By Alastair Jamieson
(edited in length, sorry oldboy!)

This week the Copacabana Club in New York relaxed its requirements and allowed some more exotic creations in to enjoy its tropical-themed décor as part of Tartan Week.

The Dressed To Kilt fashion show, which last year saw the simultaneous beginning and end of Jack McConnell's modelling career, has brought the work of another string of Scottish designers to the attention of the bulging wallets of New York's glitterati.

Species star Natasha Henstridge appeared on the catwalk with a revealing kilt and button-top outfit by young Edinburgh designer Joey D. "She didn't just look fabulous, she was stunning," said Dressed To Kilt organiser Geoff Scott Carroll.

"This is where the young people, the New York society figures are," insists Carroll, a wealthy investor whose Upper East Side apartment became an unofficial celebrity fitting room in the run-up to the event. "They don't go to bagpipe parades but they know that Dressed To Kilt is a hot ticket because it represents a youthful and confident Scotland. The designers that are involved in the show are at the forefront of Scottish business in the United States and beyond, so the value of events like this is incredible.

"Take Joey D. It's his first time at Dressed to Kilt and he gets Natasha Henstridge modelling his outfits. He's a designer from Edinburgh. You can't say that what is being represented here is somehow not relevant to what is happening in Scotland."

He claims the event gave Tartan Week a more contemporary feel. "You can stick with all the haggis and heather if you want but there is a market beyond that which understands that Scotland is not just about what has been preserved but also what is new and innovative.

"Scotland has a strong reputation here in the US as a country that exports its brains. Here is proof that it can produce beauty as well."

Image and captions, ©Daily Record.