It's 9.30 on a London morning, half an hour before the doors open, and the ridiculously well-turned-out staff at Liberty are preparing for the day ahead.

Jewellery is being cleaned, tills are being filled, empty shelves are being restocked. The atmosphere is quiet – churchy, even. So much so that even the four Scots on the stairwell are speaking in hushed tones. And only one of them actually works for Liberty.

Three of the four are designers (the other is Kirsty the photographer, if you want full disclosure). All Scots at different stages of their careers and in different organisations. One is beginning to establish herself, one is working for the shop we're standing in and one is head of a business with five shops and a £7 million-plus turnover.

They would all be members of London fashion's Scotia Nostra if there actually was such a thing. And today they're here to talk about Scottishness, the fashion industry and, um, animals. More on that later. But right now it's time to make our introductions-

James Millar

Head of accessory design, Liberty

Originally from Kilsyth, Millar studied printed and knitted textiles at Glasgow School of Art and then did an MA in fashion at Central St Martin's College in London. He's worked with Jonathan Saunders and freelanced for Liberty, designing a special scarf for the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee, before being offered a permanent job in the store's design office.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I design all of Liberty's women's scarves. That's a mixture of working with classic designs that we've had for years and also brand-new designs that fit in with the Liberty aesthetic. We also do men's scarves, ties, pocket squares and shirts.

WHAT'S THE BEST AND WORST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?

I do have quite a lot of creative freedom. I don't have a creative director I'm trying to please. Also, the archive is incredible. There's 40,000 textiles in there, so that's really exciting. There are lots of possibilities. The thing I like least is people have quite a fixed notion about what the brand is and what they think is and is not Liberty. There's stuff in the archive from the fifties that looks very Lucienne Day [who pioneered the use of bright, optimistic, abstract patterns]. If I try to bring that out people will say: "That's not very Liberty," but it was Liberty for 10 years. When you've got a long history parts get forgotten.

IS THERE A SCOTIA NOSTRA IN LONDON FASHION?

Well maybe. I work with Jonathan and I was in Christopher Kane's class at St Martin's and Louise Gray's class in Glasgow. I don't have a work connection with them but if I see them I say "hi". It's a very small industry and everyone does know everyone.

THE PURPOSE OF FASHION IS ... ?

To make you feel good about yourself.

SEX, COMFORT, SCULPTURE, SELLING: WHICH WORD BEST DESCRIBES FASHION

Probably for most people it's sex. Until you're X age and then it's comfort.

IF LIBERTY WAS A POP STAR IT WOULD BE ?

Bryan Ferry.

IF LIBERTY WAS AN ANIMAL ...?

A peacock.

IF LIBERTY WAS A COUNTRY ...?

It's going to have to be England, isn't it? It's very bound up in that idea of the former empire and the Commonwealth. Or should I say Britain?

WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?

This jumper. Margiela. In the store, with my discount. Maybe that's my Scottishness, wanting the discount.

HENRIETTA LUDGATE,

Designer, Henrietta Ludgate

Much loved by Livia Firth (Colin's wife), Ludgate has already dressed everyone from Elizabeth McGovern to Emeli Sande. From Dingwall, she studied at Central St Martins (against her parents' wishes), and won a fashion innovation prize at London Fashion Week in 2010. The following year business took off and she found herself supplying stores in Italy and Japan. She's now making a name with her outré style and ethical approach. "Sometimes I turn around and pinch myself. I think back to sketching in my bedroom listening to Pulp and then I look around and I go 'this is my shop'. I can't believe I'm here."

WHAT'S YOUR JOB TITLE?

I think I have about 500 job titles. Everything from designer to cutter to cleaner.

DESCRIBE THE HENRIETTA LUDGATE STYLE?

It's a very distinctive look. It's not for everyone. It's a bit like the Jetsons. It's quite sci-fi but still wearable. It's sculptural. But everyone says sculptural, so I don't really like that word. I'd like it to be like wearing a sculpture, what it feels like to wear a sculpture.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FASHION MEMORY?

Going down to the Edinburgh Festival as a little kid and seeing a tutu in a window. My godmother bought me this tutu and took me to the ballet for the first time. It was the last performance of Nureyev and I fell asleep.

WHAT ARE THE THREE QUALITIES YOU NEED FOR YOUR JOB?

You need persistence because you get a lot of people saying no. You've got to turn each no into yes, especially if you're doing something new. You've got to be able to problem-solve, especially in production. There's always going to be something that goes wrong and you're going to have to find the solution really fast. The ability to dream and to keep going when it's all really, really crap.

WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

The first thing I say when I'm interviewing someone is: "Do not think this is a glamorous job. You're going to be going out to factories and mills and travelling and I don't have much money so we're going to be taking the bus". I've sent someone on a run to the factory and they've never come back. I think a lot of people think they just have to look pretty and swan around. It's not like that.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Art. Architecture. But also simple things like just going for a walk. I find nature is the most amazing architect. Like chanterelle mushrooms you pick them up and turn them upside down and they look like the most amazing dress. Can I create a dress that looks as beautiful as a chanterelle mushroom?

IF HENRIETTA LUDGATE THE LABEL WAS A POP STAR ...?

It's like a bit of Bjork, but she's a bit too fruity.

IF IT WAS AN ANIMAL ...?

A crocodile. A crocodile that wears a crown.

IF IT WAS A COUNTRY ...?

Could I be like a planet?

Cathal McAteer,

Creative director, Folk

In his younger years Cathal McAteer was a semi-professional footballer. These days his game is fashion. "I'd never really thought of it as a career until I was 18, 20. I thought I was going to be a football player but that never worked out and I thought 'I'd better get my act together.'" After years working his way through the trade he set up his casual-wear label Folk in 2001. Last year turnover was £7.5m. "We make extremely well-considered clothes. We're annoying. I like to get what I want and to get what you want you have to do the extra few steps."

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I work with Folk's head of design on a daily basis to make sure Folk's products are really, really good.

WHAT ARE THE THREE QUALITIES NEED TO DO YOUR JOB?

A very good eye, a good drive and to be good with people.

YOUR FIRST FASHION MEMORY?

A pair of burgundy stayprest waffle trousers from Cumbernauld town centre. I think I was 12 and I think it was from the first three weeks of milk money I earned.

THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?

Seeing the products and entering new categories. We've designed running shoes and that's exciting because we haven't done that before. Worst part? I've got three kids now so maybe not being able to be 150% as I used to. Sometimes I think I should be at work more often, but then you go home and you melt and you go, "this is magic".

IS THERE A SCOTIA NOSTRA IN LONDON FASHION?

If you wanted to find it, yeah. There's quite a few. I wouldn't say they pull much weight but we could go to the pub and get steaming.

FASHION: SEX, COMFORT, SELLING, OR SCULPTURE?

Selling and sex. It's definitely about selling. I love making beautiful garments but at the end of the day if I don't sell it I ain't got a job.

IF FOLK WAS A POP STAR ...?

It would probably be a cross between Bonnie Prince Billy and LCD System's James Murphy.

IF FOLK WAS AN ANIMAL ...?

It would probably be a horse.