Next Event - Monday 17 March 2025

The Golden Shears Award

Golden Shears celebrates the next generation of tailors in the UK. Every two years we host a competition to bring together the very best fashion students and apprentice tailors from around the country and showcase their creative and technical excellence. Around 20-25 entries are selected on technical merit to go through to the live final and be judged by a celebrity style panel awarding three trophies 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.

We are thrilled about this year's competition, which will be held on Monday 17 March, at Merchant Taylors' Hall. Tickets availablenow. Please click the button below.

The Golden Shears competition exists to encourage the training and education of tailoring in young people, to the highest of standards and to further the links between the tailoring trade and the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors.

Details of the Competition

Tailoring students and apprentices are encouraged throughout the country to vie for the coveted Golden Shears Awards.

• Entrants either must be on programmed UK Company Training, or enrolled on a Further or Higher Education Course in the UK of which tailoring or apparel making is a part. 

• No entrant with more than a total of seven years of Further or Higher Education and Industrial Training will be eligible.

• There is no age limit for entering the competition.

• Each competitor will enter a coordinating outfit of at least two garments, one for the top half of the body and the other for the bottom half.

• No entry may have been entered in any previous competition.

• Garments may be for womenswear or menswear.

• All entries must conform to strict sizes: Womenswear size 10 – Menswear size 38. 

• All work must be carried out by the entrant but may be done under the direction of Tutors/Trainers.

Judges

There are technical and style judges - all industry experts in their field. Marks are awarded for technical skill – design, cutting, tailoring, and style.

The Golden Shears Final

Held at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, finalists attend a live show where their garments are exhibited on professional models. 

Prizes

The winners receive a cash prize as well as the award: Golden Shears winner - £3,000 | Silver Shears – £2,500 | Rising Star - £2,000

The Winners

Past Golden Shears finalists have become head cutters on Savile Row, designers in couture ateliers, lecturers at leading universities, and business owners in their own rights.

The Golden Shears is one of my greatest achievements, both professionally and personally. Being in the trade the competition was always something to work and aspire towards... Entering the Golden Shears has been the best decision I have made!