Johnstons of Elgin Award winners announced

The Scottish Academy of Fashion has announced that

Edinburgh College of Art student Andrew Alastair McLaren and Sonia Jane Hunter from Heriot-Watt University, have won the inaugural Johnstons of Elgin Prizes for tailoring and knitwear, respectively.

This is the first year of the Johnstons of Elgin Awards, created to support and encourage the talent emergent in Scottish universities, and each students will receives £1,000 plus a week’s internship with the prestigious cashmere company in their Hawick and Elgin factories. While at the brand’s factory they will be given fabric and yarns from Johnstons of Elgin’s autumn/winter 2012 colours to make up their garments, which will be displayed at the Scottish Borders Design and Technology Showcase on June 28.

James Dracup, Group Managing Director, commented: "Johnstons of Elgin is committed to nurturing and working with emerging design talent. We are delighted to launch The Johnstons of Elgin Prize in collaboration with The Scottish Academy of Fashion, aiding the development of Scotland as a global centre of excellence in fashion-related learning."

Susan Priestly-Cooper, Design Director of Johnstons of Elgin, said that McLaren’s winning tailored design showed: “Excellent execution of imagery and brand identity, and demonstrated good choice of colour and inspired concept of taking the traditional tweed and adding to it through the addition of burnt out design adornment and digital print.”