Lisa Armstrong was working in the features department for Elle, in 1987, when discovered that she loved writing about fashion. She moved to Vogue the following year and in 1990 was put in charge of fashion features there, where she remained until 1998. She has been fashion editor of The Independent, The Times as well as writing for The Guardian, Harper’s Bazaar in the UK, US and Australia and countless international versions of Vogue. She has written four novels, including Front Row, set - where else?  - in the fashion world. She has been head of fashion at The Telegraph for 12 years, lives in London and is accompanied on this trip by her Havanese dog, Mabel.

Leonie Bell, who was born in Dundee and grew up in nearby Fife, is the Director of V&A Dundee. Prior to this, she worked in a diverse range of roles and organisational settings, advocating for the transformative potential of culture and creativity across society. She began her career at Glasgow 1999: UK City of Architecture & Design before joining The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design & the City, where she led an ambitious programme of exhibitions, festivals and events. From there she moved to Creative Scotland before joining the Scottish Government as Head of Culture Strategy & Engagement. 

Recognised in the Walpole Power List 2024 as a leading figure in British luxury, Araminta Birse-Stewart is a renowned Scottish textile artist and founder of Araminta Campbell, a luxury brand established in 2016 that showcases exceptional textile craftsmanship. Inspired by her Scottish heritage and the local landscape, Araminta weaves narratives into her designs, which are sought after globally. She has collaborated with numerous prestigious clients, including The Fife Arms, and with the latest being Balmoral Castle. The Araminta Campbell Atelier on the outskirts of Edinburgh, offers a unique private shopping experience where clients can see traditional handweaving in action. As the largest employer of traditional handweavers in the UK, Araminta is a passionate supporter of craft and heritage textiles.

Jane Carr graduated from Central Saint Martins Fashion MA, before consulting with Jil Sander and Balenciaga and her appointment as Head of Print at Versace in Milan for 4 years. Upon her return to London in 2005 she established her brand. The printed scarves are hand-finished by master craftspeople in Como, Italy, and indulgent cashmeres are hand-loomed in Nepal.

In 2023 she expanded her online presence by launching JANECARR, an eboutique of curated objects chosen by Founder, Jane Carr, to complement her eponymous accessories collection. The boutique is inspired by global travel, craftsmanship and contemporary art and culture, imbued with a subtle humour and playfulness.

The brand has partnered with Estée Lauder, La Mer, Le Bon Marché, Barneys Tokyo, Tomorrowland, Selfridges, Matches, Harrods, Hauser & Wirth, The Fife Arms Hotel, The Smithsonian Washington DC, PAMM Museum Miami, amongst others on exclusive global collaborations, as well as charity initiatives with Women for Women International, Hospital Rooms and Look Good Feel Better. The ever-growing global presence of the collection spans luxury retailers Saks, Harvey Nichols, Lane Crawford and Fortnum & Mason amongst others.

Self-Portrait was established in 2013 by Han Chong in London, with a creative vision to make beautiful design accessible to all women. Having trained at Central Saint Martins, the Malaysian-born designer unites a refined aesthetic with a deft understanding of structure and materials that has propelled the brand’s meteoric rise and upended the contemporary fashion market. Designed in London, made for the world - Self-Portrait believes in celebrating and empowering the women in the clothes. Femininity ensured by elegant functionality, reflecting a sincere engagement and appreciation for a contemporary way of life. Previously exhibited at the Venice Biennale as an artist, Han was drawn to fashion as he was driven by a desire to create work that can touch more people. He decided to launch Self-Portrait - a moniker that reflects the women for whom he designs, with the sole aim to create beautiful clothes that would make women feel special.

Giles Deacon is a London-based couture designer and illustrator mixing fashion, fine art, theatre and grand-scale glamour, known for his expertly crafted pieces using bespoke designed fabrics, prints and intricate embellishments. His pieces are worn and collected the world over by private clients, red carpet celebrities and royalty with pieces in the permanent collections of the V&A Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As a costume designer, he has worked with the New York City Ballet, Marvel, Lions Gate Films and Fox Searchlight.

