It was only released today, and already most items in Prince Charles’ new sustainable luxury his and hers clothing range is either sold out or low in stock.
The collection, launched in collaboration with Italian retail group, Yoox Net-A-Porter, is made up of 18 pieces, including ten items for women and eight for men.
Despite the hefty price tags, ranging from £395 to £1295, the clothing line is appearing to be a success – with mostly only one or two products of each size and design thought to be available.
The range was created as part of the The Modern Artisan project – a fashion training programme co-founded by The Prince’s Foundation.
It was designed in Italy before being produced – mainly by hand – by students learning traditional skills at Dumfries House, the organisation’s headquarters in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Prince of Wales and Yoox Net-a-Porter group Chairman and CEO Federico Marchetti with Modern Artisan trainee Jillian Halfpenny in September 2020
It was only released today, and already most items in Prince Charles’ new sustainable luxury his and hers clothing range (pictured) is either sold out or low in stock
Despite a hefty price tag, with costs ranging from £395 to £1295, the clothing line is appearing to be a runaway success – with only one or two products of each four sizes and designs thought to be available online (pictured)
The Prince of Wales, 71, said he believes it is ‘utter madness to have a take, make, throw away approach’ to clothing in a clip released to celebrate the project.
Prince Charles, who is an advocate of sustainable fashion and is often seen wearing the same garments again and again, recently told British Vogue how he preferred to get items ‘repaired, rather than just throw it away’.
His new project, part of a long-term partnership between The Prince’s Foundation and Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, was created in the hopes of strengthening traditional textile skills in the UK and Italy.
Designed by six Italian students from the leading fashion school Politecnico di Milano, the collection includes a men’s cashmere turtleneck sweater, a women’s double-breasted wool camel coat and a burnt orange blouse.
It also boasts a checked suit jacket and matching wide leg trousers, a women’s navy jumpsuit, a white shirt and a grey cashmere bomber jacket.
Designed by six Italian students from the leading fashion school Politecnico di Milano, the collection (pictured) includes a men’s cashmere turtleneck sweater, a women’s double-breasted wool camel coat and a burnt orange blouse
The collection (pictured) boasts a checked suit jacket and matching wide leg trousers, a women’s navy jumpsuit, a white shirt and a grey cashmere bomber jacket
The collection was made by six British artisans who undertook training in small batch production skills at Dumfries House, allowing them to craft the majority of the items by hand in the estate’s Textile Training Centre.
During the manufacturing process, the artisans learnt advanced technical production skills such as industrial sewing, pattern drafting and quality control, while also developing the expertise to handle wool, cashmere and silk fabrics to ensure garment finishes meet the requirements of the luxury market.
These skills were formally recognised with the manufacturing artisans completing a Modern Apprenticeship Award in Heritage Textiles in partnership with Glasgow Clyde College.
The knitwear was manufactured at Johnstons of Elgin’s knitwear mill in Hawick, Scotland, where all of the artisans learnt about the British knitwear development process.
Speaking about the new collection, Prince Charles said: ‘I’m enormously impressed by the effort that’s gone into it and by the ideas, the vision, that these students have had.’
The collection was designed in Italy before being produced – mainly by hand – by students learning traditional skills at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The Prince’s Foundation in Ayrshire, Scotland. Pictured: Prince Charles with Federico Marchetti
British Modern Artisans working on the collection at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The Prince’s Foundation in Ayrshire, Scotland
Yoox Net-A-Porter group Chairman and CEO Federico Marchetti demonstrates Digital ID to the Prince of Wales earlier this year. Each style is equipped with a digital ID, providing the story behind the product
He added: ‘The key it seems to me, is to rediscover the importance that nature plays in all this and where the natural materials come from. It seems utter madness to have this approach which takes, makes and throws away.
‘I think many of the students have perfected the techniques they were finding quite difficult at the beginning…
‘And hopefully they’ll take away that understanding of sustainability in design and fashion by applying it to their own businesses they want to start.’
The royal was pictured visiting the Scottish team to see the collection across the last 18 months. Social distancing measures were followed for those shots taken since March, according to The Prince’s Foundation.
All profits from the collection, which have been created to ‘last a lifetime and beyond’ will go to The Prince’s Foundation to support its textile education programmes.
Each style is equipped with a digital ID, providing the story behind the product, its materials, the artisans who designed and made it, as well as care and repair recommendations to enable customers to treasure these pieces for years to come.