How an architecture professor become the hot new thing

In 2005, a friend told him that new technology meant his images could be printed on to fabrics. Weston had metres of silk made using his images and sponsored fashion students at Newport Art College to use the material in their end-of-year shows. "But I virtually sold nothing on the dress front," he says. He shrugs. He was "too old and too fascinated by architecture" to be overly bothered.

But then in early 2010 he heard Ed Burstell talking on Radio 4's Today programme. The New Yorker, a recent appointee at Liberty, was reviving the American tradition of customers using an "open day" to present their homespun products to the all-powerful department-store buyers. This, Burstell tells me, was how Ralph Lauren (with "a few ties") and Calvin Klein ("a rail of raincoats") got their start.

So, one cold February morning last year, Weston, 749 other hopefuls and the TV cameras from programme-makers Maverick turned up at Liberty. In the first episode of Britain's Next Big Thing we see the eager academic spilling a pile of fabrics and products on to the desk of an initially alarmed Burstell. But the managing director is intrigued. He tells the professor to forget the ties, shirts and jacket linings and to focus on his scarves. Over the next six episodes and several months we follow the cheery, chirpy, chunky prof as he ramps up his garage business, meets new Italian manufacturers, and immerses himself in the world of high fashion.

"It was something I hadn't seen before, plain and simple," reflects Burstell on his decision to back Weston. "And he had the personal story to back it up. He certainly had enthusiasm." For this successful academic, respected in his field, "it was a want, not a need. You can tell he's the kind of person who, once he puts his mind to something, keeps going. He is," chuckles Burstell, "some character."

Back at home, Weston insists he won't be giving up the day job, although he may scale back his teaching hours. Has he thought through what the TV show might do to his start-up – he calls it Weston Naturally Exclusive – and to his personal life? He shakes his head vigorously.

"In terms of the business, is there somebody out there who'll see the show and is going to want 10,000 scarves?" He is tickled by the prospect, but cheerfully admits that he'd find the ramifications of such an investment somewhat alarming. Business is not his bag. Beautiful things and creativity – "that's what I love".

One year on from his first encounter with Liberty, does he feel comfortable in the fashion world? "In my own curious way, yes! I don't feel overawed. I've been close to the real posturing. But with the people at Liberty, I feel perfectly happy. But you know," he smiles, "I buy most of my clothes from M&S."