His work receives international acclaim with coverage in publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, Love, InStyle USA, Elle, The World of Interiors and the Wall Street Journal Magazine with features in the Times, New York Times, Figaro and The South China Post.

Aside from fashion design, Giles is an established illustrator and his work has been exhibited widely and has appeared in publications such as Vogue, the New York Times, Architectural Digest, Interview Magazine and W Magazine.

For his work Giles received the British Designer of the Year Award.

Jacqueline is Education Director at The King’s Foundation which she joined in 2014 to spearhead the Future Textiles initiative before overseeing the diverse Harmony inspired curriculum covering science education hospitality farming and rural skills education crafts as well as fashion and textiles. The focus is on interdisciplinary learning rooted in learning from nature to demonstrate best practice in skills and knowledge as well as ensuring our ecosystems remain in balance. Jacqueline is a passionate advocate for a responsible fashion industry and has championed a variety of unique approaches to ensure The King’s Foundation plays a pivotal role.  

Kirsty Hassard is a curator, and fashion historian. She is currently a curator in the exhibitions department at V&A Dundee, and previously worked in the Furniture, Textiles and Fashion department at V&A South Kensington.  She was co-curator on Tartan, V&A Dundee’s first major inhouse exhibition.  
She has worked on a range of exhibitions including Night Fever. Designing Club Culture (2021) and  Mary Quant (2020) at V&A Dundee and Balenciaga. Shaping Fashion (2017) at V&A South Kensington.  She has published on women and work, and the relationship between fashion and print culture in the eighteenth century. 

Dame Anya Hindmarch founded her business in London in 1987 and it has since grown into a global brand, known for its luxury, organisation-obsessed accessories, ground-breaking work in sustainability and playful experiential retail concepts. 

 Anya is a trustee of the Tate, trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and an Emeritus trustee of both the Royal Academy of Arts and the Design Museum. In 2024, Anya Hindmarch was awarded a Damehood in the Kings Birthday honours, for her services to fashion and business, following her 2017 CBE in recognition of her contribution to the British fashion industry. She and her brand have received several notable industry awards including a British Fashion Award. In 2021, Anya published her first book, the Sunday Times bestseller ‘If In Doubt Wash Your Hair’. 

Fenella Hitchcock is a lecturer, researcher and writer based at London College of Fashion. Her work focuses on the relationships between sexuality and style as articulated through the materials of fashion and performance. Her scholarly, critical and creative writing which can be found in publications such as Critical Studies in Men’s Fashion, Dress and Viscose. In tandem with her work in academia, she also works with emerging and established practitioners to contextualise and communicate their work through a range of mediums.

Fenella regularly contributes to public events, exhibitions and panel discussions including the Society for Dance Research, Somerset House, Sutton House and V&A Museum. 

Kazu Huggler, born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and a Swiss father, grew up between Tokyo and Zurich. After completing her studies in Japanese art history at Keio University and fashion design at Central Saint Martins, she worked at Vivienne Westwood before founding her own label, KAZU, in 2002. Her creations have been showcased internationally in museums such as the Nezu Museum in Tokyo and the Museum Rietberg in Zurich. As an ambassador for the 160th anniversary of Japan-Switzerland relations, she bridges cultures through fashion and art. Kazu is also committed to social causes, founding the NPO Three Cranes Association to support communities in northern Japan. She lives in Zurich with her husband and two sons.

Photo credit: Céline Hess

Charles Jeffrey is a Glaswegian designer, illustrator, stylist and radical creative honoured with a number of industry accolades. Upon leaving university Jeffrey quickly won two Scottish Fashion Awards, the first in 2016 as Graduate of the Year and later as Young Designer of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Jeffrey won the British GQ Award for Emerging Designer. In 2017, he received the British Fashion Award for Best Emerging Menswear Designer - presented to him by John Galliano, Jeffrey’s hero.

