Perthshire stylist and designer Sophie McGown’s ‘sassy’ earring business has been nominated in The Scottish Fashion Association Awards.
Sophie took the fashion world by storm with her stunning earring business, EarSass, which she launched in the middle of lockdown.
The signature design, ‘The Issy’, was inspired by her friend Isabella Blow, the fashion icon who discovered Alexander McQueen.
All of her earrings – which are amazingly lightweight – are aimed at everyone “who loves bright, bold earrings with sass – and all genders!” said Sophie.
Awards ceremony
EarSass is nominated in the Fashion Jeweller of the Year category at the inaugural awards ceremony on February 16 at The George Hotel in Edinburgh.
Sophie is one of just three designers in the running for the award. Also in the category are jeweller and diamond retailer Chisholm Hunter and Zo Jewellery.
Sophie said: “I am so humbled and excited to be up for such a prestigious award as Fashion Jeweller of the Year!
“The Scottish Fashion Association is an incredible platform for so many Scottish fashion businesses.
“My fashion hero and inspiration was Isabella Blow who I worked with more than 20 years ago.
“Her sense of style was like nothing I’d ever seen before and epitomised the word ‘Sass’!
“She invited me to assist on the Philip Treacy hat show at the V&A museum in London and that’s where my passion for design grew.
“Her bold fashion sense and Philip’s stunning hat creations have always been a huge inspiration around my creations for EarSass.”
Creating something fabulous
When life ground to a halt during the pandemic, Sophie, then based in Pitlochry, decided to use her time to create something fabulous to brighten up the long anxious days for friends who were struggling with looming redundancy, sick family members, endless Zoom meetings, and home schooling.
The brand’s ethos of ‘Get Your Sass On’ is to encourage women to be proud of their sassiness, whatever shape, size, gender, and form, both physically and mentally.
EarSass is all about bringing back the statement earring with big, bold and bang on trend designs, with a focus on lightweight creations in pierced or clip-on styles.
They feel comfortable all day, without the earlobe pain often suffered from wearing big earrings.
Each design is named after strong influential women in Sophie’s life, who have gone through tough times but found fashion and jewellery helped to bring little hits of joy.
The original designs sold out on the first day of launching, and the earrings have featured in fashion magazines and photoshoots with fans using #EarSasser to show their love for the creations.
I am so humbled and excited to be up for such a prestigious award as Fashion Jeweller of the Year!”
SOPHIE MCGOWN
The Scottish Fashion Association provides a platform for the next generation of designers and textile creators to showcase pioneering innovations and ideas to drive the fashion industry to Net Zero.
- The awards will take place in Edinburgh at The George Hotel on February 16. scottishfashionassociation.com
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