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Student makes prize-winning outfit from meat netting

David Knox
BBC Scotland News
Heriot-Watt University A woman with glasses and long dark hair smiles, wearing a dark blouse, at the camera. She is sitting next to a desk with scissors and a measuring tape with a dress on a mannequin behind her.Heriot-Watt University
Verna Lai's Pictish-inspired dress was made from meat netting

Forget Paris and Milan - an aspiring Scottish designer's prize-winning dress is going on show in the offices of food packaging supplier.

Verna Lai turned a roll of meat netting into a three-piece outfit featuring Pictish monograms.

The third-year student at Heriot-Watt University's school of textiles and design in Galashiels was the pick of the judges in the competition sponsored by East Kilbride company, Scobie & Junor.

As well as featuring in part of their stand at a recent German trade fair, Verna's designs will have a permanent home at their headquarters.

Heriot-Watt University Two rolls of meat netting, one smaller one on top of another. They are off-white in colour and rolled up tightly in two coilsHeriot-Watt University
About 60m (200ft) of netting was used to make Verna's designs a reality

She said: "The piece has been to Germany and I'm told is now coming back to Scotland to have a home in the entrance to the company's East Kilbride offices - this is moment of pride for me."

Scobie & Junor approached the school of textiles and design last year to commission an outfit made from meat netting.

Sometimes known as 'butcher's netting', the product is commonly made from a warp-knitted synthetic material and often incorporates natural rubber to enhance elasticity.

It is used to maintain the shape of roasts or other cuts of meat such as pork loin, turkey breast, or roast beef, while they cook.

Heriot-Watt University A blue tank-top and blue skirt with white embroidery on a mannequinHeriot-Watt University
Verna's designs will take pride of place at the food packaging firm's headquarters

Verna was one of six students who took up the challenge to create fashionwear from the packaging.

She used about 60m (200ft) of the netting to create the blue three-piece outfit of a tank-top, cape and skirt - all featuring Pictish monograms.

The Galashiels-based student added: "The fabric was unconventional as you only ever see it in the supermarket.

"Scobie & Junor wanted to create something different for the trade show in Germany.

"My outfit has a lot of Scottish cultural inspiration - and I think this impressed them."

Getty Images An uncooked roast beef in string nettingGetty Images
The netting is usually used to help keep meat in shape while it cooks

The Picts ruled the northern parts of Scotland up to about the 9th Century.

Their unique symbolism remains a focus of academic research.

Simon Moorhouse from Scobie & Junor said: "Seeing our meat netting transformed into a striking fashion piece has been both inspiring and thought-provoking.

"It's a testament to the creativity of the next generation of designers and a reminder that innovation often comes from the most unexpected places."

Heriot-Watt University A woman in glasses with long hair in a grey blouse and black skirt stands next to a blue outfit with white embroideryHeriot-Watt University
Verna said the fabric she had to use was "unconventional"