Heriot-Watt fashion graduates take centre stage at V&A Dundee
A new showcase event for the Scottish fashion industry saw Heriot-Watt graduates showcase their work at the iconic V&A museum in Dundee last week.
Scotland Fashion Now took place from Thursday 3 September to Sunday 6 September, featuring talks and workshops with industry leaders alongside a catwalk show. It will become an annual celebration of world-class young talent and ambition in the Scottish fashion industry.
A graduate showcase launched the event, placing the spotlight on the next generation of designers from Heriot-Watt's Design School based at the Scottish Borders Campus in Galashiels as well as their peers from Edinburgh College of Art, The Glasgow School of Art, and Gray’s School of Art.
The 2026 BA Honours Fashion graduates from Heriot-Watt’s Design School whose work is included are: Griselda Gimenez Fontan, Iona Hamilton, Oliver Milne, Libby Mills, Lily Brown, Megan Thomson and Thomas Crane.
“It's fantastic to have more representation in Scotland and more things going on that allow Scottish fashion to expand and flourish.”
Màiri McAllan MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic said: "Scotland Fashion Now is a wonderful celebration of the incredible talent coming through our art schools and colleges. This year’s Graduate Showcase demonstrates the creativity, skill and ambition of the next generation of Scottish design talent, and it's fantastic to see V&A Dundee championing this important sector.
“Scotland has long been recognised for its distinctive contribution to the global fashion industry, and events like this help ensure that legacy continues. I want to congratulate all 26 graduate designers on their collections, and thank V&A Dundee, our art schools and colleges, and all partners involved in bringing Scotland Fashion Now to life."
Dr. Danying Yang, Assistant Professor and Programme Director for Fashion and Fashion Technology at Heriot-Watt University, said: “We are delighted to have been part of Scotland Fashion Now: Graduate Showcase at V&A Dundee. This showcase provided an invaluable platform for our graduates, recognising the creativity, innovation and dedication they have demonstrated throughout their studies.”
“Our exhibiting graduates represent the breadth of talent emerging from our fashion programmes, with work spanning storytelling, design innovation, sustainable practice, culture and heritage, textiles and garment development. Showcasing their achievements alongside peers from across Scotland highlights the strength of the country’s fashion education sector and helps connect emerging designers with industry professionals, supporting them as they take the next steps in their careers.”
Our graduate's work
Griselda Gimenez Fontan
The Timeless Legacy explores timeless elegance through contemporary tailoring, blending classic couture influences with modern sophistication.
Iona Hamilton
Peace Woven In uses festival wear to explore music’s role in peace, activism and social unity.
Oliver Milne
Panoplia: Freeing Masculinity challenges traditional ideas of masculinity through inclusive, gender-fluid menswear.
Libby Mills
Flora Reverie celebrates Scotland’s landscapes and folklore through romantic, demi-couture womenswear.
Lily Brown
Behind the Curtain reexamines 19th-century freak shows, highlighting performers’ humanity and reclaiming their stories.
Megan Thomson
DEVOURED explores all-consuming love through themes of devotion, sacrifice and desire.
Thomas Crane
Between Two Frontiers merges Western American style with Scottish heritage textiles and craftsmanship.