AN APPEAL has been made to find Borderers who worked for the man who took Scottish fashion onto a global stage in the 1960s.

Bernat Klein CBE was rightly regarded as one of the world's leading designers for several decades.

A Foundation in his honour was launched last year at the National Museum of Scotland, in a bid to protect the legacy of the Serbian-born textile designer, whose exotic tweeds and velvet fabrics have been worn all over the world.

After living most of his life in Selkirk, Klein passed away in 2014, at the age of 91.

Five years on, the Bernat Klein Foundation is aiming to find out about the experiences of those who worked with him.

One of the charity's trustees, Maggie Marr, said: "We want to deliver an oral history project in the Borders, engaging and recording the stories of people who worked for Bernat Klein in the 60s, 70s and 80s."

Klein boasted a strong connection to the Borders, spending 63 years living and working in the region.

In 1952, he established Colourcraft in Galashiels, a weaving centre which produced rugs and other items which were sold at the company's Edinburgh store.

Klein achieved global recognition in 1962, when Coco Chanel chose his fabrics for her spring collection.

This allowed his work to be exposed and sold to the likes of Dior, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent.

Bernat retired from Colourcraft in 1966.

But he went on to build a fresh business which included hiring around 250 hand-knitters in the manufacturing process.

During the 1970s his own clothing collections, which were most renowned for the distinctive use of colour and textiles, became the height of high fashion.

And in 2003, he received an honorary degree from Heriot Watt University, whose Galashiels campus is the home of the university's School of Textiles and Design.

Maggie added: "We are keen to capture these stories before they are lost.

"We are also interested to hear from anyone else in the Borders who wore the clothing manufactured by Klein, and what it meant or still means to them."

Contact the Bernat Klein Foundation at info@bernatkleinfoundation.org.