Sheep at King’s Foundation HQ provide wool for fashion collection

Wool from sheep that graze at the King’s charitable foundation has been used to make a clothes collection inspired by nature and Queen Victoria’s watercolours.

The clothing was designed by six fashion graduates taking part in the Modern Artisan training program offered by the King’s Foundation and luxury fashion line Yoox Net-a-Porter.

The 13-piece capsule collection includes bias-cut slip dresses and stylish loungewear and knitwear that emphasises the use of responsible materials and techniques, and natural dyes.

Jacqueline Farrell, education director at the King’s Foundation said: “Inspired by the natural world, this year’s artisans have worked tirelessly to develop and hand-craft a unique capsule collection that will stand the test of time.”

She added: “Everything we do here at the King’s Foundation is inspired by His Majesty King Charles III’s vision of harmony, promoting traditional skills and providing holistic, collaborative training for the fashion and textiles professionals of tomorrow.”

The King’s Foundation, formerly the Prince’s Foundation, is run from Dumfries House in East Ayrshire and promotes the built environment, heritage, culture and education projects and was formed as part of a reorganisation of 21 of Charles’s charities in the year he turned 70.

It is inspired by Charles’s philosophical beliefs in harmony, balance with the natural world and sustainability.

The foundation’s Modern Artisan project with Yoox Net-a-Porter gives students from the UK the chance to design and make the sustainable line of outfits as part of a textiles skills training initiative.

The new collection includes a special oversized handknit scarf using “The King’s Clip”, a unique yarn developed for the first time from the fleeces of three flocks of sheep kept at Dumfries House.

Native heathers from the Scottish Highlands were used to create a distinctive khaki green natural dye featured in a two-piece lounge suit.

The designs were also inspired by watercolours of the Scottish Highlands by Queen Victoria and artist Carl Haag, held at Windsor Castle by the Royal Collection Trust.

Half of the retail price of the garments, available on the Net-a-Porter website, will be donated to the foundation to support its innovative training programs.