Every August, hundreds of thousands of music, theatre and dance lovers from around the world head for Scotland’s capital for the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe.. Arguably, though, there’s no better time to visit the city than in spring, and what better excuse than the annual Fashion Week which, this year, will be running from 7 to 15 March.
The event attracts a fashion-savvy audience. This year, the team of students behind Edinburgh Fashion Week has made the programme better than ever with a true celebration of style and creativity. It promises to be big, bright and, most of all, fun.
Launch event at the Mound
To give you a taste of what’s in store, the week kicks off with the launch event at the Mound when the indoor precinct will be transformed into a sleek fashion hub. Free fashion shows, informal workshops and tutorials hosted by the city’s designers, high street retailers and independent stores will tell all you need to know about the must-have pieces for spring/summer 2015.
Over the next few days, you’ll get the chance to snap up a new – and generously discounted – wardrobe at loads of in-store events and pop-up shops around Edinburgh. It’s worth making a note in your diary for Greyfriars Tartan Fashion Show, which will focus on all things Scottish, and Gap’s Styled By event. And don’t forget to bag a ticket for the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show, which takes place on Saturday 14th March in the Usher Hall.
It’s all for a good cause. In 2014, the people behind the event raised £20,000 for WaterAid. This year, the money raised during the week will go to two charities – the Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH), which works hard to remove the social taboo mental health problems, and Elephant Family, which promotes the protection of the endangered Asian elephant.
Edinburgh’s a great city for walking, but if your shopping bags get too heavy or your heels too sore, you can always hire a car from the city centre or Edinburgh Airport to get you from show to show so you don’t miss out on a thing.