As a stylist, Jeffrey works across special projects for some of the world’s leading fashion publications. Commissions have included the creative direction of a Vivienne Westwood archive story for AnOther Man, Maison Margiela retrospective shoot (in collaboration with John Galliano) for LOVE, and a Schiaparelli haute couture story for 10+. His wider portfolio includes stories for GQ Style, Replica Man, Buffalo Zine and CANDY.

Jeffrey is a practicing artist. A celebrated illustrator, his artwork - developed both digitally and by hand - lives within each LOVERBOY collection. In 2018 he presented ‘The Come Up’, his first solo exhibition of sculpture in London’s NOW Gallery. Further examples of Jeffrey’s sculptural practice have also featured as part of LOVERBOY’s installation projects, most recently in Beijing and Los Angeles in partnership with Dover Street Market.

Christopher Kane is a renowned Scottish fashion designer celebrated for his innovative, boundary-pushing approach to fashion. Born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, Kane graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2006, where his graduate collection gained instant recognition, propelling him into the spotlight. Known for blending provocative design with a refined, modern sensibility, Kane’s work has continuously redefined the aesthetics of British fashion. 

With his namesake label, Christopher Kane has become synonymous with bold creativity, playing with texture, color, and unconventional materials. His designs, which often combine the avant-garde with wearable elegance, have made him a favourite among fashion-forward individuals and celebrities alike. 

Kane has garnered multiple industry accolades throughout his career, including the prestigious British Fashion Council's New Designer of the Year award. His unique vision and ability to balance artistic innovation with commercial appeal continue to influence and shape contemporary fashion on a global scale. 

Tammy Kane is a distinguished British fashion creative and the co-founder of both the Christopher Kane and More Joy brands. Working closely alongside her brother, designer Christopher Kane, Tammy has been instrumental in shaping the distinctive aesthetic and success of their eponymous label since its founding in 2006.   

Born in the UK by way of Chinese parents, Susie Lau, also known as Susie Bubble, is a writer and editor living in London. During history studies at UCL, Lau started her blog ‘Style Bubble’ in 2006, consisting of her widely read thoughts, personal experiences and observations on fashion with a focus on spotlighting young and unknown talent. A spearhead of fashion in the digital era, Lau has long since transcended the title of blogger to become a distinctive and respected voice in the industry, Instagramming to her legions of followers, contributing to numerous publications and collaborating with brands such as Dior, Gucci and Prada.  Lau was editor of Dazed Digital, the website of Dazed & Confused magazine, from 2008-2010.  She contributes to titles such as Pop, Perfect, Elle and Business of Fashion and is currently Digital Editorial Director of System Magazine. 

Photo credit: James Anastasi

Monty Lewis is known across the world for making the highest quality sporrans one can own.  Inspired by centuries old heirloom sporrans passed down from father to son, Monty has set out to reach the pinnacle of craftsmanship, specialising in making of goat and horse hair sporrans. Monty has spent extensive time researching the style of antique sporrans and their construction. He uses these to inform his own designs, combining traditional style with his own pallet of exquisite materials, creating unique masterpieces that can be treasured and passed on.  

Bespoke clients including some Clan Chiefs often choose to commission sporrans in silver combining this with Monty’s unique selection of material; such as Elm burr, shell and buffalo horn.

Margaret Ann Macleod is CEO at Harris Tweed Hebrides with 25 years’ experience working in the textile and luxury sector.  Dedicated to the highest level of craftsmanship, Harris Tweed Hebrides produce the most famous British heritage cloth Harris Tweed®, employing 70 people at the Shawbost Mill and working with over 120 of the island’s independent homeweavers.  Raised on the island of Lewis & Harris, Margaret Ann studied at the Robert Gordon University and has previously worked for Johnstons of Elgin.  Having spent her life surrounded by the Harris Tweed® industry, she is a proud Hebridean and a Gaelic speaker.  Margaret Ann is Chair of the Stornoway Port and Chair of HI-Scot Credit Union, her interests include all things wool and crofting related.

