Student makes prize-winning outfit from meat netting

Verna Lai, a talented third-year student at Heriot-Watt University's school of textiles and design in Galashiels, has created a prize-winning outfit made entirely from meat netting. This unusual material, commonly used in the food industry to hold roasts and other cuts of meat together during cooking, was transformed by Verna into a stunning three-piece ensemble featuring Pictish monograms, symbols inspired by an ancient Scottish people known as the Picts. Her innovative design won a competition sponsored by Scobie & Junor, a food packaging company based in East Kilbride. The outfit was showcased at a major trade fair in Germany and will now have a permanent place of honor at the company's headquarters in Scotland. Verna expressed great pride in her achievement, noting that her work will be displayed in the entrance of the company's offices, marking a significant milestone in her design career.

The creation process involved using approximately 60 meters of meat netting, a synthetic, warp-knitted material often combined with natural rubber to provide elasticity. This fabric is typically seen only in supermarkets, wrapped around meat products to maintain their shape while cooking. Verna's design includes a blue tank top, a cape, and a skirt, all adorned with white embroidery of Pictish symbols. She explained that the fabric was unconventional for fashion but that the challenge from Scobie & Junor inspired her to think creatively. The company had approached the university to commission a unique outfit for their trade show display, seeking something that would stand out and reflect Scottish culture. Verna's design successfully met these goals, impressing both the judges and the company representatives.

The Picts were an ancient people who lived in northern Scotland until around the 9th century. Their distinctive symbols and monograms have become an important part of Scottish heritage, and Verna incorporated these elements into her design to celebrate this history. Simon Moorhouse, a representative from Scobie & Junor, praised the project, saying that seeing meat netting transformed into a fashionable piece was both inspiring and thought-provoking. He highlighted that this project demonstrates the creativity of the next generation of designers and shows how innovation can come from unexpected sources. Verna's work is a remarkable example of how traditional materials can be reimagined in modern fashion, blending cultural heritage with contemporary design.