Net-a-Porter unveils capsule collection with The King’s Foundation

Luxury e-tailer Net-a-Porter has launched a ready-to-wear luxury capsule collection with The King’s Foundation designed by six fashion graduates at the foundation’s headquarters, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland.

The 13-piece ‘Net-a-Porter for The King’s Foundation’ collection has been inspired by nature and Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s watercolours of the Scottish Highlands and includes bias-cut slip dresses, elevated loungewear and textural knitwear, with emphasis on the use of responsible materials and techniques.

Traditional craftsmanship techniques such as hand smocking and hand sewing along with the development of fabric handling skills, can be seen within the collection, as well as the prioritisation of deadstock materials, the use of naturally dyed fabrics and locally sourced British wool, including from the herd at Dumfries House.

Each piece also contains a Digital ID to tell its story and promote longevity, offering post-purchase care guidance for customers.

The Modern Artisan graduates launch luxury capsule collection on Net-a-Porter

The collection is the result of the third edition of the talent programme for emerging fashion and textiles trainees, The Modern Artisan, run in partnership between Yoox Net-a-Porter and The King’s Foundation. Since 2019, the collaboration has sought to preserve the legacy of traditional craftsmanship and champion a more sustainable approach to luxury fashion.

Vikki Kavanagh, managing director of Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter, said in a statement: “At Net-a-Porter, investing in the next generation of designers is a mainstay commitment, and our partnership with The King’s Foundation reaches far beyond traditional mentorship.

“This year’s artisans have inspired us with their innovative capsule collection, merging responsible design, artisanal skills, and high-quality materials to meet our customers' expectations for luxury fashion.”

This year, six fashion and textiles graduates, including Arielle Uno Ekwang, Daisy Gray, Georgia Wintle, Jessica Horton, Sarah Jane Sleeba and Flavia Nistor, undertook a nine-month paid training programme through the end-to-end process of designing and handcrafting a luxury collection.

They partnered with the private label design team at Yoox Net-a-Porter at their headquarters in London and spent a six-month residency at Dumfries House, where they refined their artisanal skills, including sewing, pattern drafting and quality control.

To date, The Modern Artisan programme has launched the careers of 26 emerging designers and makers over the course of five years.

Jacqueline Farrell, education director at The King’s Foundation, added: “Over the last five years, we have been so proud to see how all of our Modern Artisan graduates have gone on to use what they learnt on the course to launch flourishing careers and businesses in the fashion and textile industry.

“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. This programme is an excellent example of what can be achieved when like-minded organizations work together to nurture new talent, and champion more sustainable ways of working. 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.”

The ‘Net-a-Porter for The King’s Foundation’ collection is available exclusively on Net-a-Porter. 50 percent of the RRP from products sold will be donated to The King’s Foundation to support its innovative training programmes, which benefit more than 15,000 people every year.