Daniel is Education Director at The King’s Foundation where he oversees the unique postgraduate-level CHANEL & The King’s Foundation Métiers d’Art Fellowship in Partnership with Le19M which includes embroidery and millinery and The Snowdon School of Furniture, both based at Highgrove and the Diploma Year – a foundation course in Fine and Applied Arts at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London. Daniel has particular interest in the preservation of traditional skill based teaching within the arts, fashion and textiles educational landscape. Daniel is member of the senior management team where he develops specialist programmes with industry partners. He has focus on improving diversity and inclusiveness within the sector.

Daniel was previously a Director at the Royal Drawing School and gains his experience from a 20-year career in Arts Education.  

Samantha McCoach is Founder and Creative Director of Le Kilt, a fashion brand that creates traditional classic pieces inspired by Samantha’s Scottish heritage and her Italian granny’s handmade kilts. Dedicated to working with natural materials and with as little waste as possible, sustainability and quality over quantity are at the forefront of their craftsmanship.  

When Samantha moved to London to study fashion at the Royal College of Art, her style-uniform – “always in my Fred Perry polos, a Black Watch tartan mini-kilt my granny made me and Doc Martens” – had girls chasing her to ask about the kilt. “So I called granny and said, ‘We could do this’, and Le Kilt got going. I put on my first presentation in a basement club in Soho, and it was mobbed.” 

This summer, Le Kilt was one of the select Scottish companies supporting the Dior show staged at Drummond Castle in June 2024.  

Justine Picardie is the author of six books, including her bestselling biography ‘Coco Chanel: the Legend and the Life’ and the highly acclaimed ‘Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture’. She has also worked as a creative consultant with fashion brands and has contributed to museum exhibitions on art, fashion and photography. 

She is a contributing editor to Harper’s Bazaar, having previously been its editor-in-chief. She was formerly an investigative journalist for the Sunday Times, a columnist for the Telegraph, editor of the Observer Magazine, editor of Town & Country and features director of Vogue.  

Photo credit: Richard Phibbs

Georgina Ripley is Head of Modern and Contemporary Design and Principal Curator of Modern Fashion and Textiles at National Museums Scotland. She curated last year’s exhibition 'Beyond the Little Black Dress' and is the editor of the accompanying book Little Black Dress: A Radical Fashion. Her previous exhibitions include the touring show 'Body Beautiful: Diversity on the Catwalk' in 2019, and the museum’s permanent 'Fashion and Style' gallery, which opened in 2016. Georgina studied the History of Dress at London’s Courtauld Institute and has previously worked for the Royal Academy of Arts in London, National Galleries of Scotland, Museums Galleries Scotland, and the Institute of Conservation.

Caroline Young is a freelance writer and author who specialises in fashion, pop culture and classic cinema. She is the author of 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.  

 Other works include the upcoming The It Girls: Glamor Celebrity and Scandal, Audrey in Paris, The Colour of Fashion, Hitchcock’s Heroines, Tartan and Tweed, and Style Tribes: The Fashion of Subcultures, as well as fashion biographies including Living with Coco Chanel and The Little Book of Chloé.  

 Originally from Edinburgh, where she still lives, Caroline has written for and featured in The Herald, Scotland on Sunday, The Telegraph, and The Scotsman. 

Photo credit: Ana Scaletchi

Doreen was born and brought up in Braemar with family roots going back generations.  Her return to the village coincided with the community taking over the operation of Braemar Castle as a community enterprise.  Her background in storytelling and management for the BBC have proved useful skills in creating and running a Visitor Attraction.  It has been a joy unearthing long forgotten stories of life here on the Braes of Mar.  Tales of those who lived here and those who, over the centuries, visited this spectacular remote part of Scotland to hunt, fish, walk, climb and enjoy this breathtaking landscape.