Kimono 
Introduced by Leonie Bell 

Saturday 16th November
10am - 10.45am
Braemar Village Hall

Explore the fascinating heritage and enduring contemporary relevance of the iconic Kimono garment,  in the company of leading Japanese/Swiss fashion designer Kazu Huggler in conversation with curators Kirsty Hassard (V&A Dundee) and Geogina Ripley (National Museums of Scotland), as they discuss the social, cultural and design inspirations of Kazu’s practice and the garments featured in the landmark exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, currently on view at V&A Dundee.

The Challenge of Combining Creativity and Responsibility

Saturday 16th November
11.30am - 12.15pm
Braemar Village Hall

Join designer Dame Anya Hindmarch, founder of her eponymous accessories brand, and author and journalist Dr Lisa Armstrong OBE (head of fashion at The Daily Telegraph) as they discuss the challenge of combining creativity and responsibility. Anya Hindmarch is well known for both her boundless imagination and ground-breaking work in sustainability. Together, the duo will be exploring sustainability within the context of design, and the impact of a conscious agenda on the future of the fashion industry. 

Dior and Scotland

Saturday 16th November
1.30pm - 2.15pm
Braemar Village Hall

Scotland has long provided the inspiration, textiles and skilled artisans to support the work of major global fashion houses, and this summer saw Maria Grazia Chiuri’s staging of Dior’s Cruise 2025 collection at the magnificent Drummond Castle, 70 years after Christian Dior presented his first couture show in Glasgow.

Join a trio of Dior’s creative collaborators to discover more about this landmark show: Justine Picardie (author and former Editor in Chief of Harper’s Bazaar); Scottish designer Samantha McCoach (Le Kilt) and Margaret Ann Macleod (CEO Harris Tweed Hebrides Ltd). They will also explore Dior’s historic association with Scotland, and the ways in which Scottish culture and history continues to shape contemporary fashion. 

How to Loverboy

Saturday 16th November
3pm - 3.45pm
Braemar Village Hall

Over the last ten years, the radically expressive, genderless designs of Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey and his Loverboy brand have been creatively pushing boundaries around the norms of what it is to design and create fashion.  Since Loverboy’s origins in 2014 as a monthly queer club night, Jeffrey has successfully harnessed the energy of creative collaboration and an experimental attitude, to become one of the most exciting forces in British Fashion today. Charles Jeffrey will be in conversation with writer and educator Fenella Hitchcock (London College of Fashion), to discuss his unique ‘How to Loverboy’ approach and the research process for his forthcoming Thames and Hudson book.  

Saturday 16th November

4.30pm – 5.30pm

Braemar Village Hall

Han Chong is the founder and Creative Director of contemporary womenswear brand self-portrait, beloved by celebrities from Zendaya and Selena Gomez, to Queen Letitizia of Spain and Princess of Wales. This November, self-portrait will launch its Residency programme, with renowned Scottish designer Christopher Kane as the inaugural resident. Han and Christopher, alumni of Central Saint Martins, will be in conversation with leading fashion journalist and blogger Susie Lau, about the upcoming collection, the future of fashion and the dynamic potential of modern creative collaborations.

Fashion Illustration Class

Sunday 17th November
10am - 12pm
Fife Arms Fog House

Giles Deacon is a London-based couture designer and illustrator who mixes fashion, fine art, theatre and grand-scale glamour. Trained at Central St Martins, Giles’s fashion illustrations have been exhibited widely, appearing in esteemed publications such as Vogue and The New York Times.  

Following the success of last year’s event, Giles will be returning to host a fashion illustration workshop at the Fife Arms, guiding participants on how best to capture the life of a garment on a live model. Open to all abilities with all materials provided. 

The King’s Foundation - Future Textile Discussion Panel 

Sunday 17th November 
10.30am – 11.15am 
Braemar Village Hall 

To accompany the stunning ‘Future Textiles’ exhibition on display during Festival of Fashion, Jacqueline Farrell (Education Director, The King’s Foundation) and Daniel McAuliffe (Education Hub Director, The King’s Foundation) are joined in conversation by designers Christopher Kane, Tammy Kane and fashion writer Justine Picardie to explore the origins and successes of this sector-leading programme which addressing the current skills gap within the UK textile industry. 

