Xile Clothing, one of MTC Media's eCommerce clients has been shortlisted for the inaugural Drapers Etail Awards 2009.

Listed in the Best Independent Etailer category, Xile Clothing comes up against the following competition: Cloggs, Start, Coco Ribbon, Sarah Coggles, Oi Polloi and Matches.

Pat O'Flaherty, founder of Edinburgh-based indie Xile, which won Young Fashion Retailer of the Year at 2007's Drapers Awards, believes that being an award winner provides indies with huge marketing opportunities.

"It is great to get a pat on the back from your peers, but in the long term you have to take advantage of the commercial gains," he says. "Last year, we got a lot of press in Scotland about winning the Drapers award. We advertise the fact on our bags, the website and in store. It's a great add-on to your marketing campaign."

Last month, O'Flaherty opened Xile's third G-Star franchise in Glasgow. The young fashion indie has G-Star and Replay franchise stores in Edinburgh and another G-Star store in Aberdeen, with plans for further expansion in Scotland. Xile's website, which has been operating for a year, is expected to turn over £1m by the end of 2008.