The Costume Society's 2026 Celebration, Annual General Meeting and Awards

Leicester Castle Great Hall

10.30 - 11.00 Arrival and Coffee

11.00 - 11.30 Introduction to Leicestershire’s Fashion and Textile Heritage, Philip Warren, Collections & Learning Manager, Culture Leicestershire

11.30 - 12.00 Anniversary Archive Project, Dr Elizabeth Blood

12.00 - 12.30 Exhibiting Creative Fashion Practice and Heritage Collections, Elizabeth Wheelband DeMontfort University Museum Curator

12.30 -13.15 The Costume Society Annual General Meeting, Conference 2026 Announcement

Trinity Chapel

13.15 - 14.15 Lunch, a buffet lunch served in Trinity Chapel and gardens

Demontfort University Museum

14.15 - 15.00 Exhibition View - Soul of the Cloth: The Karun Thakar Textile Collection

Trinity Chapel

15.00 - 15.30 Patterns of Fashion and Patterns for Performance Awards - View of Finalist's Work

15.30 - 16.00 The final of the Patterns of Fashion and Patterns for Performance Awards. The entries will be judged by multi-award winning costume designer, known for her work on Wolf Hall, Taboo, Carnival Row, Venom, One Life and The Radleys.

Patterns of Fashion Awards Finalists 2026

This year, the standard of entries was exceptional, with the largest number of applications from the widest variety of institutions around the world that the awards have ever seen. We are delighted to announce three shortlisted finalists for the Patterns of Fashion 2026.

All garments shortlisted have been completed to an excellent standard of craftsmanship and the shortlisting panel were particularly impressed with the inclusion of extensive research material for each entry. The level of cut, construction, research and decorative skill in all three demonstrates an exceptional understanding of period dress.

The entries will be judged by multi-award winning costume designer, known for her work on Wolf Hall, Taboo, Carnival Row, Venom, One Life and The Radleys.

is a third year BA Costume Interpretation student at Wimbledon College of Arts and she has made the complex Jacket of a Riding Habit c.1730-50 – Patterns of Fashion 1 c1660-1860. (image below).

is a BA Costume Interpretation student at Wimbledon College of Arts who has made the stunningWalking Dress from 1890-91 featured in Patterns of Fashion 2 c1860-1940. (image below).

is a BA Costume Design and Construction student at Nottingham Trent University, and her project is a striking recreation of Doublet with Peascod Belly in Pinked Satin, c.1610 from Patterns of Fashion c1560-1620. (image below).

Patterns for Performance Awards Finalists 2026

This year, the standard of entries was exceptional, with the largest number of applications from the widest variety of institutions around the world that the awards have ever seen. We are delighted to announce three shortlisted finalists for the Patterns for Performance 2026.

Using a Janet Arnold or Norah Waugh pattern as a basis to develop a theatrical costume for a character in a performance, this year’s finalists have selected characters from opera, ballet and period drama, and all three have deployed their knowledge of dress history and considerable textiles skills to create highly original and characterful costumes for performance. At this stage, students have created a costume design for their character and completed a toile and samples. The finalists are invited to produce the completed costume for the awards ceremony and film the costume on a performer. All three finalists demonstrate creativity and imaginative flair through their interpretation and adaptation of period patterns to meet the needs of performance costume.

The entries will be judged by multi-award winning costume designer, known for her work on Wolf Hall, Taboo, Carnival Row, Venom, One Life and The Radleys.

is a third year BA Costume Design and Construction student at Nottingham Trent University and she has submitted her costume for Dicken’s ‘Miss Havisham’ from Great Expectations, based on 1861-64 Evening Dress - Patterns of Fashion 2 c1860-1940. (image below).

has created a costume for ‘the Queen of the Night’ from Mozart’s The Magic Flute as part of her work as a third year BA Costume Design student at Wimbledon College of Arts based on Patterns of Fashion 1 c1660-1860. (image below).

has created a costume for the title character Don Quixote in the ballet by Emanuele Luzzati based on 1567 doublet and pluderhose - Patterns of Fashion c1560-1620. Sylvie is a third year BA Costume for Theatre and Screen student at Wimbledon College of Arts. (image below).

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