Friday 18 - Sunday 20 September, 9 - 5.30 p.m.: Symposium, Costume Symposium at Wimbledon College of Arts

Wimbledon College of Arts, Merton Hall Rd, London SW19 3QA, United Kingdom

The Costume Symposium is a unique gathering for costume makers, designers, students and industry professionals working across film, theatre, television and opera. Founded by award-winning costume designer Susannah Buxton and lecturer and event producer, Mary Davies, the symposium was inspired by a similar event in Oslo and established to support the exchange of specialist skills, knowledge and professional practice within the costume industry.

Since its launch in 2018, the symposium has travelled across the UK, bringing together practitioners at leading institutions including the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Nottingham Trent University and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In 2026, the event returns to London at Wimbledon College of Arts.

Event Description
In 2017 award-winning costume designer Susannah Buxton was invited to speak at a costume symposium for young technicians and designers held at the Opera House in Oslo, Norway. The experience inspired her to set up a similar event in the UK, with Mary Davies, with the aim of bringing together costume makers and designers working in film, theatre, television and opera, as well as costume students, for a day with industry speakers and two days of practical workshops led by experienced tutors, in the skills so vital for maintaining the UK’s reputation for outstanding work. Makers especially often work alone and the symposium offers the chance to network and hear about current issues related to the costume industry. 

In 2026 the symposium returns to London, at Wimbledon College of Arts. Multi Award-winning Costume Designer Lindy Hemming will be the Keynote Speaker for the Talks Day (Friday 18 September) of Costume Symposium 2026 at Wimbledon College of Arts.  Lindy has worked on theatre productions for the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and in the West End, as well as high-profile films. She won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Period Musical, “Topsy-Turvy”, designed for the James Bond film series from “GoldenEye” through to “Casino Royale”, and won further acclaim for Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” and The Dark Knight Trilogy. Other recent films include Paddington, Wonder Woman, Paddington 2 and Wonka.

Also speaking will be Costume Maker and Tailor Jane Dalgarno, Men’s Workroom Manager at the Royal Ballet and Opera in London.  Jane is integral to bringing theatrical designs to life, leading the construction of intricate period costumes for major ballet and opera productions.  The Talks Day will feature a costume demonstration, a panel discussion on AI and Costume, presentations by the Costume Society and Heritage Crafts, and time for networking over tea and cake. 

The two Workshop Days (Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September) offer the chance to try out a new skill with expert tutors: Corsetry, Costume Making for Stop Motion Animation, Cutting on the Stand (new this year), Dyeing and Enhancement, Embroidery Embellishment, Millinery and Women’s Period Tailoring. 

Guests can register for the Talks Day, the two Workshop Days, or all three days.

Earlybird Deadline: 1 August 2026
Regular Deadline: 29 August 2026.
Lower rates for costume students (BA and MA).

Workshop information can be found here.
Register here for the Costume Symposium 2026

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