GOLDEN THREAD AWARDS® 2026 - The Thread of Hope Charity Dinner
Early Bird tickets are £65 until 31Aug
About this Event
On Sunday 22 November 2026, The Company of Merchant Taylors in the City of York will present the inaugural GOLDEN THREAD AWARDS® - a new celebration of emerging excellence in fashion, textiles and craft-led design.
EARLY BIRD - £65 UNTIL 31 AUGUST
Includes champagne reception, three-course dinner and all five inaugural Awards. Only 220 seats.
The Thread of Hope
The Golden Thread reaches back - through more than six centuries of cloth, craft and tailoring in the City of York.
The Thread of Hope runs forward - to the students, makers and young designers standing at the very beginning of their careers.
The dinner is held in support of the charitable work of The Company of Merchant Taylors in the City of York, helping to open pathways for the next generation of designers and makers.
Your seat becomes part of that story.
The evening
A Black Tie charity dinner at The Milner York, opened by the York Town Crier and attended by the Lord Mayor of York, the Master of the Company and the Golden Thread Awards Jury.
7.00pm Champagne reception
8.00pm Town Crier's opening, welcome and the Lord Mayor's remarks
8.10pm The Master's Address, Industry Address from Gary McQueen and Creative Introduction
8.20pm Toast and three-course dinner service
9.20pm The Design Awards, presented live with the winners revealed on the night
9.40pm The Look of the Night and The Model of the Night
9.50pm Closing remarks, toast and the Town Crier's close; the evening reception continues
11.00pm Carriages
Timings are indicative and may be subject to minor changes.
The awards
Three Design Awards are selected by an independent professional Jury following a two-stage judging process:
• The Golden Thread Award - Designer of the Year• The Textile Innovation Award• The Emerging Designer Award
Two Production Awards are curated from the afternoon runway showcase and revealed during the evening:
• The Look of the Night• The Model of the Night
The jury
The independent Jury is chaired by Gary McQueen, formerly Head Textile Designer at Alexander McQueen, alongside Liz Mawbey of Selfridges and Cherie Federico, founder of Aesthetica.
The shortlisted designers and invited guests will not know the results in advance. The results remain sealed until the winners are announced during the ceremony.
Who will be there
The evening will bring together members of York's civic and cultural community, fashion and textile professionals, designers, makers and supporters of emerging creative talent - alongside the historic Company that founded the Awards.
220 seats. One room. One first night.
Individual tickets
Early Bird
£65 - Until 11.59pm on 31 August 2026
Standard
£75 - 1 September to 30 September 2026
Final Release
£85 - From 1 October 2026, subject to availability
Individual ticket prices exclude Eventbrite booking fees.
Each individual ticket includes:
• Champagne reception• Three-course dinner• The inaugural Golden Thread Awards ceremony• The evening reception following the formal programme
Tables of ten
Full-table release Price
Early Bird
£600 - Until 11.59pm on 31 August 2026
Standard
£700 - From 1 September 2026, subject to availability
To reserve a full table for your studio, business, organisation, clients, friends or family, please contact the organisers directly:
Full tables are booked directly with the organisers and are not available through Eventbrite.
We will look after your table and seating arrangements personally.
Early Bird closes on 31 August. Capacity is strictly limited to 220 guests, and no additional seats will be released beyond that number.
Dress code
Black Tie - creative interpretation is warmly encouraged.
Designers: we would be delighted to see you wearing your own work.
Venue
The Milner York
Station Road
York
YO24 1AA
The venue is immediately beside York railway station, making it convenient for guests travelling from York, across Yorkshire and further afield.
Evening event only
This ticket is for The Thread of Hope Charity Dinner and the inaugural Golden Thread Awards ceremony at The Milner York.
The runway showcase taking place earlier that afternoon at Merchant Taylors' Hall is invitation only and is not included in this ticket.
Dietary requirements
Please provide all dietary requirements when booking.
Vegetarian, vegan and allergy-related requirements must be declared in advance. Guests with severe allergies should contact the organisers before purchasing so that arrangements can be discussed with the venue.
Accessibility
Please contact us before the event with any accessibility requirements. We will work with the venue to make appropriate arrangements wherever possible.
Ticket transfers
Tickets may be transferred to another guest, but the original purchaser must notify the organisers in advance.
Please email [email protected] with the original ticket holder's name and the full name and email address of the replacement guest.
Contact
For full-table reservations, accessibility enquiries or any other questions.
Reserve your place
Join us for an evening of heritage, craftsmanship, recognition and hope - and be there when the first Golden Thread Awards are presented.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 71.13 to GBP 92.80
