BBC SCOTLAND COMMISSIONS NEW TWO RIVERS’ FASHION SERIES LED BY KIRSTY WARK
Tammy and Christopher Kane pictured with presenter Kirsty Wark
Leading Nations’ indie Two Rivers Media has received a commission from BBC Scotland to make a series delving into the social history of fashion in Scotland.
Following on from the success of The Years That Changed Modern Scotland and The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland, Kirsty Wark is back with a new two-part series, Icons of Style.
From the recent Dior Cruise 2025 collection revealed in Scotland to the historical connections between Chanel and Scotland dating back to 1955, the global fashion houses have long been influenced by the Scottish landscape, its materials and designers. Looking back across 60 years of Scottish fashion, Wark will explore how her home country helped shape the UK and global fashion industries we know today. From the Islands to the Borders, the Lowlands to the Highlands, she will meet the makers, designers, wearers and influencers of the times including actor Alan Cumming; designers Pam Hogg and Tammy and Christopher Kane; singers Sharleen Spiteri and Eve Graham; and author Justine Picardie.
Kirsty Wark says: “Fashion continues to be one of Scotland’s most prestigious and distinctive exports. From its roots in medieval Scotland, with its links to Europe, to France in particular, to its popularity in Georgian Britain, to some of the best, most captivating contemporary designers in the world, its influence is global. It’s a story of style that spans social, cultural, and political landscapes and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to stitch it all together for BBC Scotland.”
Bianca Barker, Executive Producer, Two Rivers Media adds, "The story of fashion in Scotland is rich, complex and iconic and Kirsty (Wark) brings her own very personal passion to the series. Her previous two social history series on the channel have done exceptionally well on iPlayer, demonstrating how stories about our shared heritage resonate with us all."
Tony Nellany, BBC Scotland Channel Manager & Commissioning Executive, comments: “The series will take the audiences on a hugely enjoyable journey through the history of a creative industry which began in Scotland’s distant past and has developed remarkably through the ages. Kirsty will be the ideal companion as the programmes weave their way through the big moments, trends, and personalities of Scotland’s fashion.”
This commission follows the recently-broadcast feature Dogs of War for BBC Storyville, telling the incredible true story of Dave Tomkins, a seemingly ordinary small-time criminal from England who became one of the world’s most notorious mercenaries and international arms dealers. Upcoming programmes also include The Last Musician of Auschwitz, a feature documentary commissioned by BBC Arts to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz; five-part documentary series for Channel 4, Travels With Agatha With Sir David Suchet, a co-production with Soho Studios, which sees David Suchet replicating a journey taken by Agatha Christie in the 1920s; and three-part series Special Forces: Most Daring Missions, for Paramount+ UK and Ireland, narrated by Venom actor Tom Hardy (also a co-production with Soho Studios).