Tuesday September 29th 2026
Edinburgh College of Art fashion students taking part in the Multrees Walk industry collaboration.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
More than 20 Edinburgh fashion students are being challenged to take their designs from the classroom to the manufacturing stage as part of a major industry collaboration.
Students from Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) are taking part in the second year of a partnership with Multrees Walk, which will see them work with experts from some of the city’s leading luxury retailers and fashion businesses.
As part of the 2026/27 programme, students will be tasked with creating a six-outfit collection for Spring/Summer 2027 that is both commercially focused and fashion-forward.
The strongest shirt and trouser co-ordinated outfit from each collection will then be developed further and taken through to final manufacture.
The programme launched with students visiting Multrees Walk to meet the mentors and retailers involved.
Throughout the academic year, they will receive guidance from professionals working in areas including marketing, buying and design.
The students will also learn about brand positioning, target audiences and pricing, giving them an insight into the commercial side of the fashion industry.
The project will culminate in a student exhibition at Genesis Studios at Multrees Walk, where a selection of their final designs will be displayed in a professional retail setting.
Professor Mal James, Programme Director of BA (Hons) Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art, said the collaboration offered students valuable experience beyond their academic studies.
“We are delighted to be continuing our collaboration with Multrees Walk and to be able to offer our new cohort of students this invaluable professional insight into the different disciplines that sit behind some of the world’s leading fashion businesses,” he said.
“Last year we saw just how much the students benefitted from the experience and are thrilled to be able to offer this year’s class a more ambitious and enhanced project.”
The collaboration is part of Multrees Walk’s commitment to supporting emerging creative talent in Scotland while helping students connect their studies with the wider fashion and retail industry.
Leigh Aitchison, Centre Manager at Multrees Walk, said last year’s programme had demonstrated the potential of bringing education and the retail industry together.
“Last year we were blown away with the talent and creativity from the second-year students, demonstrating just how much can be achieved when education and the retail industry come together,” she said.
“And this year we want to build on that success even further.”
The new programme follows the success of last year’s project, when ECA student Megan Atkinson’s design, Inscribed in Tartan, was selected as the standout piece at the 2025/26 showcase exhibition.
Megan said the experience had given students a better understanding of the commercial side of fashion.
“Having access throughout our course to some of the world’s best-known luxury brands was truly amazing,” she said.
“The experience gave us a better understanding into the industry as a business, and how fashion works from a commercial perspective.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to develop our ideas and of course to see our designs come to life in the end of term exhibition.”
The 2026/27 programme will run throughout the academic year, with students receiving mentoring and industry engagement before the selected designs are presented at the Genesis Studios Edinburgh Showcase Exhibition.
Tweet Share on FacebookNews
