Class of ’23: From the left: Imogen Pike, Mila Dastugue and Victoria Demekhina
The Golden Shears, known as “The Oscars of the Tailoring World”, are back to celebrate the next generation of tailors in the UK. Every two years, the Golden Shears bring together the very best fashion students and apprentice tailors from around the country in friendly competition to showcase their creative and technical excellence. Around 20-25 entries are selected on technical merit to go through to the live final in March when they will judged by a celebrity style panel. There will be three three trophies awarded on the night: 1st prize: The Golden Shears and £3,000, 2nd prize: The Silver Shears and £2,500, 3rd prize: The Rising Star and £2,000. The finale of this year’s competition will be held on Monday, March 17, at Merchant Taylors’ Hall on Threadneedle Street in the City of London. Tickets are now available.
Two years ago, girl power was the name of the game as three young women walked away with the honours. First prize and The Golden Shears went to Mila Dastugue from The Wimbledon College of Arts with Victoria Demekhina, from The Tailoring Academy, collecting The Silver Shears. The Rising Star was Imogen Pike, also from The Wimbledon College of Arts.
At the time, Simon Cundey, Chairman of Golden Shears and MD of Henry Poole & Co, was immensely pleased with how the evening went. “We’re delighted to be back as a live show after the pandemic and at this historic and amazing venue,” he said on the night. “It’s lovely to be live. That is a big thing for us. Having the rapport with everyone – the families, the college lecturers, the trade shouting and screaming for their entries was fantastic. It is imperative that the clothing industry does all it can to motivate the next generation of fashion leaders and nothing demonstrates that better than the Golden Shears competition.”
The Golden Shears were founded in 1974 by Robert Bright, MBE. Entrants are either apprentices with a tailoring company or university/college students on a tailoring course. All have to demonstrate excellence in both their design and tailoring skills and be vetted by their master or course leader. In 2023, from over 70 entries, 22 were selected on technical merit to go through to final and were judged by a celebrity style panel.
