They are some of Scotland's best know clothing retailers, with reputations built on fine fabrics and understated style. But now these traditional brands have been given spiky image makeovers by some of the nation's cutting-edge designers. These collaborations between established manufacturers and pioneering designers will form part of a cross-Border assault on London Fashion Week this month......................

.......................Harris Tweed, meanwhile, was married up to an army-influenced print by Edinburgh-based designer Joey-D for a patchwork coat and mini-kilt. Joey D, known for his punky reworkings of traditional Scottish styles, is a regular at the Dressed to Kilt fashion show in New York.................

The collaborations are part-funded by Scottish Enterprise. Kirsty Scott, head of the agency's Scottish textiles team aid "By enabling leading brands to work with some of the best design talent to come out of Scotland, these collaborations will provide a win-win for both designers and companies.

Full showcase staged at London Fashion Week Main Tent, Feb 10-13. © Daily Mail 7th Feb 2008 by Jonathan Brocklebank