Evening Times

Former city textile student Claire McInally could well see her own designs on the fashion rails when she goes shopping this week.

Leading fashion retailer Oasis has snapped a collection of the former Cardonald College student’s hand-woven fabric designs, and they will be in store from today.

Claire’s collection was inspired by the intricacy of origami paper folding and the angular shapes of architectural structures.

Her unique designs were exhibited at New Designers in London and four caught the eye of Oasis buyers who snapped them up for their 2010 Designer Collective.

Claire, 24, from Tollcross, said: “It is very exciting and I can’t wait to see my designs on the clothing racks. Maybe I will pop into the Buchanan Galleries and have a look at who is buying them.

“I have been working on the designs for some time and they were passed over to Oasis several months ago, so it is great to finally see it all come to fruition.”

Her designs will form part of the Paper Doll section in stores which profiles up-and-coming designers.

Claire’s four textiles have been developed by the design team at Oasis who incorporated them into designer collective garments and accessories.

Claire hopes this is just the start of things to come.

She added: “They have come up with dresses, shoes, bags and tops and a range of accessories, and I am pleased with the results which have stuck closely to my designs and techniques. As well as being available at Oasis they will be online as well, including some fashion websites.”

Claire, who recently graduated from Heriot-Watt University, also completed a work placement with a fashion designer in Geneva.

She has now set up her own label and has a studio in Fleming Street, Dennistoun, where she is currently working on a new collection. She has also been invited to participate in the New Designers One Year On exhibition in London where she will show her new collection.

Her designs are a fresh take on traditional Scottish textiles and a more modern colour palette.

She added: “I wanted to create textiles that were a lot more feminine and contemporary, and the collections I am working on at my studio at the moment still reflect that.

“I will be heading to the London Designers Exhibition One Year On in July.

“It was where I was picked up by Oasis last year and is a great platform for getting noticed so you never know what might happen this time around.”