A student has created a handbag line from tripe in honour of the Highland Cow.
Jocelyn Mather, 23, uses the stomach lining of the iconic creature to create her unique collection.
The design student at Edinburgh Napier University wanted to try and use the parts of the animal which usually go to waste.
The four bags will go on display at the institution’s creative degree show from May 24.
As well as using tripe, which Ms Mather tanned in the bath in her bath, the fastenings are made from the animal’s horns and bull-ring.
She said: “40% of the animal is edible but a lot of the off-cuts, like tripe, are used for dog-food. A lot of abattoirs also sell the hides on to customers in Italy and I just thought, this is our national animal, why aren’t we more proud of it?
“My lecturer kept saying they would look great on Lady Gaga.
“It was really hard to get hold of tanned tripe so I attempted the tanning process myself in my bath. I had to leave the tripe soaking there for about a week before hanging it to dry on my clothes rack. My friends thought I was mad.”
During the process, her flat was raided by wildlife officers after Ms Mather’s landlord found the cow horns during an inspection.
She said: “My letting agent had been carrying out an inspection in my flat and had obviously come across a pair of cow horns. But he had thought they were ivory tusks and called the police. I was terrified, but they just laughed when they saw the horns.”
Ms Mather hopes the designs will encourage people to waste less of each animal.
She said: “If each butcher was given one cow, one pig and one sheep to feed his local community every part of the animals would be used, but in this day and age of mass-farming that just doesn’t happen. I wanted to show more respect for this stunning animal by using its less palatable pieces to create something beautiful and unique.”
Lecturer Ian Lambert said: “Jocelyn’s designs are thought provoking and like much of the work set to go on show, executed to a high standard. This year, our students have created innovative and visually delightful projects and our Degree Show offers a fantastic showcase of Scotland’s next generation of creative talent.”
They are very nice. You can compare with replica designer handbags.
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