The Fashion for Social Change award will ask independent artists, crafters and fashion designers living in Scotland to create items with activism for housing as their theme. The pieces should start conversations, share stories, and educate.

The garments should also have sustainability at their heart, demonstrating a commitment to minimising waste and extending the life cycle of clothes.

Thanks to support from Shelter Scotland, the eight winning designers will have their work featured in the Fashion Festival’s annual spectacular Opening Gala Runway Show at V&A Dundee on Tuesday 15th November, as well as receiving a professional photoshoot for their items, with one designer receiving an award in the SR:D Awards’ Ceremony, set to return post-pandemic for 2022 earlier the same day at V&A Dundee. All eight entries will also go on display at the SR:D Fashion Festival exhibition in Gather, the community space in Dundee’s Overgate Shopping Centre from 16th to 20th November.

All independent designers living in Scotland are eligible to enter. Proposals must be submitted by 18th September. Panellists from Shelter Scotland, Scotland Re:Design and V&A Dundee will consider the applications, and the winners will be announced the following week.

Director of Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, said: “Shelter Scotland’s network of community charity shops throughout the country are known for offering high quality, pre-loved, vintage and designer clothes. These shops generate vital funds which are used to support our fight for home.

“So, we’re extremely excited to work with Scotland Re:Design on this project which both celebrates sustainable fashion and will shine a light on the injustice visited upon communities because of the housing emergency.

“In Scotland today there are nearly 12,000 homeless children. Every 19 minutes a household becomes homeless. The housing emergency is pervasive and touches communities across the country. We believe that everyone should have the right to a safe, secure, permanent home and we won’t stop fighting until that becomes a reality.”

Director of Scotland Re:Design, Chris Hunt, added: “The Scottish Fashion community is an industry which advocates for slow, designer and sustainable fashion, and works in many innovative ways to reduce emissions, and upcycle fabric and stock to create new clothing for everyone to wear. The industry is an essential player in Scotland, worth over £2.8billion to the Scottish economy, with a big voice and a huge heart, which we know from research wants to use its platforms for social change.

“Scotland’s industry advocates for major change across sustainability, high streets, body positivity, made to order or small drops, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and consumer shopping, from our primarily female-led businesses to spaces, design for change, and equal employment opportunities.

“As we launch the 2022 Scottish Fashion Festival, thanks to support by EventScotland’s National Events Programme, UNESCO City of Design Dundee and V&A Dundee, everyone involved is thrilled at this new partnership with Shelter Scotland to open up and ask Scotland’s designers how we can help highlight the shocking situations faced by so many, and shine a spotlight on the housing emergency.”