THEY'RE the toast of fashion weeks in New York and London, whose fans include Kylie Minogue, Thandie Newton, Donatella Versace and Vogue's formidable Anna Wintour.

Jonathan Saunders, Christopher Kane, Deryck Walker and Scott Ramsay Kyle are four Glasgow-bred designer gurus setting the pace of women's fashion across the globe.

MAUREEN ELLIS profiles the reigning kings of the world's runways and their latest autumn/winter collections hot off the catwalks. JONATHAN SAUNDERS THE LOOK: Having made a splash with his bold geometric prints structured around the body at his masters show in 2002, Jonathan Saunders' style has morphed into almost architectural tailoring, intricate pleats and a rich palette of autumnal colours such as caramel, olive, aubergine and black. He made a trans-Atlantic transfer this year to launch his Autumn/Winter 2008/9 range for the first time at New York's Fashion Week, where Vogue editor Anna Wintour had a pre-show backstage tour.

THE BACKGROUND: The 29-year-old was born in Burnside and achieved four A & one B Higher passes from Stonelaw High School in spite of being diagnosed as dyslexic. He studied textiles at Glasgow School of Art (and lived above Rita's Fashions on the Gallowgate), going on to a masters at Central St Martin's in London. In recent years he has worked with Alexander McQueen, Pucci, Christian Lacroix and Swarovski. Saunders currently produces a capsule diffusion range for Topshop.

NEW SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: A divine floor-length strapless black column dress with structured neckline that would befit any A-lister at the Oscars.

WHO WEARS IT: Madonna, Kylie and Louise Redknapp are all fans, while Thandie Newton, left, was in the front row of his Spring/Summer 08 show. CHRISTOPHER KANE THE LOOK: Describing his clothes as "original, intellectual and very beddable", Christopher Kane creates ultra-feminine styles with a twist, incorporating lots of chiffon, leather and wool. Kane impressed London's fashion set with his fourth catwalk show earlier this week, building on previous collections which kick-started the glut for neon on the high street. A request from Posh Spice to borrow one of his designs was declined.

THE BACKGROUND: Raised in Newarthill, Lanarkshire, 25-year-old Kane became obsessed with becoming a designer from watching The Clothes Show. He relocated to London aged 17 - and currently lives in East London - and gained his masters in fashion from Central St Martin's College. Donatella Versace famously offered him a full-time job after his degree show. He turned it down to work on his own label with sister Tammy and is now a consultant for Versace. Topshop has also enlisted Kane's services for a small diffusion line.

NEW SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: Oversized knits and sequins abound, while his flapper-esque chiffon gowns and box jackets are very eye-catching.

WHO WEARS IT: His fans include Naomi Campbell, Kylie Minogue (left), Kirsty Hume and Kate Bosworth. He dressed The Gossip singer Beth Ditto for the Fashion Rocks event in London. DERYCK WALKER THE LOOK: Ladieswear is a new addition to Deryck Walker's creative CV, launching his first collection for Spring/Summer 2008 at last year's London Fashion Week.

He mixes 50s tailoring and street culture, incorporating his fascination with a windmill' shape that runs throughout his collections. Walker's autumn/winter range features base colours of navy and black highlighted with dusky pinks and whites.

THE BACKGROUND: The 31-year-old from Bishopbriggs studied fashion at Cardonald College, going onto work with design duo Boudicca as the assistant to Robert Carey Williams.

He then spent a year in Milan at Versace. His first menswear collection was launched in 2005 an exclusive line for London's uber-trendy Dover Street Market store, before he branched out into ladieswear in September last year.

Part of the Glasgow: Scotland With Style Design Collective for three years, Deryck is going it alone this year in his autumn/winter show sponsored by Cotton USA.

NEW SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: Dramatic coats inspired by a Victorian police jacket, plus hooded cloaks stand out.

WHO WEARS IT: No celebrity sightings just yet, but Grazia magazine's style setters are big fans of Deryck's own label. SCOTT RAMSAY KYLE THE LOOK: Scott's look is an exercise book brimming with colour, voluminous shapes and kooky ideas. From the oversized shoulder pads and bold embroidery of his degree show collection, he has gone on to create a superhero-meets-cartoon flight of fancy for spring/ summer 2008, building on those brightly-coloured leggings, feathered plumes and geometric shapes at a London Fashion Week showcase earlier this week.

THE BACKGROUND: Scott studied at Cardonald College and Glasgow School of Art before gaining a masters - a year after Christopher Kane - from Central St Martin's in London. He has recently worked for design house Boudicca on their Haute Couture line for Paris Fashion Week, and was part of this year's From Scotland with Love platform for homegrown designers organised by Scottish Enterprise. Exhibiting his latest collections as part of SuperSuper magazine's showcase, he wowed Shoreditch's ultra-trendy cliques with his bright embroidery and crazy shapes.

NEW SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: All things were bright and beautiful in the feathers, geometric shapes and neon tights of his latest designs.

WHO WEARS IT: Moloko's quirky singer Roisin Murphy was snapped in one of his dresses, while Scott's favourite muse is Sophie Ellis Bextor, below.