- RIXO to receive fifth annual Talent in Fashion award
- The fashion brand will also design this year’s Markel Magnolia Cup racing silks
- Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar takes place Tuesday 29 July - Saturday 2 August
- Tickets and hospitality available at Goodwood.com
Goodwood Racecourse is delighted to announce a close collaboration with RIXO at this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar.
The vintage-inspired design house is the winner of this year’s Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award, in association with the British Fashion Council. The Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award is held every year with the winning designer selected by a panel of judges that includes The Duke of Richmond, Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, Sian Westerman, Non-Executive Director, of the British Fashion Council and Lydia Slater, Editor of Harper’s Bazaar. The pieces are kept at Goodwood House and form part of the Goodwood Collection.
The award, now in its fifth year, was created to recognise home-grown talent. This project will see RIXO design three show-stopping vintage-style gowns inspired by the textures and patterns within Goodwood House itself, perfectly fitting Qatar Goodwood Festival’s garden party style. The three pieces designed by RIXO will be revealed during the Opening Ceremony of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday 29 July 2025 and will provide an enchanting moment during the headline horseracing fixture, which is one of the highlights of the British Flat racing season and known throughout the country for its signature summer style.
In a first, RIXO will also design this year’s jockey silks for the Markel Magnolia Cup. This is the first time that the recipient of the prestigious Talent in Fashion Award will also be creating all 12 racing silk designs for the Markel Magnolia Cup riders.
Inspired by the eclectic beauty of true vintage, co-founders Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey created RIXO in 2015, which is now hailed for its hand-painted prints and flattering silhouettes.
The London-based duo deliver an abundance of vibrant patterns with a nostalgic nod from the twenties right through to the sixties and seventies, all while creating an instantly recognisable brand DNA with its vintage-inspired shapes, delicate outlines and playful prints.
The Markel Magnolia Cup was first run in 2011 to raise money for women-focused charities. Each year it brings together 12 women, with varying degrees of riding experience, who set aside their day jobs to commit to a vigorous training and riding regime, transforming into jockeys for the occasion, and racing at the world’s most beautiful racecourse. This year the race will raise money for the King’s Trust International’s Project Lehar.
The Duke of Richmond said: “We are thrilled that this year’s Goodwood Talent in Fashion winner, RIXO, will also be designing the silks for the Markel Magnolia Cup. Henrietta and Orlagh are designers that have embraced vintage style with a modern elegance that fits perfectly with Goodwood’s timeless fashion. I am delighted that Henrietta and Orlagh’s one-off designs will become part of the Goodwood Collection and we are looking forward to the unveiling of their Magnolia Cup silks.”
RIXO Creative Director and Co-Founder, Orlagh, said: “We are truly honoured to be the first brand to receive the Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award and to design the Markel Magnolia Cup silks for 2025. As part of the Goodwood Talent in Fashion Award, we had the privilege of being hosted at the estate, where we found endless inspiration in its rich textile heritage. A stunning fabric discovered in the house’s grand entrance became the foundation for two of our collection’s prints, which we reimagined in two colourways. The third design was inspired by the intricate lace details seen in the amazing portraits throughout the main house. For the Markel Magnolia Cup, we stayed true to RIXO’s signature aesthetic, incorporating a mix of archival prints to create something truly special. As a female-founded brand, it is an incredible privilege to be part of such an inspiring, female-led charity event.”
Caroline Rush CBE, British Fashion Council CEO, said: “RIXO’s founders Henrietta and Orlagh have created a British brand that has become synonymous with colour, print and modern vintage. Their dresses are often a first choice for racegoers and so it felt like the perfect moment for The Duke of Richmond and the team at Goodwood to recognise the brand with this year’s Talent in Fashion Award and also invite RIXO to design the silks for the Markel Magnolia Cup.”
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Notes to Editors:
Tickets
Tickets, dining, and hospitality are now on sale for Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar. Visit Goodwood.com or call 01243 755055 to find out more.
Contact
For more information about Goodwood Racecourse events, please contact Louise Gould, Press Officer: Louise.Gould@Goodwood.com
For all other press enquiries please contact: Media@goodwood.com
Imagery and news from Goodwood are available from our Press and Media site.
