Scottish fashion designer Judy R Clark will launch her latest project which gives a unique insight into the design life-cycle of the world-famous fabric, Harris Tweed on Thursday 12 May, 2011.

The exhibition which celebrates 100 years of the Harris Tweed Orb, a stamp of authenticity protected by an Act of Parliament, will be unveiled in trend-setting clothing store Urban Outfitters, Glasgow and will remain in-store for 8 weeks.

Exploring the Harris Tweed design story Judy's exhibition will take visitors on an intricate journey from the weavers loom on the remote Western Isles of Scotland to the high couture catwalks around the world.

Showcasing the Highlands born designer's Harris Tweed designs, fashion illustrations and photographs of her inspirations, the display will also recreate part of her studio in store allowing visitors to see first-hand the process of design for catwalk fashion.  

The acclaimed young Scot has been regularly praised by the international  fashion fraternity for her interesting Harris Tweed creations, with their mix of traditional elegance and cutting edge style, and has be integral in the recent renaissance of the iconic fabric.

The 26 year old said: "I have been working with tweed for a number of years now and my love for the fabric just keeps on growing. The luxurious feel, the durability and its flexibility makes it a joy to work with. My tweed creations mix this beautiful historic fabric with contemporary design to produce couture garments. And it can all be done here in Scotland. With this exhibition I hope to bring some of the Harris Tweed history to people as well as surprising them as to just how fashionable tweed is right now."

Urban Outfitters' visual manager Gemma MacDonald discovered Judy's designs at a fashion event in Glasgow and was so taken by the avant garde creations she offered the designer prime space to exhibit the collection in their largest Scottish store, to stand along-side some of Britain's elite designers such as APC, Carin Wester and Jonathan Saunders .

Gemma MacDonald said: "We are very excited to be showing Judy's work in the Glasgow store, as a retailer we are always keen to highlight local artists and designers. We have recently showed work from Jamie Bruski Tetsill and Judy's work will continue to support our ethos."

Judy has recently returned from New York with Textiles Scotland where she was one of nine top young Scottish designers selected to showcase work at the A-list charity fashion show ‘Dressed to Kilt'. Making a big impression on the Big Apple fashionistas, she managed to nearly sell out her entire collection within a few days of arriving.

David Breckenridge, chair of industry group Textiles Scotland said: "Judy is a shining example of the young talent from Scotland taking the fashion world by storm. She has cemented signature style which has been acclaimed the world over. Her work with the iconic Harris Tweed fabric is a wonderful fusion of classic and contemporary. She is a fabulous ambassador for Scottish fashion and I have no doubt we will see much more of this talented designer in the future."

Judy hopes with this exhibition that the high street will share her love for Harris Tweed and catch the couture glamour bug.

About Textiles Scotland

Textiles Scotland was established by the Scottish Textile Industry Association (STIA) to increase awareness of the scope and scale of businesses involved in the Scottish textiles and fashion industry. This brand has been created to represent Scottish interests at international events and provide a single point of contact for the industry. Textiles Scotland holds regular forums on industry issues and opportunities that help to determine its future. For more information on Textiles Scotland visit: https://www.textilescotland.com