HERIOT-WATT graduate Nadia Pinkney has been nominated for a prestigious Scottish fashion award.

She has been shortlisted for the graduate award in the Scottish Fashion Awards 2016, taking place in The Rosewood Hotel in London on Friday, October 21.

The awards, which are now in their 11th year, celebrates Scottish creativity and innovation with guests treated to an exclusive gala dinner and awards ceremony.

Prof Fiona Waldron, Head of School of Textiles and Design, Heriot-Watt University, told the Border Telegraph: “We are delighted that Nadia has been short-listed for this prestigious award.

"She is part of a wave of exciting design talent coming out of the School of Textiles and Design here in the Scottish Borders, and we wish her every success both at the Scottish Fashion Awards and in her future career”.

Speaking of the nomination, Nadia told the Border Telegraph: "It's an honour to be nominated for an award especially as Scotland have a lot of talented and creative graduates. For me it's even more exciting because of what my graduate work was inspired by.

"When I first introduced the design concept of Alzheimer's there were a lot of people who thought it was distasteful or too controversial.

"However my Great Grandmother and my grandmother both suffered from the disease and I believed I could portray Alzheimer's within a contemporary fashion collection.

"I wanted to understand the disease and how the disease destroys the brain, I worked closely with researchers at Alz Scot who helped me with my research. The collection has a digital print inspired by Alzheimer patients brain scans.

Nadia also told us of of how Alzheimers inspired the name and designs for her fashions: "When the disease enters the brain it tangles and knots the neurons this is reflected in the designs and also in the name of the collection, 'Remember Me Knot.'

"I've now launched a limited scarf collection inspired by Alzheimer patients brain scans with all proceeds donated to Alzheimer Scotlands Dementia Research Centre.

"I'm overwhelmed with the support I've had from this and can't wait to make the donation to Alz Scot. I'm currently working as a design assistant at Johnstons of Elgin in Hawick and thoroughly enjoying the job."