Aintree unveils new look Ladies Day including a big name Style Awards partner

Aintree Racecourse has unveiled a new look for Ladies Day at this year’s Randox Grand National – and that includes a big high street fashion collaboration for the Style Awards.

River Island has been announced as an official style partner of Ladies Day which attracts crowds of around 50,000 racegoers every year to the Friday of the festival.

The Style Awards will also see its prize package double from 2023, to a value of more than £10,000.

And, instead of one overall winner plus a second and third place, there’ll be two Best Dressed women or men chosen by a panel of judges and, for the first time ever, a Sustainable Style Award will go to the racegoer combining fashion with sustainability.

That could mean a gorgeous pre-loved dress from a resale site like Vinted or Depop, a vintage gem or even a charity shop bargain could claim a prize worth £2,000 for its owner if it’s got the necessary wow factor.

Judges, including The Guide’s own Gemma and Aintree ambassador, world champion boxer Natasha Jonas, will pick out two Best Dressed who’ll each receive a top prize of £4,000 to spend at River Island.

Depending on who impresses on the day, that could be two women, two men or a woman and a man – it’s entirely down to whose sense of style stands out from the crowd.

James Rennard, marketing manager at Aintree Racecourse, says they’re excited to be partnering with one of the biggest names in British fashion.

“We’ve had some great partners for the Style Awards over the last 10 years but this is the most high-profile brand that we’ve aligned with and it feels like a really good fit for us so we’re absolutely delighted that they’ve agreed to come onboard.

“River Island is an iconic retailer that’s been at the forefront of British high street fashion for over 60 years so that overlays perfectly with our brand and the diverse crowd we attract.”

Gemma Scarfe, Marketing Director at River Island says: “Ladies Day at Aintree is an important moment in our customers’ calendars – it’s a stylish day out that marks the start of summer. We’re excited to be there as an Official Style Partner and sponsor of the Style Awards for 2024. We can’t wait to see racegoers having fun with fashion and creating lasting memories.”

James says introducing an environmentally conscious Sustainable Style Award is something that Aintree and River Island are committed to.

“We discussed it and explained that it felt important for us, it’s a big step, and River Island were really behind that so we’ve produced it together.

“We’re obviously really proud of the Style Award but we’re also trying to futureproof it. That’s why we’ve specifically included sustainable outfits this year which could be from one of the resale sites, a vintage shop or charity shop, or have been created using recycled fabrics.”

Tickets for all three days of the Grand National weekend are already flying out and The Guide will be there with our team of Jay, Gemma and Pete to bring full coverage of all the action from around the course.

With three huge prize packages to be won, Ladies Day is shaping up to be one of the best yet, and there’s an added bonus for anyone who’s planning to head to the Red Rum Garden where the Style Award is held.

That’s always a big social hub with live entertainment and DJs and new for 2024, it’s got 60% more wet weather cover, so there’s less risk of getting soaked in a downpour, and the stage has been elevated so racegoers at the back will be able to see the DJ better and get more involved.

“Those are changes we’ve made in response to customer feedback following last year’s Grand National,” adds James. “They told us that’s what they want to see, and we’ve done it, so we’re really looking forward to even more people enjoying the Red Rum Garden this year.”