Ornate Chinese kites, gardens in full bloom and life-sized dolls provide some of the inspiration for final-year students presenting their collections at the preview of the Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show.
For the first time, the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute will be transformed into a catwalk to host the three runway shows. The A-listed former hospital will provide a fitting backdrop to showcase students’ cutting-edge creations.
More than 150 designs will feature on the catwalk, with contrasting styles including voluminous gowns and flowing overcoats made with structured satins and hand-painted silks, alongside futuristic yet functional sportswear-inspired tailoring.
Student Yifei Guo’s personal collection draws on the traditional craftsmanship and symbolism of Chinese kites. Re-imagining kite skeletons as sculptural silhouettes, Guo uses layered fabrics like organza and chiffon, while hand-drawn prints evoke her heritage with jackets shaped like dragon-head kites.
Olivia Musson’s collection is a vibrant celebration of gardens. Using expressive prints, garments bloom with colour in a collection featuring digitally printed duchess satin, hand-felted mulberry paper and oil-painted canvas to create intricate, multi-layered gowns.
With looks including a dress made from speedboat tubing, Ella Hemming’s collection draws from her upbringing on Anglesey, an island off the coast of Northwest Wales, and the heritage of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The result is a powerful blend of utility and femininity, using up-cycled speedboat tubing, Welsh tartan and layered knitwear.
Milly Mi’s thought-provoking work challenges human treatment of animals in captivity, re-imagining their experience to explore the ethics of control, performance and authenticity, with looks inspired by life-size dolls. The collection is characterised by exaggerated silhouettes, rich textures and a distinctive bright pink palette.
The annual show is a highlight of Scotland’s fashion calendar and spotlights emerging fashion innovations in womenswear, menswear, knitwear and garment construction. Edinburgh College of Art’s Fashion Programme remaining a sector leader, with students consistently achieving remarkable success.
This year, graduate Ealish Withington won the British Fashion Council, Labrum and British Library Competition 2025, which highlights the importance of research in fashion design, encouraging students to use the British Library collection for inspiration.
The ECA students also have career-making opportunities to collaborate with iconic global brands and industry partners, such as Adidas, With Love Halston Foundation sponsored by the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation and Lochcarron of Scotland. Fashion teaching at ECA is renowned for fostering creative freedom and design innovation among its students, who study brand development, inclusive design, sustainability and technical pattern-cutting skills.
Professor Mal James, Programme Director of Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art, said: “We are excited to showcase the incredible work of our students and the new graduate designers of 2025. We are immensely proud of their dedication, enthusiasm and ambition in putting their final collections together, in a show that reflects the individuality, passion and incredible talent of young designers at the very beginning of their careers. We are delighted to see their creativity come to life in the inspirational setting of the University’s new Edinburgh Futures Institute and can’t wait for audiences to enjoy them.”
Three showcases for the ECA Fashion Show will take place on Friday 6 June at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Shows take place at 2pm, 6pm and 8.30pm, with more information online: ECA Fashion Show 2025 | Edinburgh College of Art.
pink gown inspired by life-size dolls, created by final year Fashion student Milly Mi for the Edinburgh
College of Art Fashion Show.
Pic Neil Hanna
background, wearing a structured jacket and skirt in canvas layered inspired by traditional Chinese
Kites, designed by final year Fashion student Yifei Guo for the Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show.
Pic Neil Hanna
background, wearing a structured jacket and skirt in canvas layered inspired by traditional Chinese
Kites, designed by final year Fashion student Yifei Guo for the Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show.
Pic Neil Hanna
pink gown inspired by life-size dolls, created by final year Fashion student Milly Mi for the Edinburgh
College of Art Fashion Show.
Pic Neil Hanna
final year Fashion students at Edinburgh College of Art.
Looks by designers (from l to r):
Grace wears a printed silk jacket and tailored trousers inspired by a garden in full bloom,
created by Olivia Musson
Callum wearing tailored coat and trousers created using upcycled tubes from speedboats,
Welsh tartan and layered knitwear, designed by Ella Hemmings
Ishbel wears structured jacket and skirt in canvas layered inspired by traditional Chinese
Kites, designed by Yifei Guo
Laura wears a duchess satin pink gown inspired by life-size dolls, created by Milly Mi
Pic Neil Hanna
final year Fashion students at Edinburgh College of Art.
Ornate Chinese kites, gardens in full bloom and life-sized dolls provide some of the inspiration for
the young designers, who will present their final collections at the Edinburgh College of Art Fashion
Show on Friday 6 June.
Looks by designers (from l to r):
Callum wearing tailored coat and trousers created using upcycled tubes from speedboats,
Welsh tartan and layered knitwear, designed by Ella Hemmings.
Laura wears a duchess satin pink gown inspired by life-size dolls, created by Milly Mi.
Ishbel wears structured jacket and skirt in canvas layered inspired by traditional Chinese
Kites, designed by Yifei Guo.
Grace wears a printed silk jacket and tailored trousers inspired by a garden in full bloom, created by Olivia Musson.
Pic Neil Hanna