Stay up to date with all future announcements and on-event action across our social channels:
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About Goodwood Racecourse
Introduced to the Goodwood Estate in 1802 by the 3rd Duke of Richmond, the Goodwood Racecourse has long been steeped in horseracing heritage. From Lord George Bentinck’s winning horse in the 1836 St Leger, which was transported in secret from Goodwood to Doncaster, to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s horse Love Affair taking its final win, the racecourse has been home to some significant moments in horseracing history.
Situated on the South Downs and hosting 19 race days from May through October, thousands of racegoers flock to one of the world’s most beautiful racecourses each year to enjoy a season of top-class racing and entertainment. With a varied calendar of fixtures, race day highlights include Three Friday Nights, the May Festival, the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar—more affectionately known as Glorious Goodwood—and the Season Finale, to name a few.
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About the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar
The Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar is one of the undisputed highlights of the British flat racing season. Affectionately known as ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ the world-famous five-day festival is a sporting and social occasion like no other, unrivalled style, superb racing, and hospitality experiences to savour mean it’s not to be missed. The 2025 event takes place from Tuesday 29 July to Saturday 2 August. The week is headed by three Group 1 races, including the £500,000 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, the £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes, and the £600,000 Qatar Nassau Stakes.
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About the Markel Magnolia Cup
On Thursday 31 July, 12 dedicated amateur jockeys will ride in the Markel Magnolia Cup following months of intensive training. In 2019, the race captured the eyes of the world when Khadijah Mellah galloped to glory up Goodwood’s home straight. Mellah was 18 years old when she won in spectacular style just months after sitting on a horse for the first time. Previous jockeys have included doctors, Olympians, CEOs, journalists, students, models, and presenters, among them Edie Campbell, Sara Cox, Rosie Tapner, and Vogue Williams. Last year’s winner was Australian-based TV presenter, Lizzie Jelfs.
Fundraising takes place through race and horse sponsorship, as well as at the Regency Ball, a stunning themed evening held at Goodwood House after the Markel Magnolia Cup.
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About Markel
We are Markel, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we operate the Markel Specialty, Markel International, and Markel Global Reinsurance divisions, as well as State National, our portfolio protection and program services operations, and Nephila, our insurance-linked securities operations. Our broad array of capabilities and expertise allow us to create intelligent solutions for the most complex risk management needs. However, it is our people—and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients—that differentiates us worldwide.
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About The British Fashion Council
The British Fashion Council (BFC) is a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1983 with the role to strengthen British fashion in the global economy as a leader in responsible, creative businesses. It does this through championing diversity and building and inviting the industry to actively participate in a network to accelerate a successful circular fashion economy. The BFC promotes British fashion internationally and does so through fashion weeks, exhibitions and showcasing events. The BFC helps British designer businesses develop their profile and business globally and supports fashion talent beginning at college level, extending to talent identification, business support and showcasing schemes.
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About RIXO
Founded in London in 2015, RIXO began in the living room of best friends Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey while they were studying at university. Born from their shared passion for vintage, they wanted to capture the thrill of discovery. Crafting heirlooms-in-the-making and timeless designs made for all seasons, pieces to be cherished and passed down through generations.
RIXO is more than a fashion brand, it’s a movement that invites its inspiring #HumansofRixo community to embrace the art of self-expression and elevate every moment. They fill a unique space in the contemporary market, with limited-edition, one-of-a-kind designs featuring boldly hand-painted prints and elegantly draped silhouettes that move effortlessly with modern life. With inclusive sizing from UK 6-26, vintage-inspired dresses remain at the core of collections, which also includes outerwear, shoes, bags, jewellery, bridal, bridesmaid, and homeware.
The award-winning brand currently has three standalone retail stores in London, including its 5,000 square feet flagship store on the King’s Road, alongside a recently opened store in New York City on Prince Street, Nolita. As the brand continues to grow its international footprint, their unique designs can be found through curated boutiques, global online retailers and iconic department stores — connecting more women to the world of RIXO than ever before.
