Modern Artisan
THE PRINCE’S FOUNDATION
As a final celebration of YOOX NET‑A‑PORTER GROUP’s 20th anniversary, THE OUTNET is proud to introduce our exclusive YOOX NET‑A‑PORTER for The Prince’s Foundation collection. The luxury capsule is an Anglo-Italian collaboration created by talented young designers from The Modern Artisan project, a unique program powered by our group and the educational charity. All profits from the collection will be donated to The Prince’s Foundation, a charity that supports HRH The Prince of Wales’ vision of creating harmonious communities.
A CHARITABLE COLLABORATION
The Prince’s Foundation and our group’s Chairman and CEO, Federico Marchetti, have united in an Anglo-Italian alliance to create The Modern Artisan. The partnership is a new training initiative to equip Italian and UK artisans with the tools to succeed in today’s digital world, where they not only need to excel in their craft, but also understand how to harness modern technology.
THE INSPIRATION
Before designing the collection, the young designers drew inspiration from Italian Polymath of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci. The Anglo-Italian makers particularly admired his fascination with merging art and science, a concept that they felt resonated well with their project’s founding principle, which is to empower innovators of tomorrow by uniting artisanship and cutting-edge technology.
DESIGNED IN ITALY, MADE IN THE UK
The collection was designed in Italy by students from Politecnico di Milano university and manufactured by recent UK graduates at Dumfries House, headquarters of The Prince’s Foundation in Scotland. The Italian Modern Artisans put sustainability at the heart of the cross-country collaboration when sketching, by using YOOX NET‑A‑PORTER GROUP’s extensive customer insights and E-commerce data to produce a lasting capsule that would identify with our customer’s long-term preferences and reduce future waste. Furthermore, the British Modern Artisans used traditional methods of production and naturally-sourced materials from local luxurious fabric producers — including eco-silk from Centro Seta and cashmere and woolens from Scottish heritage mill Johnstons of Elgin — to achieve the highest-quality clothing with long-term value and minimal environmental impact.
THE EXCLUSIVE CAPSULE
The 10-piece collection features timeless wardrobe staples crafted using exceptional tailoring techniques, the finest of fabrications and close attention to detail. Silhouettes are constructed for an immaculate fit but, kept simple, to intentionally draw the gaze to the garments’ intricate details. A few standout pieces from the collaboration include: an elegant belted coat crafted from the softest_ Johnstons of Elgin _cashmere and wool, a herringbone jumpsuit with delicate knot-inspired smocking at the waist and a checked suit in traditional Scottish cashmere tweed.
