Westfield Days: The Sound of Style – The NEN

Edinburgh College of Art alumni to share career journeys at Westfield St James Quarter

In Fashion: Edinburgh College of Art Alumni in Conversation takes place TODAY – Friday 18 September – as part of Westfield Days: The Sound of Style

Westfield St James Quarter will bring together four Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) fashion alumni on Friday 18 September, who have gone on to build careers across independent fashion, illustration and bespoke tailoring, for a conversation on what it takes to forge a career in the fashion industry.

In Fashion: Edinburgh College of Art Alumni in Conversation is one of the closing events of Westfield Days: The Sound of Style, the ten-day fashion and music takeover curated by Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey to mark the centre’s rebrand to Westfield St James Quarter on 10 September.

Hosted by Professor Mal James, Personal Chair of Fashion at ECA, the panel brings together:

Samantha McCoach, Founder and Designer of Le Kilt, the Leith-born, Scottish-made label stocked at Dover Street Market, Matches and Selfridges. In 2025, Le Kilt joined forces with COS for a capsule collection rooted in craftsmanship and heritage, which was sold at COS in the Quarter.
Rosie Baird, Founder of BAIRD, a Scottish clothing brand launched in 2025 exploring modern Scottish identity through craft and storytelling. Rosie was also responsible for the tartan created for St James Quarter in 2022.
Katie Braid, fashion illustrator, educator and FIDA Award winner, whose work has been exhibited internationally and shown at V&A Dundee.
Alistair Nimmo, Head Cutter and Managing Director of Kathryn Sargent Bespoke Tailoring’s Edinburgh atelier, and a 2025 Walpole Powerlist honouree.

Together, the four alumni represent very different routes into the fashion industry, from launching independent Scottish labels to working as an illustrator and building a career in the highly specialised world of bespoke tailoring.

The panellists will discuss the transition from studying at ECA to building careers across ready-to-wear, illustration and bespoke tailoring, offering practical advice on portfolios, creative practice and navigating the industry after graduation. A Q&A and informal meet-the-panellists session will follow the discussion.

Professor Mal James, Personal Chair of Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art, said: “One of the most valuable things we can offer the next generation of fashion talent is an honest insight into what comes after graduation.

“There is no single route into the industry, and our alumni have gone on to build careers across very different areas of fashion, from independent labels and illustration to the highly specialised world of bespoke tailoring.

“Bringing them together at Westfield St James Quarter gives students and emerging creatives the chance to hear directly about those journeys, the challenges they have faced and the opportunities they have created for themselves.”

Presented in partnership with the British Fashion Council as part of the nationwide Fashion Britain initiative, Westfield Days: The Sound of Style has run from 10 to 20 September and included Charles Jeffrey’s own Listening Room installation, built from his personal archive and soundscapes, and the PUNK FLEA MARKET, a limited-time pop-up of archival LOVERBOY pieces and accessories, alongside a wider programme of talks, workshops and live music.

Anne Ledgerwood, Estate Director at Westfield St James Quarter, said: “Fashion careers rarely follow a straight line, and this conversation with four ECA graduates who’ve built such different paths – from bespoke tailoring to independent Scottish labels – feels like the right way to bring Westfield Days: The Sound of Style to a close. It’s a reminder that Edinburgh doesn’t just watch the fashion industry, it produces it.”

The event is free to attend and is aimed at students, emerging creatives and anyone interested in pursuing a career in Scotland’s fashion industry.

The conversation reflects Westfield Days: The Sound of Style’s focus on connecting fashion, music, creativity and emerging talent, while highlighting Edinburgh’s contribution to the wider UK fashion industry.

Event details In Fashion: Edinburgh College of Art Alumni in Conversation
Date/ Time: Friday 18 September, 3:30pm–4:15pm
Venue: Listening Rooms, Level 3, St James Quarter, Edinburgh
Booking link: here.

swim school headline the launch of Westfield St James Quarter

Designer Charles Jeffrey brings Westfield Days: The Sound of Style to Edinburgh

Rock band swim school headlined a night of live performance, DJ sets and Scottish design at Westfield St James Quarter on Thursday night (10 September), as the centre officially became Westfield St James Quarter with the opening of ten days of cultural programming curated by Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey.

The evening was one of three UK events held on the same night for Westfield Days: The Sound of Style, presented in partnership with the British Fashion Council, with sister events at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City.

In Edinburgh, guests were treated to a headline set from swim school, a performance from drag act Jonbers, a DJ set from Jungle Hussi with guests piped down to the stage by trans piper, Malin Lewis.

Westfield Days centres around Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room, an immersive installation built from his own archive and soundscapes, and his PUNK FLEA MARKET, a limited-time shop of archival pieces, accessories and exclusive products. Guests got a first look at both ahead of the wider ten-day programme, which runs at Westfield St James Quarter until 20th September.

