Designer Flora McFarlane stages the first ever fashion show at the Burrell Collection

In a museum first, the galleries of the Burrell Collection became a catwalk in May 2026. Rising Scottish designer and Glasgow School of Art graduate Flora McFarlane debuted Return to the Garden, a 28-look collection inspired by the 9,000 treasures in the museum, at its inaugural fashion show on Saturday 9 May.

McFarlane's work draws deeply on heritage textiles and the natural world, and her collection reflects the richness of the museum's Chinese, French and medieval artworks. It features knitwear and bespoke tailoring that echo the craftsmanship of the objects that inspired it, and takes its theme from the garden, a motif found across the collection from painting to porcelain.

Her family has deep roots in Scottish making. McFarlane explained that her grandmother's family came from Kirkintilloch and Galston, where they worked in textiles and stonemasonry, and that her grandmother, her mother and she have all studied at the Glasgow School of Art. She has worked with cashmere mills in Hawick, the last lace mill in Ayrshire and a leather tannery in the west of Scotland.

She said Glasgow has been a constant source of inspiration since she began her studies in 2020, and she is keen to encourage other emerging designers to stay in Scotland. Already recognised as one to watch, she has appeared on Icons of Style with Kirsty Wark and had work featured at V&A Dundee.

Juliet Fellows-Smith, museum manager of the Burrell Collection, said the project shows how museums can support new talent, and that it demonstrates to young people that they can create real opportunities for themselves in Glasgow.

She added that Flora made a conscious decision to build her career in Scotland, taking inspiration from the collection and working with local manufacturers.

The show is part of a wider creative programme, with workshops for young creatives, school pupils, students and community groups through 2026 and more planned for 2027. The Burrell, which reopened in 2022 after a major refurbishment, was named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023.

The Burrell Collection is in Pollok Country Park, Glasgow. Details of the creative programme are available through Glasgow Life.