Inspire: Meet Darren Scott from MYREALCOVER – Emerging Designer of the Year
23-01-2025
As this year’s ‘Emerging Designer of the Year’ at the annual Midlands Fashion Awards – MYREALCOVER designer Darren Scott and business partner Malachi Cummings were provided with a mentoring session with FashionCapital’s very own CEO Jenny Holloway.
Last week (22nd November) Darren and Malachi visited FashionCapital / Fashion Enter HQ in North London and along with Jenny’s insightful advice they got a tour of the production facility and some fabric to boot.
Following the mentoring session Jenny Holloway said:
“Darren and his business partner Malachi were crackling with live electricity. It was such a positive proactive mentoring session that I felt quite bowled over by the sheer commitment and determination to succeed. Somehow he managed to convince us to donate over £1,500 worth of fabric – but we did this gladly. Darren works tirelessly on his creative designs and has a family to support too. He works part-time and puts in a good 15-hours a day most days including weekends too. I can see why MYREALCOVER is the worthy winner of this year’s Midlands Fashion Awards.
“I look forward to seeing Darren and Malachi in the New Year – the air will be electric again I am sure.”
Darren added after the session: “The meeting with Jenny went really well. She has a heart of gold, thanks for getting us in contact with her. We so appreciate it.”
(Malachi and Darren centre with Jenny Holloway and the Factory team)
Read on to find out more about Darren and his MYREALCOVER brand…
Q) What time does your alarm go off?
D) 7.00am – usually to get kids ready for school.
Q) What’s a typical day like for you?
D) Mainly it starts with the school run then I head to my studio and have a good old cup of tea. Put on Netflix then start working on whatever project I have. I’ll work till 2.30pm set out to pick up my kids then possibly bring them to the studio have lunch or dinner and carry on working whilst they do homework or watch cartoons. If I have a deadline I my drop kids home then go back to studio till unholy hours grafting.
Q Tell us about your education / career route, where did it all start for you?
D) I started doing a HND at South and City College Birmingham in Fashion and Textiles then I went on to study at De Montfort University. Whilst in my last year I thought it would be wise to start working on my own brand as I knew the industry was extremely competitive, so establishing something for myself would give me options which I needed being a mature student.
Q What was it like taking part in the Midlands Fashion Awards 2018?
D) It was amazing taking part in the Midlands Fashion Awards with so much talent I honestly felt I didn’t have a chance. Seeing my work on the catwalk is what I crave for so doing the awards was a step in the right direction.
Q And how did it feel to be announced as the winner of your category?
D) My legs felt like jelly, overwhelmed and nervous at the same time – I’m soooo camera shy so forgive me if I didn’t smile much but inside I was jumping for joy just trying my best to contain it. I’ve been on such a high I don’t think I’ve come down yet, lol.
Q What’s your career plan going into the New Year?
D) To keep the momentum going and try to establish my brand, we’ve had a lot of exposure and recognition in 2018 so I’m hoping we have the same in 2019. My aim is to be at London Fashion Week, I don’t know how, I don’t know when, so my team and I have to keep pushing forward.
Q What would you say has been your most difficult hurdle so far?
D) Finding time and money I think they both go hand in hand. We are only a small team so finding time along with financing ourselves is not a easy task we have to be extremely dedicated and focused which has helped us to be extremely resilient. It helps having a goal and a platform we want to reach so winning awards and recognition is a reminder that we’re doing the right thing.
Q Best piece of advice you have been given?
D) I spoke to the designer Christopher RÆBURN and he advised me to focus on something your good at and perfect it, he told me he did outerwear for 5-years before he moved on to other things. So for me mainly being an outerwear designer this was just the advice I needed.
Q Is there anyone in the fashion sector that you think is inspirational?
D) I find so many people inspiring I could never name one. I love Dapper Dans story from being a Harlem tailor in the 70’s and 80’s to now working with Gucci, I love the greats like McQueen and Galliano, also Virgil Abloh’s journey is the main journey I admire and watch currently.
Q After work you like to…
D) I mainly like to watch box sets so at the moment I’m watching Ozark, Daredevil and Empire. If I had the opportunity I’d watch box sets all day, lol.
Images by Steven Murphy – S M PHOTOGRAPHY and Garazi Photography
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