A First for Eton: Designing the Female Masters’ Uniform

September 2025 marks a historic moment at Eton College: the introduction of the very first uniforms designed specifically for the female Masters. For me, and for Pen to Peg, this is more than a project — it’s a design legacy.

Until now, female Masters at Eton were indistinguishable from catering staff, and their attire lacked parity with the iconic uniforms worn by their male colleagues. This was not just a matter of aesthetics, but of visibility, authority, and representation within one of the world’s most prestigious schools.

The new uniforms change that. Female Masters now stand proudly alongside their male counterparts, wearing garments designed specifically for the female form — styles that balance elegance with practicality, movement, and comfort. Working with Alfred Brown Mills in Yorkshire, we sourced exceptional British suiting fabrics that combine heritage craftsmanship with enduring quality.

Designing for women presents unique challenges, but also opportunities. Every detail matters: the ability to move freely while teaching, comfort across seasons, and the inclusion of functional features often overlooked in women’s tailoring. Pockets, for example, became a central design consideration — not just for practicality, but as a conscious act of redressing a long-standing design imbalance.

As Caroline Criado Perez highlights in her book Invisible Women, the absence of pockets in women’s clothing is not a trivial fashion oversight, but a reflection of the broader “gender data gap.” For centuries, men retained large and practical pockets, while women’s were designed out of garments — a decision tied to controlling women’s independence as they gained greater rights and visibility in public life. Criado Perez argues that this exclusion is emblematic of a society that has consistently designed for men while failing to recognise the needs of women.

By addressing these considerations — from cut and fabric to comfort and functionality — this collection ensures that female Masters at Eton are not only seen but respected, equal in both presence and practicality to their male colleagues.

This is a timeless, classic collection, built to last for years to come, and one that I hope will be remembered as a turning point: the moment when design truly elevated tradition, visibility, and equality at Eton.