Fashion Museum Bath: Dress of the Year 2024

About the event

To mark six decades of Fashion Museum Bath’s iconic Dress of the Year collection, join us for a celebratory evening exploring fashion’s power to shape identity, reflect culture, and inspire change.

This dynamic panel discussion will bring together leading voices from across the fashion industry to reflect on the legacy of Dress of the Year, and its role in capturing pivotal moments in style and society. The panel will also announce this year’s selected look, chosen by Tim Blanks, highlighting the creativity and cultural impact of contemporary fashion and its importance in relating to the world around it.

Tim Blanks, Editor-at-Large at The Business of Fashion, is an internationally acclaimed fashion journalist and author, widely recognised for his influential commentary on global fashion. He will be joined on the panel by Bianca Saunders and Stephen Jones OBE. A trailblazing London-based menswear designer, Bianca Saunders blends her British roots with Jamaican heritage, and is celebrated for her innovative tailoring and exploration of gender-fluid aesthetics. Stephen Jones OBE, one of the world’s most iconic milliners, has created headwear for luminaries including Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, and members of Royalty. His legendary collaborations span from Vivienne Westwood and Claude Montana to his current work with Thom Browne and Christian Dior.

Join us for this special panel discussion on Tuesday 21 October, from 7:15 to 8:30pm. This hybrid event takes place at The Guildhall in Bath, with the option to attend in person or join us live online via Zoom. Tickets are free and available to book via Eventbrite—just follow the link below to secure your place.

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Meet our panellists

Tim Blanks

Selector, Dress of the Year 2024

Tim Blanks is editor-at-large at The Business of Fashion and has been a leading voice in fashion journalism since 1985. He first gained global recognition as host of CBC’s Fashion File, later serving as editor-at-large for Style.com, where he reviewed collections across the world’s fashion capitals. His writing has appeared in Another, Interview, The New York Times, Fantastic Man, and System, and he is the author of several acclaimed fashion books, including Dries Van Noten 1-50, The World of Anna Sui, Versace Catwalk, and Dior by Raf Simons. Blanks has also contributed to monographs on designers such as Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta, and in 2013, received the CFDA Media Award, the highest honor in fashion journalism.

Stephen Jones OBE

Selector, Dress of the Year 2010

Stephen Jones, born in Cheshire and educated in Liverpool, emerged as a defining figure in London’s fashion scene during the late 1970s. A student at St Martins by day and a style icon at the Blitz nightclub by night, he quickly became known for his bold, idiosyncratic hats. In 1980, he opened his first millinery salon in Covent Garden, attracting a diverse clientele from Boy George to Princess Diana. Renowned for making millinery modern and expressive, Jones has collaborated with leading designers including Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawakubo, and Christian Dior. His creations continue to grace runways, magazine covers, and museum collections worldwide, while his boutique remains near the site of his original salon. From runways to race-courses, from pop-promos to royal garden parties, millinery by Stephen Jones adds the exclamation mark to every fashion statement.

Explore Bath's world heritage

Other things to do in Bath

Fashion Museum Bath: Dress of the Year 2024

About the event

To mark six decades of Fashion Museum Bath’s iconic Dress of the Year collection, join us for a celebratory evening exploring fashion’s power to shape identity, reflect culture, and inspire change.

Meet our panellists

Tim Blanks

Selector, Dress of the Year 2024

Bianca Saunders

Designer, Dress of the Year 2023

Stephen Jones OBE

Selector, Dress of the Year 2010

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Explore Bath's world heritage

Explore Bath's world heritage

Other things to do in Bath

Fashion Museum Bath: Dress of the Year 2024

About the event

Meet our panellists

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