O ver in New York, about now, the streets are being taken over by the annual parade of kilts, bagpipes and sporrans. Rows of tartan shawls and military capes might be sweeping through the avenues of Manhattan for Tartan Week 2011, but back here on Caledonian soil, we prefer our Scottish fashion a little less, well – shortbready. Scottish fashion has more to offer the world than itchy skirts and prim tweed, and in our guide to Edinburgh and Glasgow’s best independent shops, we aim to pay attention to the designers and makers keeping things fresh and interesting right now. Over the next eight pages, we hope to sign-post some of the shops that make us proud of what we’ve got on our doorstep. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite jewellers, designers, furniture upholsters, vinyl dealers, zine makers and second-hand clothes traders, to remind ourselves just what talent is being showcased and sold on the streets where we live. Obviously the chain stores are there too (we’re pretty sure you know where to find those) but we’d rather
shine a spotlight on our local heroes – designing their own clothes/ prints/furniture for us to dot around our living rooms and hang in our cupboards. These are the people also making sure hard-to-find products make their way into Scotland (cutting out the schlep to London/New York/ Berlin to find what we want . . . which is not to say, naturally, we still don’t dream of going on shopping missions to all those places.) If shopping has taken a backseat in your life due to belt-tightening and purse-string shortening, don’t worry – we’re all over it. Our guide gives tips on finding good second-hand clothes and accessories on the cheap, money-saving shortcuts in the home, and how to breathe life into old furniture. You’d like neon wool accessories, a G-Plan sideboard, and a dress that gives you change from a fiver? Done! Or perhaps just a new 12”, a soft cushion to lie on, and that magazine you normally have to get sent from abroad? We have got it licked. Happy shopping.
31 Mar–28 Apr 2011 THE LIST 13