The Scottish Gallery is delighted to present ‘Artisan Leather’, our first solo exhibition of accessories by Úna Burke.

Úna Burke is a multi-award winning accessories designer and artist who creates wearable leather objects crafted by hand in her Atelier in South London where she lives and works. Originally from County Roscommon in Ireland, she completed a BA in Fashion Design at Limerick School of Art and Design in 2003 before completing an MA in Fashion Artefact at Cordwainers College, London College of Fashion in 2009.

Using traditional leatherworking techniques in her distinctly complex constructions, she makes both seasonal fashion accessory collections and sculptural art pieces. She uses vegetable-tanned bovine leather and solid brass fittings, bringing together traditional leatherworking techniques and contemporary aesthetics. Her collections are concept based and there are often human stories behind the designs since influence is taken from psychological, military and medical sources.

With such an avant garde design style, it’s little wonder that Úna’s work has developed such a strong celebrity following all over the world. These include Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Heidi Klum and fashion icon Daphne Guinness. Úna has also produced costumes for high profile film and stage performances including an arm brace for Jennifer Lawrence, aka Katniss Everdeen, in The Hunger Games.

Úna’s leather accessories are timeless, elegant, considered and sculptural.