As the staff of Waterstones Princes Street evict their remaining customers of the day, I meet Ana, fresh off the train from London, collating her bags and preparing herself to once again brace the Edinburgh cold, in search of a café willing to let us chat.
We choose Starbucks as the next location and manage to sit without being shooed out.
Ana Aritio, chairwoman of Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show 2026.
So how did she get the job?
Well, on a whim, during the early days of a Paris summer. Days she must be missing right now as large windows around us display nothing but darkness, broken by the obnoxiously beautiful lights of the Christmas market – which we both agree has been set up too early.
Having seen the application for the chairperson role via Instagram, Ana applied, thinking, ‘What’s there to lose?’
Evidently, nothing to lose but everything to gain.
Not only did Ana become the chairwoman of ECFS, she also conjured up the theme for the entire show, created a monthly magazine and continues to be the glue that holds the whole committee together.
The first general meeting took place in Ana’s flat. Thankfully, this didn’t become a staple and she now dedicates her (fleeting) spare time to attending sub-committee meetings elsewhere.
The title of Chairwoman barely covers Ana’s role, from our chat, I deemed it involves being an all-rounder. Constantly keeping an eye out and perfecting every little detail of the ECFS output. She admits herself that she is a perfectionist. It’s nice to know that someone in charge of such a mammoth project cares so greatly about the tiniest of details.
Ana admits it can be challenging to balance her time. She is now a fourth-year history student at the University of Edinburgh and works part-time. She finds a way to make it all work though, as evidenced by her finalising an essay at the pub whilst committee members and recently cast models mingled.
On the topic of recently cast models… It’s a very diverse crowd that was meticulously picked by Ana and the model relations team, headed by Olly and executives, Cerys and Chloe. Somehow, they managed to choose 25 from 200 models, all perfect for the show.
Synaesthesia, the 2026 theme, is a neurological condition where your senses combine, leading to a sixth sense. This sense is unique to every individual that has the condition. As Ana explains the theme, it amazes me how expertly she describes it and I begin to visualise the show coming to life just from her words.
The show will be broken down into parts. A section for each of the traditional five senses and one for the “imagined” sixth sense. It is very tactical. Ana details how each senses section will have its own distinct features, from materials to shapes to colours.
Choosing designers involved a lot of outreach from Ana and her team. They spent hours searching through Instagram pages to find people who fit the bill. DMs upon DMs were sent, arranging how the ECFS team could accommodate the designer. Would they create new pieces for the show? Did their designs already work with the theme? How can they transport the designs?
The designers are a varied cast and there is no set rule on what designs go where. As Ana describes it, “It’s a bit of a mix and match, but it has to fit the theme.”
The whole process up until now has been documented in Palette, a digital magazine set up in early September and releasing monthly. Submissions to Palette are welcome and Ana’s always looking for contributors, especially after creating the first issue nearly entirely by herself. She sees it as a way to archive the ECFS journey and create a world that expands just beyond the final fashion show.
A key part of the ECFS world is charity, it’s in the name. Each year, a special charity is picked by the committee to receive all the funds raised throughout the process.
This year, Capability Scotland was chosen. The charity has been running for decades and supports disabled people through all stages of their lives, providing them with the most fantastic opportunities and pushing for full equality and inclusion.
Not only did Ana love the charity’s cause, but due to their multiple locations around Edinburgh, it made it the most practical group to get fully involved with. Last month, volunteers from ECFS joined with Capability Scotland to create costumes for a Strictly Come Dancing competition, a beautiful way to combine fashion with meaningful connections that will last beyond this year’s committee.
November has been the busiest month yet for Ana, she’s looking forward to winding down (just a little bit) over the winter break before everything kicks off again in late January. But there is one important task left to complete, the editorials.
Shot towards the end of the month, the videography and photography team captured stunning visuals for the senses of sight and touch. This is one last treat from the ECFS team just in time for Christmas.
The chairwoman of ECFS 2026 has been flawlessly selected, now it is time to see her theme come to life and travel through all the senses you never knew could be so stylish.
