A Dundee fashion designer has made her debut at London Fashion Week – with help on the runway from her grandad and uncle.
Robyn Green, 22, is behind clothing brand GADGIE, which takes inspiration from her working-class upbringing in the city.
The former St John’s High pupil showcased her first collection, HAME, at London Fashion Week last month as part of her master’s degree at the Jimmy Choo Academy.
Models taking to the catwalk included her 66-year-old grandad Eric Cox and uncle Steven Cox, 36.
Robyn aimed to pay tribute to “the people and communities that shaped me into who I am today” while her brand name, GADGIE, pays homage to ned culture.
Her designs feature a mix of menswear, with each look inspired by different people she found herself surrounded by while growing up in Dundee.
This included her great-gran, “ned culture” and football hooligans.
London Fashion Week ‘a shock to the system’ for Dundee designer Robyn
Robyn told The Courier: “It has all been a shock to the system.
“I moved to London for a year to do my masters with the Jimmy Choo Academy and it meant I was able to show at London Fashion Week.
“It felt like it didn’t sink in, I was running about like crazy sorting all the models and then when my stuff was going out I realised it was all happening.
“It was a whole year of work leading up to it and then it was over in a few minutes.”
Robyn’s grandad Eric was decked out in Gangster Gladrags – a striped sweater vest and upcycled Scotland flag shorts – while uncle Steven wore an outfit named Football Fooligan – upcycled shorts made from football scarves with a matching scarf.
Most models took to the catwalk with cans of Tennents in hand, while one carried a “granny trolley” fabricated with tea towels.
Robyn added: “When my grandad came out he got a huge cheer.
“I wanted to use models of diverse ages because it is inspired by growing up in council estates and by my family.
“I don’t think my grandad realised how big it would be, he thought it was a small presentation, then when he got to London I told him it was in front of 600 people.
“But he was loving it when he was on the runway.
“My uncle also took part and was wearing the football scarf look.
“The collection is called Hame and it’s inspired by different people I found myself around growing up, people I would see in Dundee – my great gran, ned culture and football hooligans.”
@_gadgie Debut collection “HAME” at London Fashion Week 2024 where we represented the Jimmy Choo Academy. Check us out over on Instagram @_gadgie to see some bts of the show and the Scottish collaborators we worked with throughout the year! 🏴 @JCA London . . . #jimmychoo #londonfashionweek #emergingfashiondesigner #menswearbrand #debutcollection #newgen #scottishfashion #scottishcreative #scottishbrand #jimmychoo #creativescotland
After leaving school, Robyn originally studied fashion and textiles at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
Despite plans to travel after graduation, she was offered a scholarship at the Jimmy Choo Academy in London to study a master’s degree in fashion entrepreneurship and brand innovation after being scouted at an event.
Robyn said: “I was planning on going travelling after finishing my undergrad but someone from the academy contacted me after I took part in an event in London.
“They asked if I would be interested in the master’s and I just went for it, it was the best decision I have made.
“When I first found myself in London I had impostor syndrome, I felt like a wee stupid girl from Scotland.
‘If there are fashion weeks in London and Paris, why not in Scotland?’
“But my show got a great response. Before that, I was comparing myself and thinking about how my collection was more light-hearted than the others.
“I just moved back to Dundee three weeks ago and my next step is getting a studio here, I have seen a couple of places and I am just waiting to hear back.
“I want to base myself in Scotland and create a community in Scotland for designers and creators.
“We shouldn’t need to travel to London and different places to work in this industry.
“If there are fashion weeks in London and Paris, why not in Scotland?”
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