When you think of luxury fashion brands like Chanel, Christian Dior, Versace or Valentino, you will likely associate them with Paris or Milan rather Aberdeen.
Yet the grand couturiers of Europe will soon be joined by a new fashion brand currently being created in the Bridge of Don.
This is the ambition of Daniel Crozier, a singular designer with an eye for beauty and a head for the business, recently forged in the high-end, high-pressure fashion world of Manhattan.
The 30-year-old graduate of Gray’s School of Art recently raised a six-figure investment which is being spent to design and create a couture collection that will be shown at a private salon during Paris fashion week next year. It will be the first step to creating the brand – Aphrodite x Venus (AxV) – a name that the world’s well-heeled fashionistas are meant to flock to.
Speaking to Mr Crozier is a lesson in ambition steeled by experience.
“I don’t see any point in trying to aim small,” he said. “How it turns out is another matter, but I have the ambition, the understanding of the industry, the wherewithal and drive to attempt to make it happen.”
This estimation is backed by his advisors at Anderson Anderson & Brown (ABB) who introduced him to the investor that has funded Mr Crozier’s ambition. The aim is to cut a piece of the estimated $420 billion global cloth for luxury goods – a growth market set to reach $500bn in 2020.
Brian McMurray, corporate finance partner with AAB, admits he is “by no means a fashion expert”, but he knows a strong investment case when he sees one.
“Daniel is almost unique in terms of his experience. He’s had that time in New York and the experience and the contacts he’s got are impressive. To bring that back to the north- east is great.”
Since his return from New York in 2015, Mr Crozier has been honing his ideas using all the resources he could get, including government-backed business development schemes from Business Gateway through to Scottish Enterprise and internationalisation arm, Scottish Development International. As a result, when he met with AAB last year they were struck by the finesse of his business plan.
Mr McMurray said: “When we first met with Daniel, I was extremely impressed with him.
“I see so many early-stage companies that are just not ready to be in front of an investor.”
Nevertheless, AAB gave him no guarantee of finding a backer, particularly because of the uniqueness of the proposition in the north- east market. Traditionally private investors in the region have made their money in the oil and gas industry and invest in what they know. However, Mr McMurray has seen a shift in focus.
“For me the decision was backing Daniel and his vision. Fortunately, it was one where once we got the right people in front of him they bought into that,” he said.
“A lot of high net worth individuals made money in oil and gas and often it is considered easier to make an investment in something they know. But realistically if it is something they like the feel of, whether it is fashion or food and drink, it just needs to be a credible proposal.
“You’d be surprised how many active investors are out there looking for opportunity. We are being asked all the time. They want to see investments we have got and they want to look at them and get the opportunity.”
The scale of Mr Crozier’s ambition can be seen in the attention to detail he puts into his creations. Although the look of his current collection is strictly under wraps until it is unveiled in October next year, he enthuses about the materials he is using – including fabric made by the same historic atelier that created tapestries for the Palace of Versailles or a mill in Italy that specialises in weaving thread spun from gold creating unique effects.
“I have been searching Europe for a number of years to find the best materials I can get my hands on,” he said.
“In France, they really understand the worth of fashion to the look of their country and obviously in monetary terms as well. Fortunately it fits in quite well in my sector – everybody is looking for something unique.”
The collection he is working on and the brand he is building will rely on the uniqueness of his Scottish location. He is fiercely resistant to falling back on tired ideas of Scotland to promote it. Although as a student he often worked with plaid woollens, this will not be a part of this collection as he sets out his vision.
“One of the things I found in America is they have a fairytale view of what Scotland is like – everybody lives in a castle among fields of heather. From a branding perspective that is something I am quite keen to use.
“As a designer I cannot stand tartan,” he insisted. “I am very keen to promote myself as a designer based in Scotland. Not to be a cliché in that sense.”
Mr McMurray is also enthused about the prospects AxV brings to the region. The ambitious five-year business plan involves eventually employing other fashion graduates. Meanwhile, Mr Crozier is well advanced in shortlisting a new location for the business – ideally a combination of showroom, workspace and West End granite fabulousness.
“What will be really great is when he takes on staff, he will need a team of people,” said Mr McMurray. “Previously people doing degrees here or around Scotland would have had to go to London or further afield to get the experience they need. Now they will be able to do that here. That will take time – but based on the plan that is where it will get to.”
