City Centre by Linny Oliphant

Linny Oliphant works as Brand Manager at Johnstons of Elgin, a globally leading cashmere design house known for making the world’s best cashmere within Scotland’s fashionable cashmere industry.

 

I grew up in the small town of Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway and first visited Glasgow when at primary school. I remember being taken to see the amazing Scottish Ballet company perform Carmen, moving here after graduating in 1992, but only for a short while before London came calling.

 

In London I was Director of Fashion Styling and Photography at The London College of Fashion and was represented by a top London agency styling pop videos, celebrities and TV commercials, also contributing to several national and international magazines. However I chose to return to Glasgow in 1999 as I feel really at home here.

 

I am fortunate to travel extensively with my work and thoroughly enjoy visiting new cities but Glasgow remains a great place to come home to. It’s got everything on an international level including an Hermès store and much more too in the form of independent local retailers.

 

When I come back to Glasgow from business from places like Florence, New York, Tokyo or indeed the Johnstons’ mill in Elgin something has changed in the city: be it the opening of a new bar, a boutique hotel, a new apartment block… it’s happening with never a dull moment!

 

Back in 2000 I was Fashion Editor of The Sunday Herald and forever on the lookout for new locations for fashion shoots, Fleming House in Renfrew Street was still under development then, the Manhattan-style penthouse was a perfect location with its slick award-winning interior and floor to ceiling windows with views over the city. During the shoot I just knew I wanted to live there and so bought a loft apartment. It’s been a great move – I’m right in the city centre and have the most amazing views over Glasgow and beyond but can walk almost everywhere in town to key music venues and the many theatres, restaurants and shops whilst also being a 12-minute drive from Glasgow Airport.

 

I have always had a soft spot for Renfrew Street after first visiting the area when I was young to look round The Glasgow School of Art (GSA). You cannot fail to be impressed by the architecture and culture Glasgow offers. It’s a city that doesn’t try too hard - it doesn’t have to, it remains real. The GSA is my favourite piece of architecture in the City.  I studied art before doing a BA (Hons) and I’m a Charles Rennie Mackintosh fan so before moving to London worked as a tour guide at GSA, taking groups of art historians/tourists/scholars from all over the world on tours of the Mackintosh Building. If you have not yet visited it’s a must-see, you can then go on for a cup of tea at The Willow Tearooms in Sauchiehall Street.

Shopping in Glasgow is really what keeps me here. Cruise on Ingram Street is red-hot – I know all the staff well and try to pop in as often as I can to purchase the latest seasonal must-have. I also like the high quality of the Shoe Studio in Frasers on Buchanan Street. Miss Sixty, also on Buchanan Street, is my favourite place for jeans. Buchanan Galleries also has many of the High Street stores and Princes Square has Whistles and Space NK among other essential independent destinations. I also like independent store Eurasia Crafts on Queen Street for weird and wonderful things and spend hours in Saratoga Trunk on Hyde Park Street going through all their period costumes – it’s a stylist’s dream come true!

Glasgow also has a fantastic selection of places to eat and go out. For the best curry in town The Wee Curry Shop on Buccleuch Street, with its tartan tablecloths and super friendly service really is a best kept secret – you’d be lucky to get one of the few tables so always book well in advance. Fazzi’s on Cambridge Street is another haunt - alongside its excellent pasta dishes you won’t find a cup of coffee quite like it anywhere else in the city – and I’d put money on that!

 

Red Onion on West Campbell Street is also a fantastic place for a relaxing meal. Owner/chef John Quigley used to cater for rock stars like Tina Turner and Bryan Adams on world tours before returning with his family to set it up, but it’s always full of visiting and local celebrities chilling out. My latest local is The Living Room on St Vincent Street – it has a great lively atmosphere and a pianist – perfect ambience for sipping cocktails. All in all Glasgow is a stunning city with its unique character and characters, no other city comes close!