Born in Scotland, Jeffrey is internationally recognised for blending design, performance, music and culture into a distinctive creative vision.

Returning home for the takeover, he said: “I’m looking forward to celebrating the people, places and cultural influences that inspire my work, on home turf here in Scotland.

“This is ten days of everything that’s shaped me – the music, the people, the chaotic creativity of it all – and I want Edinburgh to feel like it’s part of that story, not just watching it happen.”

Alice Johnson, singer with swim school said: “Headlining the opening night of Westfield St James Quarter was brilliant, and playing alongside everything Charles Jeffrey’s put together for Westfield Days: The Sound of Style made the night feel like something genuinely different for the city.

“Westfield St James Quarter feels buzzing – and we’re proud to have been a part of the launch.”

Anne Ledgerwood, Estate Director at Westfield St James Quarter, said:“This is what the new chapter for Westfield St James Quarter looks like – bold and built around real creative talent.

“Becoming Westfield St James Quarter is an exciting evolution for this destination, and we wanted the launch to feel like that. Ten days of music, fashion and ideas from Charles Jeffrey, one of Scotland’s most exciting creative voices, is exactly the statement we hoped to make.”

Highlights of the Westfield St James Quarter launch included:

An exclusive Listening Room and soundscapes built from Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey
The opening of Jeffrey’s PUNK FLEA MARKET, a limited-time shop of archival pieces, accessories and exclusive products
A headline performance from rock band swim school, alongside drag performer Jonbers, DJ Jungle Hussi and piper Malin Lewis

Guests to Westfield St James Quarter can experience a full programme of talks, workshops and live performances continuing at each centre as part of the wider Fashion Britain initiative.

Highlights include:

Fri 11 Sept, 5.30-6.15pm: Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY x V&A Dundee: Scottish Fashion in Conversation. Charles Jeffrey and V&A Dundee’s Kirsty Hassard discuss Scottish fashion history, introduced by the British Fashion Council’s Laura Weir.
Sun 13 Sept, 10-11.30am: Fashion Photography Workshop: Creating the Narrative with Claudius Ricketts. A hands-on session on building a fashion image from concept to shoot, with real models. Ages 16+.
Sun 13 Sept, 12-1pm: Love Your Body Dance Workshop with Ivan Blackstock. An energetic Hip Hop-rooted movement session from the choreographer behind Beyoncé’s Brown Skin Girl. Ages 16+.
Wed 16 Sept, 2-2.30pm: Talk: Tarot, Fashion & Identity with Jade Mordente. Jade Mordente explores tarot and fashion as parallel tools for self-expression.

Full programme of activity is available to view here.

New name for St James Quarter

**Charles Jeffrey reveals full programme for Westfield Days: The Sound of Style at Westfield St James Quarter**

11-20 September 2026 | Westfield St James Quarter

To celebrate the launch of Westfield St James Quarter, officially renamed on 10 September 2026, acclaimed Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey returns home for an immersive ten-day takeover as part of Westfield Days: The Sound of Style.

Presented in partnership with the British Fashion Council, the programme forms part of Fashion Britain, a nationwide initiative celebrating the designers, communities and cultural influences shaping British fashion today.

Born in Scotland, Charles Jeffrey is internationally recognised for blending design, performance, music and culture into a distinctive creative vision.

Returning home for the takeover, he brings that world to Westfield St James Quarter across three experiences: an exclusive Listening Room built from his own archives and soundscapes; the PUNK FLEA MARKET, a limited-time shop of archival pieces, accessories and exclusive products; and a full programme of talks, workshops and live performances spanning fashion, music and culture. The entire programme is curated by Jeffrey himself and features some of the most exciting, emerging names.

A particular highlight will see Jeffrey in conversation with Kirsty Hassard, Senior Curator at V&A Dundee, in a talk introduced by the British Fashion Council’s Laura Weir. The conversation will explore the role research plays in shaping Jeffrey’s collections, Scotland’s rich fashion history and its influence on contemporary design, and the importance of recognising the creative talent to have come out of Scotland.

The talk will connect directly to V&A Dundee’s current Catwalk exhibition, which traces the stories, designers and cultural influences that have shaped Scottish fashion’s place on the global stage.

Guests can also expect a vibrant mix of experiences throughout the programme, including intimate one-to-one tarot card readings with the incredibly gifted Jade Mordente, an inspiring dance workshop with acclaimed choreographer Ivan Blackstock – known for his work on Beyoncé’s Brown Skin Girl music video – and a specially curated pop-up Vinyl Lounge from local tastemakers, Umbrella Vinyl.

Charles Jeffrey said: “I’m looking forward to celebrating the people, places and cultural influences that continue to inspire my work on home turf here in Scotland and am delighted to have the opportunity to create something that feels immersive, playful and open to everyone.

“This programme is about showing how I work – the music, the references, the people I collaborate with – and putting it all in one place for ten days.

