When we hear the word artisan, we tend to think of the past, or maybe of a far-away place where people still make things with their hands. The suggestion is of something humble, crafty, and not entirely relevant to our digital age. In reality, a lot of artisanal work is incredibly complex and high-tech, and it’s more relevant than ever as fashion makes sustainability a bigger priority. The conversation around climate change and responsible fashion has re-centered the voices of artisans and indigenous people, whose traditional practices and ideologies were “eco-friendly” before it was even a concept.

That’s something Prince Charles was thinking about back in 1986 when he launched The Princes Foundation, an initiative to support Scotland’s heritage traditions, from its signature knitwear and tartan to architecture, design, and horticulture. In an interview in British Vogue’s December issue, he spoke of his own longstanding commitment to sustainability: “I’m one of those people who hate throwing anything away. Hence, I’d rather have them maintained, even patched if necessary, than to abandon them… I can’t bear any waste, including food waste; I’d much rather find another use. Which is why I’ve been going on for so long about the need for a circular economy, rather than a linear one where you just make, take, and throw away—which is a tragedy, because inevitably we over-exploit natural resources that are rapidly depleting.”

A few years ago, the Prince Charles met Yoox Net-a-Porter’s CEO Federico Marchetti, who calls the prince an “inspiration” throughout his own sustainability journey. “He was already talking about the effects of plastic in 1969, the year I was born!” he tells Vogue. In 2019, Marchetti and Prince Charles announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration, bringing artisans and students in Italy and Britain together to design and manufacture a sustainable fashion collection. “Our aim was to empower the artisans of tomorrow by marrying the ancient profession of craftsmanship with contemporary technology and data-driven insights,” Marchetti says. “It has been truly inspiring and quite remarkable to see how our trainee artisans have developed their technical skill sets over the course of the program. They have wholeheartedly embraced the aims of the project, fusing heritage artisanal skills with contemporary technologies, committing to sustainability, and working together across borders.”