BBC Scotland Commissions New Kirsty Wark Series

Two Rivers Media has been commissioned to produce Icons of Style, hosted by Kirsty Wark (Newsnight), by BBC Scotland.

Looking back across 60 years of Scottish fashion, Wark will explore how her home country helped shape the modern U.K. and global fashion industries. From the Islands to the Borders and the Lowlands to the Highlands, she will meet makers, designers, wearers and influencers, including actor Alan Cumming, designers Pam Hogg and Tammy and Christopher Kane, author Justine Picardie and more.

Icons of Style follows on from the success of The Years That Changed Modern Scotland and The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland, both also hosted by Wark.

“Fashion continues to be one of Scotland’s most prestigious and distinctive exports,” Wark said. “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.”

“The story of fashion in Scotland is rich, complex and iconic, and Kirsty brings her own very personal passion to the series,” said Bianca Barker, executive producer for Two Rivers Media. “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, channel manager and commissioning executive at BBC Scotland, added, “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 programs weave their way through the big moments, trends and personalities of Scotland’s fashion.”