The panel will discuss the importance the role craftsmanship plays in a regenerative fashion industry and share insights into the King’s Foundation’s and their industry partners’ commitment to develop the next generation of practitioners, providing opportunities for young people from a wide range of social and demographic backgrounds, and supporting them to understand the issues facing the fashion industry and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to solve them. 

From socially inclusive skills development programmes that engage a wide range of participants from secondary school pupils to community groups, and creating opportunities for intergenerational learning, through to in-depth training programmes such as the Highgrove Metier D'Arts programme in Embroidery in partnership with Chanel, The King’s Foundation’s educational projects have embedded artisan skills and sustainable practices at their core and provide an inspirational platform for fostering new talent within the global fashion industry. 

Highland Dress; Reimagined

Sunday 17th November
12.30pm - 1.30pm
Braemar Village Hall

From iconic textiles to staple garments, Scotland’s traditional style of highland dress is globally recognised and identifiable. Join a gathering of contemporary designers, curators, authors and makers to discuss the longevity and reinvention of Scottish sartorial classics: from Samantha McCoach’s (LeKilt) contemporary reworking of the classic kilt, to Monty Lewis’s exquisite handmade sporrans, Araminta Campbell’s stewardship of contemporary tartan and tweed design and author Caroline Young’s research on the unique fashion aesthetic of the late, local, fashion journalist Frances Farquharson, this fascinating panel discussion will be chaired by leading Scottish fashion curator Georgina Ripley (National Museums of Scotland).

The Fabulous Frances Farquharson

Sunday 17th November

2:15pm-3:00pm

Braemar Village Hall

Join Scottish author Caroline Young to discuss her book The Fabulous Frances Farquharson: The Colourful Life of An American in the Highlands, the first biography to tell the story of Invercauld and Braemar’s fashion icon Frances Farquharson.

As a former fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar, and a friend of ground-breaking fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, Frances brought her unique sense of style to the Highlands when she arrived in 1949 as the wife of Captain Alwyne Farquharson, chief of the Farquharson Clan, and for the next forty years shook up tradition with her own twist on tartan.

Caroline will be in conversation with local historian and broadcaster Doreen Wood, who will share her own fascinating insights into Frances and her influence as a local Braemar resident.

Friday 15th November

6:45pm

The Fife Arms

Celebrate the start of the 2024 Festival of Fashion with an extraordinary dining experience. Join us for a special menu crafted by chef Ben Orpwood, drawing inspiration from our opening talk on the rich heritage and timeless modern appeal of the iconic Kimono garment. Blending the elegance of Japanese tradition with the finest Scottish ingredients, the evening promises a unique culinary journey that celebrates both cultures.

Join us from 6:45pm for a welcome cocktail followed by 7:30pm sit down in our dining room. Enhance your evening with a specially paired wine flight, at £75pp. 

Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November

12:30pm-3pm

The Fife Arms

Throughout the Festival of Fashion you can enjoy Dame Anya Hindmarch's playful take on the tradition of Afternoon tea served at the Fife Arms. Inspired by the British cafe of old but reimagined with the finest ingredients and of course their trademark humour.

Saturday 16th November 12pm-4pm Sunday 17th November 10am–4pm

Embroidery and smocking technique demonstrations:
2.30pm on Saturday
11.30am & 2.30pm on Sunday

St Margaret's Art Centre

Admission Free

 This exhibition showcases two of The King's Foundation flagship education programmes. The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III in 1990, which focuses on learning from the natural world and protecting traditional skills.

The Métiers d'art Embroidery Fellowship in partnership with CHANEL offers students intensive training in the embroidery and embellishment for haute couture and the luxury fashion industry, learning directly from maisons d'art including the prestigious École Lesage.

The Modern Artisan, in partnership with YOOX NET-A-PORTER, strives to preserve the legacy of traditional craftsmanship and champion a sustainable approach to luxury fashion. This year's inspiration was Queen Victoria's watercolours of the Scottish Highlands, and the resulting collection uses the wool from sheep grazed on the nearby Balmoral Estate.

These installations allow you to see up close the incredibly skilled and detailed work of the graduates of these two programmes in the historic setting of St Margaret's hall, with several of the graduate alumni providing live demonstrations of embroidery and smocking techniques during the Festival of Fashion weekend.