IT takes most up-and-coming artists a long time to make their mark but, after only a few years in the industry, Scottish-born fashion talent Iona Crawford has signed a contract to bring a potential $1 million worth of her designs to America.
The 25-year-old Glasgow-based designer and artist has signed a contract to create a homewear collection, which it is hoped will be sold at upmarket stores such as Bloomingdales as soon as autumn this year. It has been predicted that in the first season, Ms Crawford's bedding range will sell more than $1m (£652,000) of products in the US.
The bedding collection, which is being made by Californian-based distribution company Rio Home Fashions, will include comforters, blankets, sheets, pillow cases and upper mattresses.
Designs will be printed with Crawford's unique artwork and be part of either a basics or a fashion-led range.
"It's a bit of a dream come true, I think every designer wants to get to that stage where they get to see stuff being made," said Ms Crawford, who studied fashion at Edinburgh College of Art and who was nominated for the Young Designer of the Year Award at the Scottish Fashion Awards last year.
Ms Crawford also created a collection of couture womenswear clothing. It often features prints from her drawings and paintings.
She added: "Initially when I started out my artwork was completely separate from my fashion career, but now it's become what I've been known for.
"Because I'm an artist as well, the interest has really grown for my prints because my own range has started to be really centred around my prints. We thought if it can be translated into fashion, why can't it be translated into interiors?"
Ms Crawford's agent in America, Tim Danser, who runs company Prince of Scots and who launched the Simon Carter menswear label in America, believes she is a talent to watch. He said: "It's amazing there's so much talent and determination all rolled up into one person. When I first saw Iona's designs I was very impressed with how feminine and romantic they looked. In this business it's hard to explain, but it's just that feeling that you get in your gut that you know you're right and that's the way I feel about Iona."
The range, which Mr Danser will start to showcase to department stores in the next few months, is going to be targeted towards the top tier of home collections with prices around $350 (£228) for a comforter.
Philip Hannay, the Glasgow-based solicitor who represented Ms Crawford during the transatlantic negotiations said: "This is a major breakthrough for a Scottish designer who until recently was relatively unknown. The Americans are quite taken by her work and I predict a very bright future for her."
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