21 May 2009

Supermodel sale for graduate designer Hayley

University of Dundee graduate Hayley Scanlan made the perfect start to her career as a textile designer last night when she made her first sale - to fashion icon Erin O’Connor.

Erin was in Dundee to officially open the Dundee Degree Show 2009 at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. She watched a catwalk show put on by jewellery and textile design students - which she described as 'brilliant and bonkers!' - and immediately it finished she headed straight backstage to place an order with Hayley for a stunning studded white leather jacket.

'I am a person like anyone else - I like to shop and I love fashion and when I saw that jacket I thought, 'I have to have that first!' said Erin. 'There was so much brilliant stuff in a great show from the students and I am delighted to have seen it all.'

Erin said she was now going to e-mail her measurements to designer Hayley for the tailor-made jacket.

Hayley (25), who lives in Roseberry Street in Dundee, was absolutely thrilled to get such a prestigious first order.

'I’m just absolutely blown away,' said Hayley. 'Someone said to me right after the show finished that Erin wanted to try my jacket on, and I couldn’t believe it.

'But next thing she was trying it on and saying she definitely wanted one. Its absolutely fantastic.'

The white leather jacket, with black screenprinted drip panels and gold and silver studs, was modelled in the show by Hayley’s sister Holly (24).

Erin is one of the world's top models and is also chair of the British Fashion Council and a trustee of the Victoria & Albert Museum. The University has been a driving forice in the 'V&A Dundee - Making It Happen’ project which aims to attract the Victoria & Albert Museum to establish a presence in the city.

The 'Designs on...The Future' opening event for Degree Show 2009 was staged in the Vision Building in Dundee on Wednesday night before an invited audience of around 350 people. The event was sponsored by Unicorn Property

Degree Show opens to the public on Saturday and runs at the Vision Building until June 6th.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Over 260 graduating students will be displaying their degree projects at Degree Show 09, across the disciplines of fine art, design, textiles, jewellery, animation and digital imaging.

Profiles on some of the students taking part can be seen at: www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow/students.htm.

Dundee Degree Show will have a new look this year as it moves into new premises at the Vision Building at Seabraes in Dundee, which has been made available to the College by James Keiller Services, on behalf of Horizon Capital.

Dundee Degree Show will cap a very successful year for the College, which is part of the University of Dundee. It was rated one of the UK’s top colleges for research in art and design in the Research Assessment Exercise 2008.

For more information on this year’s Dundee Degree Show see www.dundee.ac.uk/degreeshow.

LISTING INFORMATION:

DUNDEE DEGREE SHOW 2009
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee

Weds 20th May
'Designs on-The Future' VIP, invite-only event with fashion icon Erin O’Connor, Chair of the British Fashion Council and V&A trustee.
Sponsored by Unicorn Property Group

Preview night - Friday 22nd May

Exhibition open 23 May - 6 June 2009
Monday-Friday 9.30am-8.30pm
Saturdays & Sundays 9.30am-4.30pm (excluding Saturday 6 June when the exhibit will close at 2pm)
Free admission

This exhibition is running concurrently with the Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition.

Vision Building is fully accessible. Car parking is available at Vision

For further information please contact:
01382 385330
exhibitions@dundee.ac.uk
www.dundee.ac.uk/degreeshow.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk