FEL to Support the YOOX NET – A – PORTER The Modern Artisan Programme 2024

YOOX NET-A-PORTER and The King’s Foundation is currently supporting six creative fashion talents in the third edition of The Modern Artisan programme.

YOOX NET-A-PORTER, the online luxury, fashion and style destination, and The King’s Foundation, His Majesty King Charles III’s charitable foundation, provide a nine-month paid training journey that will see the artisan’s immersed in responsible design and craftsmanship principles.

Applications for the third cohort saw over 60 graduates apply from more than 30 fashion schools across the UK, the six trainee artisans selected are:

• Daisy Gray, 23, from Hertfordshire. Daisy is a graduate of Kingston University.
• Jessica Horton, 31, from Hampshire. Jessica is a graduate of Bournemouth University of Arts.
• Flavia-Maria Nistor, 23. Originally from Romania and living in London, Flavia is a graduate of Staffordshire University.
• Sarah Jane Sleeba, 26. Originally from India and living in London, Sarah is a graduate of Kingston University and National Institute of Fashion Technology India.
• Georgia Wintle, 23, from Gloucestershire. Georgia is a graduate of University of South Wales.
• Arielle Uno-Ekwang, 22, from London. Arielle is a graduate of University of Brighton.

The programme works alongside over 40 brand partners and industry experts, one of which is Fashion-Enter Ltd. At FEL’s Haringey HQ the group will be supported on patterns, toiles, grading and cutting. The programme champions clear sustainability and circularity design guidelines which FEL endorses within its teaching and manufacturing practices.

During the three-month design training the artisans will work alongside the YOOX NET-A-PORTER in-house teams, learning how to leverage data insights to design the collection with the NET-A-PORTER customer in mind. Followed by a six-month placement at Dumfries House, The King’s Foundation’s headquarters in Ayrshire, Scotland, to manufacture the collection while learning specialist craftsmanship skills.

The artisans’ learning experience will result in the creation of a luxury capsule collection, which, in a unique opportunity for new graduates, will retail exclusively on NET-A-PORTER in the second half of 2024. 50% of the RRP from products sold will be donated to The King’s Foundation.

Vikki Kavanagh, Managing Director, NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER comments: “Our partnership with The King’s Foundation is rooted in a shared commitment to equip rising stars in our industry with skills for success, furthering the legacy of mentoring schemes we take pride in running across YOOX NET-A-PORTER. By supporting today’s emerging designers, we continue to lay foundations for a future where luxury fashion can be synonymous with responsible design. We look forward to seeing the vision of the talented artisans come to life through an exciting capsule collection for our NET-A-PORTER customers later this year.”

Jacqueline Farrell, The King’s Foundation’s Education Director at Dumfries House said: “We are proud to announce the third edition of The Modern Artisan, which builds on the success of our partnership with YOOX NET-A-PORTER in delivering a holistic education experience for the next generation of fashion and textiles professionals. Six exceptionally talented students on this programme will be aiming to demonstrate their creative ideas and skills, their commitment to sustainable practices and respect for nature, and, ultimately, their ability to follow in the footsteps of the Modern Artisan graduates who have gone on to launch successful careers in the industry. The highlight of the programme for many, of course, is the launch of the responsibly-produced collection designed and manufactured by the students, which everyone at The King’s Foundation is keenly anticipating later this year.”

Image courtesy of YOOX NET-A-PORTER