8 Tales Of Textiles

Hidden away on an unassuming street off Leith Walk is Such and Such studio. This part-workshop/part-exhibition space is gearing up for July’s
collaborative exhibition with Heriot Watt’s Fashion and Textiles MA students. 8 Tales of Textiles will see eight graduating students showcase their final garments along with a selection of preparatory work, in pairs, throughout the weekends of July. In this gallery environment, the public will be able to get up close and personal with the work.

The first weekend sees German textile designer Linda Wagner present her 'Martial Arts-inspired' knit collection. Wagner is joined by Kristen Orme, whose collection cleverly explores reversibility and sustainability in knitwear.

The following weekend Such and Such will host award winning designer Nancy Mitchinson who will be showcasing her latest fashion collection, which is influenced by the graphic beading of Maasai warrior traditional dress. Exhibiting with her is Aimi Mackay, who promises 'a rejuvenation of the traditional image of knitwear' through the utilization of multi-sensory illusion.

The penultimate weekend in July features a thought provoking presentation from Indian born graduate Neha Pawar. With a background in commercial art, Pawar’s exploration of textiles in his MA has culminated in a cross-discipline research piece. Sushmitha Ilango, also from India, will by contrast utilize ‘khadi’ (a handwoven traditional fabric) to explore the juxtaposition of traditional Indian fabrics and modern textile techniques.

Finally, the last set of exhibitions comes from Achimar Nirunpornputta and Flaviya Kaklyugina (Flaviyake). The former is a self described ‘day dreamer with Peter Pan syndrome’, the latter, an advocate of ‘the power of clothing to create a mood’.

Based on these previews alone, 8 Tales of Textiles promises to be a must-see exhibition. It’s worth trying to catch all eight artists’ work in full over the course of July, if you can. However, if you are short on time, the opening night (on 1 Jul) promises a taster preview of works from all the designers on display throughout the month.