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Dressed to Kilt
29/10/2003
Culture Minister Frank McAveety, will be "Dressed to Kilt" in Hollywood this weekend, as he takes in the best of Scottish contemporary clothing design and manufacturing, and meets with key people within the Hollywood film-making industry.
A major fashion show and promotional and fundraising vehicle - "Dressed to Kilt"- which is being staged in Los Angeles on Saturday 1 November and organised by US Friends of Scotland, will combine the best of traditional and contemporary Scottish fashion.
Mr McAveety will promote Scottish design and manufacture with a galaxy of famous stars from film, television and fashion as part of the Los Angeles Fashion Week. To be staged at the prestigious Wiltern Theatre, "Dressed to Kilt" is an international advert for Scotland on the US's West Coast.
Scotland will be seen is a modern, vibrant, outward looking country with both a traditional and contemporary culture. Scotland and its many cultural icons has a global appeal, and is a country that does business in the international marketplace.
Mr McAveety, also Honourary Chairman of "Dressed to Kilt" said:
"Dressed to Kilt is not just a fashion show - it celebrates and promotes Scottish culture today, taking the very best of traditional icons and finding new contemporary designs which appeal to a modern audience.
"Thanks to those designers, the kilt - one of Scotland's strongest global icons - will be centre stage, and Scotland's rich and vibrant culture with it.
"Scotland already has an undeniable global appeal, and by staging and endorsing events like this to new markets in the U.S and elsewhere, we will reaffirm our message that Scotland has a rich and vibrant cultural sector, is passionate about its place within the world, and does good business in the international marketplace."
During the visit the Minister will also be taking a tour of Universal Film Studios and meeting with a range of key financiers and influential business people to promote Scotland as a film-making destination.
Following on from the recently announced Clooney-Soderberg film "The Jacket" which will be shot in Scotland early next year and bring an estimated $32m to the Scottish economy, Mr McAveety added:
"It is vital that we continue the good work already done in convincing film companies that Scotland is a place which offers a variety of film locations, and experienced film crews on the ground.
"I will be speaking face-to-face with influential people in Hollywood and establishing firm links with them which will strengthen Scotland's case as a film-making location, and as a place to bring their film projects. "Scotland has a great deal to offer Hollywood's film industry and I will using my time during the visit to state our case."
Dewars Dressed to Kilt will take place at The Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles on the evening of 1 November 2003.
Some of the famous faces invited to appear at this year's show are: actor, writer and director Craig Ferguson, supermodels Kirsty Hume and Markus Schenkenberg, actors Pamela Anderson and Gerard Butler, fashion maven Kelly Cooper Barr, singers Rod Stewart and Sheena Easton, Monarch of the Glen stars Alistair MacKenzie and Dawn Steele, clothing designer Jeff Banks, Scotland Tenors Caledon, and former model and photographer Penny Lancaster.
"Dressed to Kilt" was originally part of the Tartan Day celebrations in New York, but appears this year as part of the Los Angeles Fashion Week to raise awareness on the west coast of the US. It is also scheduled to appear in Chicago and next year's Tartan Day celebrations in New York.
Dressed to Kilt in LA is sponsored by Dewars with support from BBC America, Continental Airlines, Geoffrey Taylor Kilts, VisitScotland, Lochcarron, Chaya Brasserie, 21st Century Kilts, Walkers, The University of Glasgow, Lady Golf, Fuji Water, and Ultimo.
"The Jacket" is being produced by Section Eight Films which is run jointly by George Clooney and Steven Soderburgh (Oceans 11, Welcome to Collingwood, Insomnia, Far from Heaven, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) with UK co-producer Peter McAleese, (Motorcycle Diaries - which premiers at Sundance next year-, Bridget Jones' Diary, Twin Town)
The project has been developed and will be co-produced by Peter Guber's Mandalay Pictures, (credits include Donnie Brasco, Seven years in Tibet, Enemy at the Gates, The Score & Beyond Borders) in association with VIP Mediafonds. Funding for the film is greenlit and is estimated at around $32m. The film will be distributed in the US by Warner Brothers.
The Jacket will be directed by John Maybury (Love is the Devil) and will star Adrian Brody (Oscar winner for his part in The Pianist) and Keira Knightley (Bend it Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean)
The film goes into pre-production in late October and will shoot in Scotland during mid-January/February and March 2004.