woven bag strap for a hip flask that could be sold in the Club's shop and online.

“During my visit to The Royal Scot's Club, I was particularly captivated by the ceramic tile work in the fireplace of The Douglas Room and at The Members' Entrance,” Candice said. “The vibrant colours and intricate patterns inspired me to create a series of textiles for upholstery and accessories that reflect these designs.”

Candice said she was delighted to win the project and would like to pursue a career in woven textiles after her final year. “I would love to work with a company in Scotland and I’d be willing to move anywhere,” she added.

Another three students studying Printed Textiles Design were all highly commended and received certificates. They were Kacie Chapman, Kali Swankie-Brown and Isla Paton.

Kali, 22, from Perth, designed a collection of sleepwear and lifestyle fashion items in printed textiles including silks, leather and canvas. She said: “I designed repeat pattern designs in blue and beige colours to create luxurious modern elegant designs that were gender neutral and also showed off the Club’s heritage.”

Kali said she was thrilled to have been highly commended and hoped eventually to use her textile degree to start her own business.

Adrian Hayes, General Manager of The Royal Scots Club, explained: “Our brief to the students was to generate a collection of woven, knitted or printed textile designs that respond to the theme of ‘Modern Elegance’ and which would appeal to a younger generation.

“The project aimed to show our members how textiles might be used to reimagine some of our spaces – and our offering as a contemporary members' club.”

The Royal Scots Club had asked students to take visual inspiration from the Royal Scots archive at Edinburgh Castle, as well as the artefacts and atmosphere of the Club itself and the city and traditional industries of Scotland.

The Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle is Scotland’s place of remembrance for the First World War up until the present day. It holds the Scots Roll of Honour, which contains the names of individual casualties from both World Wars and those who have died in conflict since 1945.

Mr Hayes said it was important that each student’s work had a story to tell which honours the heritage of the Royal Scots Club.

This is the second collaborative project Heriot-Watt’s School of Textiles and Design has undertaken with the Royal Scots Club, which is based at 29-31 Abercromby Place in Edinburgh.

Last year, students studying the School’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design pitched creative ideas for possible redesigns for some of the Club’s meeting, event, and dining spaces.