The Community Brain (TCB) returned to Hampton Court Palace's Garden Festival as it debuted a new display celebrating the local area's history in award winning fashion design – Willow Woman.

The non-profit was delighted to welcome The Duchess of Edinburgh for a tour of the festival yesterday, 30 June, whose attendance at the show celebrates and supports Kingston's pioneering designers, past and present.

The Duchess joined the audience for a fashion show showcasing the work of some of this year's Kingston University graduates before meeting with them and tutors from the fashion courses.

The Duchess of Edinburgh attended the event (Credit: Oliver Monk / The Community Brain)

Six graduates presented their work as part of the show: Ashanti Clark, Grace Cameron-Black, Olivia Williams, Eden Cox, Mathilda Weston, and Tori Graham.

Her Royal Highness also met fashion students from Kingston College who wore their own creations to the event.

TCB's 2025 entry to the festival, titled Willow Woman, celebrates the work of young designers pushing for greater environmental awareness within the fashion industry as part of its year-long local heritage project 60 Years of Fashion in Kingston.

Sustainable practices like upcycling and the reuse of discarded items destined for landfill are reflected by the almost entirely natural materials and sustainably sourced willow used in the construction of the 4.8-metre-tall exhibit and 'Kate' moss mannequins.

Willow Woman was created with the support of several community partners including 121 Collective, Two Circles Design, and South Devon Chilli Farm, the latter having donated the dozens of chilli plants used in the display.

The Community Brain's 2025 entry to the festival - 'Willow Woman' (Credit: Oliver Monk / The Community Brain)

The Duchess tried her hand at willow weaving as part of the event under the tutelage of the Two Circles Design founders.

The part-garden, part-sculpture also raises concerns regarding overconsumption within the fashion and textile industries.

Nearly 14 items of clothing are produced for every person on the planet annually, resulting in 100 billion garments and a staggering 92 million tonnes of textile waste each year.

Robin Hutchinson, Director at The Community Brain said: "It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved with the fashion project to meet and talk with Her Royal Highness who is a great ambassador for UK fashion.

"Our celebration puts an important spotlight on the role the suburbs, and in particular South West London had and continue to have in the UK economy through innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial design."

'Our celebration puts an important spotlight on the role the suburbs, and in particular South West London had and continue to have in the UK economy through innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial design,' says Robin Hutchinson, Director at The Community Brain (Credit: Oliver Monk / The Community Brain)

From Hampton Court, the installation will move five miles to Tolworth Court Farm Fields as part of the Wild Tolworth project.

This pioneering initiative from The Community Brain, Citizen Zoo, and Kingston Council, as well as other partners and community groups, will establish a dynamic, mixed-mosaic nature reserve and wetlands on the 43 hectares of the borough's largest nature reserve.

As part of the largest rewilding project in London, it will nurture a more diverse and abundant wildlife population and provide a fitting home for Willow Woman's message of ecological consciousness.

Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival runs from Tuesday 1 July to Sunday 6 July for RHS members, and is open to the public from Thursday 3 July.

You can find more information on 60 Years of Fashion in Kingston here and further details regarding Wild Tolworth can be found on the Citizen Zoo website here.

Find out more about The Community Brain's other events around the borough on its What's On page here.