The School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University is to showcase various designs from their postgraduate students at special show in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Over 40 students from India, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Pakistan, and Poland will have their work featured at the event which will be open to the public on 18 and 19 August. A special event for industry partners, as well as friends and family, will take place prior on 17 August. For more information on the event and who will be featured, continue reading below.

Heriot-Watt University’s Scottish Borders Campus in Galashiels, where the School of Textiles and Design is based.

Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design 2023 Postgraduate Degree Show will showcase work from students graduating from one of five postgraduate degrees. These degrees include Fashion and Textiles Design; Digital Design and Innovation; Interior Architecture and Design, Design Management, and Fashion and Textile Management.

MA Fashion and Textiles Design postgrad Sujata Nandi (centre back) with models wearing her Mars-inspired fashion collection. The models are all fellow students at Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design and are Yiqi Wang (back left), Amisha Gupta (back right) and Bhailasree Sanalkumar in front.

 “Our postgraduate students are only here for a year and the degree show is an important next step for them, whether they’re planning to enter industry or further study.”

– Dr Lucy Robertson, Assistant Professor of Design at Heriot-Watt’s School of Textiles and Design.

The theme for the 2023 postgraduate showcase is Equilibrium, chosen to convey a sense of poise and balance after the disruptive years of Covid. One of the students featured in the showcase, Gary Williams, who is from Paisley, Scotland, was inspired by nature to explore whether protective clothing could be stronger, lighter or more flexible.

Fish scale diagrams by MSc Fashion and Textile Management postgrad Gary Williams, who used nature to inspire human garment designs.

“The overlapping of fish scales is a great example of an evolutionary natural defence system that is both strong and flexible. My project looks at how taking inspiration from biomimetic strategies like this – copying nature – can also help us design human garments.”

– Gary Williams, MSc Fashion and Textiles Postgraduate.

Other projects being showcased include Noodler, an app for vocal and music jamming – playing together – that uses artificial intelligence, and a marine conservation project that uses salvaged and reclaimed materials to help protect our seas and oceans.

Model Yiqi Wang wearing a Mars-inspired fashion garment by Sujata Nandi, a postgraduate in Fashion and Textiles Design at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design.

Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design was named Fashion University of the Year in the 2022 Scottish Fashion Association Awards, an annual awards ceremony that honours Scottish designers, photographers, models and fashion industry leaders. The school is a centre of excellence in design and dates back to 1883, when classes in weaving, dyeing and chemistry were introduced to train workers for the local textiles industry.

As one of our Education Partners, Heriot-Watt University works alongside UKFT to generate a stronger bond between education and industry. As part of the Education Partner program, UKFT offers exclusive benefits such as training, promotion as well as industry links and connections to those who register. To find out more about these benefits, and to become an education partner, visit our Education Member Benefits page.

2023 Postgraduate Showcase, Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design

Dates:                  Friday 18 to Saturday 19 August

Times:                 10am-4pm daily

Address:
Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design
High Mill Building (first floor)
Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and DesignNether Road, Netherdale
Galashiels
TD1 3HF

Entry:                   Free – no tickets required

Website:              https://hwgraduateshow.com/