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The Prince Charles and the Fashion
by Modem – Posted November 12 2020
© Modem

Yoox-net-a-porter and The Prince's Foundation have started a collaboration by launching a luxury ready-to-wear collection of 18 garments for men and women.

The project is called The Modern Artisan and aims to strengthen tailoring skills and professionally train apprentice craftsmen in the UK and Italy.
The plus is also given by the sustainability factor: the wools come from Scotland, while the silk yarns are Italian. Since 2009 Yoox has been actively committed to the concept of sustainability and the attempt to escape fast fashion in favor of a durable and timeless collection has largely been achieved with high-quality local raw materials.

If you are wondering how young designers had access to the conception of such an ambitious project, the answer lies behind the name of Federico Marchetti, Chairman, and Ceo of Yoox-Net-a-porter Group. Marchetti provided five years of data on the purchase preferences of 4.3 million Yoox customers, offering young designers the opportunity to create collections that respond as closely as possible to the tastes of future buyers.

The project, born in the year of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, also drew inspiration from the great artist: Leonardo's knots, for example, or his studies on drapery guided the women's models.

The collection is the ideal seal of the celebration of the highest Italian and British craftsmanship, offering an exclusive possibility of study and a springboard towards the world of work in the fashion sector.

Six Italian students from Politecnico School in Milan led the design of the collection, while British artisans were trained at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The Prince’s Foundation in Ayrshire, Scotland, producing most of the collection in the estate’s Textile Training Centre.

"I was hugely impressed by the efforts, ideas and vision shown by the artisans of the UK and Italy," said Prince Charles; “I hope they retain a wealth of knowledge from this experience and have understood how a sustainable approach to design and manufacturing can be useful and applicable to their businesses or future careers. The key for me is to rediscover the importance of nature, to understand where natural materials come from and how they can be used surprisingly and innovatively. After all, nature is the source of everything ”.

All proceeds from the sale of the collection will go to The Prince's Foundation, which offers courses exclusive and immersive, designed to safeguard and preserve textile craft skills and traditions.