“There’s something for everyone, whether that’s catching a gig, digging through the PUNK FLEA MARKET or just spending an hour in the Listening Room.”

Anne Ledgerwood, Estate Director at Westfield St James Quarter said: “Charles Jeffrey is one of Scotland’s most exciting and dynamic creative voices, and there’s no better way to mark this new chapter for Westfield St James Quarter than with a programme built around his work.

“Ten days of music, fashion and ideas, right in the heart of Edinburgh- we want people to come and experience it for themselves.”

What’s On: The Full Schedule

Highlights across the ten-day takeover include:

Friday 11 September

10:00am – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room – step inside Jeffrey’s personal archive of music and memory, through curated soundscapes and exclusive content.

11:00am – Vinyl Lounge with Umbrella Vinyl – independent record store Umbrella Vinyl will be selling curated vinyl featuring a selection of the music that inspires Charles Jeffrey

3:30pm – Bikini Body: Live at The Sound of Style – electrifying five-piece Bikini Body bring their irresistible collision of post-punk, dance music and percussion to Westfield St James Quarter

5:30pm – Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY x V&A Dundee: Scottish Fashion in Conversation – Jeffrey joins V&A Dundee curator Kirsty Hassard, introduced by the British Fashion Council’s Laura Weir, to discuss research, Scottish fashion history and V&A Dundee’s Catwalk exhibition.

Saturday 12 September

10:00am – Self-guided LOVERBOY Exhibition – explore Jeffrey’s LOVERBOY archive at your own pace.

12:00pm – Live Music from Her Picture – an intimate live performance from one of Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists, Her Picture is the public confessional of singer Anny Tahaney, whose honest and thought-provoking songwriting is bewitching listeners in Scotland and beyond.

2:30pm – Fashion, Movement & Theatre with Ivan Blackstock – a workshop exploring the crossover between fashion, dance and performance.

Sunday 13 September

10:00am – Fashion Photography Workshop: Creating the Narrative with Claudius Ricketts – a hands-on workshop on building narrative through fashion photography.

12:00pm – Love Your Body Dance Workshop with Ivan Blackstock – a dance workshop celebrating body confidence and movement.

2:00pm – Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY: Life Drawing Workshop – life drawing inspired by Jeffrey’s own creative process.

4:00pm – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

Monday 14 September

10:00am – Self-guided LOVERBOY Exhibition

12:00pm & 3:00pm – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

Tuesday 15 September

10:00am – Self-guided LOVERBOY Exhibition

12:00pm – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

1:15pm – MAC Cosmetics Make-up Workshop – a make-up masterclass from the MAC Cosmetics team in Boots.

3:00pm – Lucia & The Best Boys x Neptune Studios: Petals and Frequencies – an autumn equinox bouquet making workshop while listening to Lucia & The Best Boy’s new album, Picking Petals.

Wednesday 16 September

2:00pm – Talk: Tarot, Fashion & Identity with Jade Mordente – a panel discussion on tarot’s connection to fashion and identity.

2:45pm – Tarot – Find Your Archetype with Jade Mordente – a workshop on finding your tarot archetype.

3:45pm, 4:00pm, 4:15pm, 4.30pm, 5.30pm & 5.45pm – Tarot Readings with Jade Mordente – one-on-one tarot readings.

Thursday 17 September

10:00am – Argonaut Books x Charles Jeffrey Bookshop Pop-Up – independent bookstore, Argonaut Books, will be selling a curated selection of books including some of Charles Jeffrey’s favourites and with an LGBTQ+ focus.

10:00am – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

3:00pm – DJ Miss Mixtape: LGBTQ+ Sounds – DJ Miss Mixtape spins an LGBTQ+ focused selection of records.

Friday 18 September

10:00am & 1:00pm – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

5:00pm – Ray Laurél – performance from Ray Laurél, where the listener finds solace and security in tales centring an identity in flux, tales of unbridled desire & a yearning for the Divine.

Saturday 19 September

10:00am – Charles Jeffrey’s Listening Room

1:30pm – DJ Set: DJ Lu – An energetic set to soundtrack your shopping experience at Westfield St James Quarter.

3.00pm – Cocktail Making Masterclass by The Alchemist – shake, stir and sample during an interactive mixology workshop

Sunday 20 September

2:00pm – Pippa Blundell: Live at The Sound of Style – Experience Pippa Blundell’s captivating blend of folk storytelling, ambient sound and classically influenced vocals.

3.30pm – Natural Lacquer Workshop with Moleskine – Discover the beauty of East Asian lacquer art through a contemporary marbling experience

Proceeds from any ticketed workshops or masterclasses across the takeover will be donated to the Equality Network, which works for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) equality and human rights in Scotland and has been home to the Scottish Trans Network since 2007.

For the full programme and to book onto ticketed workshops, visit Eventbrite.

WESTFIELD St James Quarter? Maybe showing my age here, but to me it’ll always be St James Centre! – ED.