He's been at the forefront of sustainable fashion for years and now the Prince of Wales is backing a luxury clothing line created by students supported by his charity. The Modern Artisan project, launched by The Prince's Foundation, will see students from the UK and Italy create a sustainable capsule collection of menswear and womenswear as part of a new textiles skills training scheme.
WATCH: Prince Charles supports The Modern Artisan Project
Six UK graduates will take part in a specially-designed four-month training course in luxury small batch production skills at Dumfries House in Scotland, working on designs by six Italian students from Politecnico di Milano. The Foundation is collaborating with the global online retailer YOOX Net-a Porter, which will sell the collection across its brands Yoox, Net-A-Porter, Mr Porter and The Outnet from the middle of next year. Profits will be donated to the charity.
Charles with the students and Federico Marchetti at Dumfries House. Credit: Mike Wilkinson
Charles met the students and Yoox Net-A-Porter chairman Federico Marchetti at Dumfries House, the Scottish estate which he has transformed into a hub for local employment, training and community activities. The Ayrshire site already offers textiles training both in the stately home itself and in a converted sawmill in the grounds. The UK students will learn how to work with wool, cashmere and silk for the collection, which they will develop alongside their Italian counterparts during cultural exchanges in Milan and Scotland.
Charles, who favours repairing and recycling clothes over buying new, has been known to wear suits and shoes that are decades old, and champions the use of sustainable textiles, such as wool.
Jacqueline Farrell, education director for The Prince's Foundation at Dumfries House, said its education programmes were inspired by his vision. "Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, so we are proud to have partnered with Yoox Net-A-Porter group to deliver this truly innovative training programme," she said.
Prince Charles with Federico Marchetti. Credit: Mike Wilkinson
Federico Marchetti said the project will also focus on fusing "traditional craft with digitally-infused creativity" and "do so sustainably, following the example of HRH The Prince of Wales, who has dedicated the last 40 years to building a more sustainable future."
Charles is the second member of the royal family to put his name to a capsule clothing collection this year, after the Duchess of Sussex unveiled the Smart Set line in aid of her Smart Works charity in September.
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