Arctic indigenous fish skin heritage
With an MA in Fashion Design from Central Saint Martins, Elisa Palomino-Perez is a fashion designer and researcher currently examining the material practices of fish skin in natural history collections.
Researching the concept of fish skin as an alternative material within fashion as part of her PhD, Elisa explained how fish leather is a sustainable material in preventing marine pollution.
Using the bursary she received from the SDC, Elisa was able to fund her first Nordic fish leather workshop in Iceland with other university students working with Swedish tanner Lotta Rhame, using traditional dyeing methods to tan this material.
Following the success of this activity, Elisa made her way to Japan to work with artist Sigherhiro Takano, who specialises in tanning fish leather.
Bringing together students from around the world, Elisa held her third workshop in China, with a specific focus on Hezhen fish skin.
Exploring the Scottish wool sector
Graduating in 2016 with a degree in upholstery and furniture design, Paris-born Annabel Le Gall also relocated to the UK to study a degree in Arts and Design for Textiles with a specific focus on innovation at Heriot-Watt university.
As part of her final major university project, Annabel investigated the wool sector across Scotland. Initially, she attended The Royal Highland show to discover different sheep breeds and to network with Scottish farmers.
Annabel used her bursary from the SDC to immerse herself in the daily life of a shepherd family during the July shearing period on the islands of Eday and Faray , as part of her research into the wool supply chain.
Annabel is now currently working as the assistant quality manager for Barrie Knitwear, part of the Chanel Group in the Scottish Borders.
This session will be of interest to anyone following a career in the creative industries and those wishing to find out more about the benefits of an SDC bursary.
If you missed the full, fascinating webinar and would like to catch up, you can register for the recording to be emailed to you, here:
Please note, there is a charge for non SDC members.