Chanel Partners With King Charles' Foundation To Train 'Artisan Embroiderers Of The Future'

Chanel and King Charles III's educational charity The Prince's Foundation have collaborated on a new program that trains student designers to become "artisan embroiderers of the future."

The Prince's Foundation, which was founded by Charles when he was a prince, joined forces with Chanel to announce a new Métiers d'art education program in partnership with le19M, the Paris-based multidisciplinary space that houses the French luxury fashion house's Métiers d'art businesses. The French term métiers d'art roughly translates as "art professions," according to Town & Country.

The program is a residential, 24-week intensive embroidery course "designed to challenge and develop creative practice with a focus on skill development and refinement," Women's Wear Daily (WWD) reported.

The Prince's Foundation's education hub director Daniel McAuliffe said the fellowship will focus on "hand embroidery and beading skills" and will include benefits such as access to studio space, expert tuition and materials for students, according to WWD.

The program is being taught at the Chanel Métiers d'art Training Atelier, the foundation's newly established training facility at King Charles' private family estate Highgrove in Gloucestershire, England. Students will also receive tuition at le19M in Paris.

Recent university graduates can apply for the course. Six students will be selected each year and will be awarded bursaries for their living costs. Lessons began at the end of January.

Students are being taught by artisans and highly skilled tutors, WWD reported, citing the program's founders. They will receive mentorship and guidance from the creative directors of the artistic embroidery experts Lesage and Atelier Montex as well as the creative director of Lemarié, which specializes in decorative feathers, flowers and needlework.

McAuliffe said that the Métiers d'art program will provide "opportunities for students to expand their creative process and presentation skills through contextual studies, lectures, presentations and critiques."

McAuliffe added that practice-based learning aims to encourage creativity, build skill-confidence and prepare students to become "artisan embroiderers of the future," per WWD.

Chanel said that the fashion house and The Prince's Foundation aim "to preserve specialist artisan crafts and skills and to nurture opportunities for a new generation." They are supported in the project by le19M, which houses more than 600 artisans from 11 Chanel-owned companies; the training facility École Lesage, and the multidisciplinary gallery, la Galerie du 19M.

Reflecting on the program, The Prince's Foundation director Emily Cherrington said, "This partnership with a global industry leader in Chanel is incredibly exciting for everyone associated with our charity."

She added that they hope that it will "equip students with a wide range of creative and practical skills, geared towards high-end atelier studio practice."

Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel SAS and president of le19M, said the program is an "exciting educational partnership" that is part of their "long-standing vision" to "nurture and develop the specialist skills of the Métiers d'art in order to recruit, train and transmit their savoir-faire to the next generation."

"Initiatives like this program are a way to highlight today's relevance of these traditional métiers, ensuring they have a legitimate place in the creation of tomorrow. It also reaffirms our commitment to artisan skills, innovation and sustainable development," Pavlovsky added.

Last year, The Prince's Foundation launched its second fashion collection in collaboration with Yoox Net-a-Porter.

The collection, designed by eight students, was part of their partnership "The Modern Artisan," which was launched in 2019 to advocate for sustainability and foster young talent.