British New Forces From kilts to gilets - two designers working magic in pure new wool

“I want every fabric to be very special,” says Central Saint Martins trained Zaid Affas who earned his spurs working for Ralph Lauren and Ports 1961. Now based in Los Angeles, Affas is making a mark for his sculptural silhouettes and fluid tailoring - the hallmarks of his five-year-old brand. His fascination with fabric - he has developed laminated merino wool, suiting weights with 10 per cent stretch and a glamorous jet black lustrous wool nylon weave - won him the 2017/18 International Woolmark Prize Womenswear USA regional final.

Affas’s bold minimalist designs merge contrasting elements as natural, organic shapes seamlessly blend with crisp, urban engineering. Gigi Hadid, Kate Hudson and Bianca Chopra will be weighing up the latest gems including an ivory long-line gilet, a flute sleeve wrap shirt jacket and shimmering tube skirt and boxy top that promise “keep it simple” magic night or day.

“I never think of punk as a reaction against tradition - tartan is associated with Johnny Rotten and Vivienne Westwood but also the Royal Family. There’s something much more nuanced about punk and its relationship with super-traditional craft. I want people to see the softer element,” says Samantha McCoach the talent behind Le Kilt who picked up the 2017/18 International Woolmark Prize for the British Isles. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is a patron alongside a legion of smart witted fashion girls who are adopting Le Kilt as uniform.

McCoach’s ingenuity runs deep in her Scottish blood. She is also passionate about the stories clothes tell through patching, darning and mending. With the vision of adding a dash of modernity to her family’s kilt-making heritage; highlighting the traditional craft whilst creating something new and innovative. The Royal of Art alumni’s experimental and innovative approach is putting Scottish tartan and craftmanship back in the spotlight as a modern wardrobe staple.