Multrees Walk renews its fashion partnership with Edinburgh College of Art students

Some of Scotland's most promising young fashion designers are getting a year-long masterclass in the business of luxury. Multrees Walk, the shopping street off St Andrew Square, has renewed its partnership with Edinburgh College of Art for a second year, after both sides declared the first a great success.

Around 20 second-year fashion students will take part. Over the year, they will be challenged to create their own designs from concept to manufacture, producing a six-outfit collection for Spring/Summer 2027 that is both artistically strong and commercially sound. The best shirt and trouser combination will then be developed for manufacture.

To launch the scheme, the students visited Multrees Walk to meet mentors and retailers and learn what will be expected of them. The street's retailers include Louis Vuitton, Harvey Nichols, Gucci and Omega, and the students will have access to experts in marketing, buying and design, learning about every aspect of the trade.

Professor Mal James, programme director for BA (Hons) Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art, said the college was delighted to offer its new cohort such valuable professional insight into the disciplines behind some of the world's leading fashion businesses, and that this year's project would be more ambitious.

Leigh Aitchison, centre manager at Multrees Walk, said the team was blown away by last year's students and wanted to build on that success, giving them mentorship from a range of global luxury brands.

Last year's standout piece at the showcase exhibition was Inscribed in Tartan by student Megan Atkinson. She said having access to some of the world's best-known luxury brands was amazing, giving the students a better understanding of how fashion works as a business, and that it was a fantastic opportunity to see their designs come to life in the end-of-term exhibition.

Multrees Walk describes itself as Scotland's luxury shopping destination, and has recently welcomed Longchamp, its first boutique outside London.

For the students, the project is a rare chance to see a collection through from first sketch to finished garment.

News on the collaboration and the end-of-year showcase will be shared on the Multrees Walk website.