An Inverness designer has drawn on her experiences of lockdown and the work of mental health charity Mikeysline to earn a place on the catwalk during the glitzy New York Fashion Week.
Chloe Innes is one of two international designers whose collections have been chosen to be featured on during NYC fashion house Flying Solo’s show on September 13.
The Heriot Watt graduate said her collection was inspired by her own personal emotions amidst the pandemic and believes her sustainable designs mirror the charity’s ethos in the north.
She said: “The clothes we wear are a statement of who we are as individuals.
“Organisations such as Mikeysline are integral for the future of the Highlands.
“We are living in a time where, now more than ever, it is important to have a positive support system around us.
“My collection takes inspiration from my personal experience in lockdown. From the emotions I felt and how I dealt with them.
“In April I completed my four-year-long degree alone in my childhood bedroom.
“It was not the ending I had always dreamed of, but it was the ending I had. It left me with many anxious feelings about the future.”
Her touching tribute comes as Mikeysline’s The Hive Crisis Drop-In Centre reopens in Inverness after the coronavirus lockdown led to its temporary closure.
The centre in Academy Street offers appointment and drop-in services for those experiencing mental health issues in the Highlands.
Miss Innes said: “I hope that this collection can help bring about positive change and raise awareness of the services available, bringing hope and happiness to people through fashion.”
