Together with The Prince's Foundation and Swarovski, the Fashion Council Germany initiated the "GERMAN SCOTTISH SUSTAIN WORKSHOPS & PANEL TALKS" at Dumfries House in Scotland from September 10th to 12th. Scottish designers were joined by German participants in the German Sustain Concept (GSC), including Lara Krude, Oft, Phylyda, and Working Title. The three-day program, consisting of panels, workshops, and factory visits, aimed to promote both the designers and bilateral exchange, as well as to further the discourse on sustainability in fashion.

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Since its founding in 2015, the Fashion Council Germany has been committed to promoting and showcasing German design both domestically and internationally. Supporting young talent in particular, a strong focus on sustainability, and expanding and maintaining bilateral relationships to create a robust international network within the fashion industry have been core motivations for its lobbying efforts from the outset – and with its latest project, all these elements come together.

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The 18th-century estate – Dumfries House – was secured for the nation by the Prince of Wales in 2007. The conference “GERMAN SCOTTISH SUSTAIN WORKSHOPS & PANEL TALKS” offered a three-day program of

Workshops, expert presentations, panel talks, networking events, and visits to Scottish manufacturers, as well as a selection of Scottish labels, were planned for the German delegation. This joint initiative of the FCG and The Prince's Foundation, established by Prince Charles to promote communities, aims to strengthen German-Scottish synergies and further the discourse on sustainability in fashion.

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Ashleigh Douglas, who heads the royal foundation's "Future Textiles" training initiative, founded in 2015, adds: "At The Prince's Foundation, we want to help the industry by inspiring people of all ages to pursue a career in textiles, providing them with expert training and industry connections." The Prince's Foundation, which emerged in April from the merger of Dumfries House Trust and other charities, is headquartered at Dumfries House and, with more than 250 employees, is now the second-largest employer in the region. This makes it the ideal bilateral partner for FCG in Scottish-German exchange. This is particularly relevant given the 24-month German Sustain Concept program, launched in early 2019, which, together with partners Bikini Berlin, BurdaStyle, and Neonyt, supports the four participating sustainable brands in the disciplines of sourcing, distribution, marketing, and business, helping them to establish themselves in the market for the long term—while simultaneously raising awareness of a sustainable lifestyle. After all, sustainability is no longer just an option.

The project is therefore also supported by Swarovski.

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Supporting young, sustainability-oriented labels is particularly important to them: “Design can drive sustainable development and cultural change, and we are delighted to promote the intelligent use of existing resources through this collaboration.” Therefore, the program at the historic Dumfries House, which today serves as a tourist attraction and educational center and has even housed the LVMH Textile Training Centre in the estate's former sawmill since 2018, represents a true highlight in the two-year program of the German Sustain Concept for Antonia Goy and Björn Kubeja of Working Title, Lara Krude, Lydia Maurer of Phylyda, and Ashley Marc Hovelle of oft — especially since the conference was attended by none other than HRH Prince Charles.

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To learn more about the German fashion and textile market, its sustainability challenges, and especially new technological developments, Prince Charles invited German industry representatives to a "Royal Reception": a special private reception. The exchange was further supported by the presence of visiting press and sponsors, particularly by the involvement of FCG board members, Vogue editor-in-chief Christiane Arp and ICON editor-in-chief Inga Griese, both of whom actively participated in the program through panel discussions. In addition, ICON had already conducted a fashion shoot with the Fashion Sustain Concept Brands in cooperation with Swarovski prior to the conference.

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The designers themselves greatly appreciate the support of the Fashion Council Germany as well as the invitation to Scotland. Phylyda designer Lydia Maurer says: “I find the collaboration between organizations like the FCG and industry giants like Swarovski, Vogue, and ICON particularly relevant today. We need to share our ideas and experiences and break down the insularity of the various stakeholders in fashion in order to initiate and implement meaningful changes.”

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For Björn Kubeja and Antonia Goy of Working Title, the networking aspect of the conference is particularly relevant: “For us as a young brand, exchanging ideas with others is very important. It opens up new perspectives and helps us to examine and improve our own direction. We hope to make interesting new contacts and participate in workshops that will also help us develop our content.” Both labels are especially looking forward to their participation in the panel discussion “Start your own fashion brand” with renowned fashion journalist Sarah Mower.

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Sustainability is naturally the central theme of most of the workshops and panel talks with top-tier industry experts, for example, in events on natural dyeing methods or fashion and clean oceans. Beyond Swarovski's commitment, which offers an upcycling workshop where designers are provided with discarded Swarovski crystals so they can "actively participate in a regenerative circular economy," as Nadja Swarovski puts it, the traditional Scottish labels Harris Tweed Hebrides and Johnstons of Elgin are also supporting the "FCG goes Scotland" initiative. They are also opening the doors to their workshops. Designer Lara Krude is particularly pleased about this: "I work a lot with fabrics that come from menswear and I'm very happy to be able to get to know these workshops."

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Scotland is particularly renowned for its fabrics from traditional mills, including high-quality cashmere and the famous Harris Tweed, with customers in around 150 countries worldwide, including leading fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent, Hermès, and Gucci. Germany is one of the most important export markets, explains Margaret Macleod, Sales Director at Harris Tweed Hebrides. She says: “We are delighted to support the collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany. (…) At a time when we need to continually revitalize and promote the Scottish textile industry and help preserve and enhance the know-how that has declined in recent decades, events like this are important for raising awareness of the diverse opportunities that exist within the Scottish textile industry.” Supporting the traditional domestic textile industry also keeps island villages and traditional cultural skills alive and secures jobs, especially in rural areas. “When we hear ‘heritage ,’ we often think of old-fashioned things—but our products are high-quality and exported worldwide,” says Simon Cotton, Chief Executive at Johnstons of Elgin. Similar to Germany, interest in sustainability is deeply rooted in Scotland—all the more reason for cross-border exchange. “I think that’s one reason why the Scottish textile industry is thriving right now: people want to know that the products they buy have been made using environmentally friendly, sustainable processes,” Cotton explains. And young labels, in particular, can learn a great deal from these established companies.

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The trip has another positive side effect: none of the German designers had ever been to Scotland before. Thus, “GSC goes Dumfries House” will be a three-day program full of premieres.