Damask Burnt Orange and Teal Short Kimono (left); Bold Denim Blue & Yellow Damask Short Kimono (right)
Courtesy of The King’s Foundation/Lewis Mackenzie
World
The Curtains at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle Have Been Turned Into Kimonos
King Charles is upcycling royal decor, all in the name of charity.
On Monday, the King’s Foundation (formerly the Prince’s Foundation) opened bids for seven kimonos crafted from the curtains that once hung at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. It was the monarch’s idea to transform the surplus fabric into stylish garb that could raise money for a good cause, as reported by the BBC.
The King put the foundation in touch with royal storerooms at Windsor Great Park so that it could access the unused material. (It dates as far back as the 1950s and up to the ’90s, according to the BBC.) Students from the charity’s batch production skills course were then asked to turn the drapery into modern clothing fit for retail. The resulting collection includes four delft blue floral kimonos, a vintage rose and duck kimino, a burnt orange and teal kimino, and a bold denim blue and yellow damask kimono.
“We hope this project will show what can be done with vintage materials in terms of repurposing and upcycling,” Jacqueline Farrell, education director for the King’s Foundation, said in a statement. “It was a real design challenge for the students in how to make traditional styles of fabric into contemporary, appealing designs. They have created unique garments that are really versatile and reflect a piece of history.”
From left to right: Delft Blue Floral Kimono Coat; Vintage Rose and Duck Egg Short Kimono
Courtesy of The King’s Foundation/Lewis Mackenzie
Other lots in the auction include a night’s stay at Dumfries House. The countryside estate, which Charles and his foundation purchased in 2007, is open to the public year-round and used for a variety of education and training opportunities. You’ll also be able to bid on dinner for 20 at Highgrove, a.k.a. the private residence of King Charles and Queen Camilla. To top it off, the sale includes bespoke book covers by the likes of Kathryn Sargent and Katie Walker.
Money raised from the auction will be used by the foundation to continue training students in traditional craft techniques. Created in 1986, the foundation aims to encourage sustainable practices and foster an appreciation of the natural world. Running out of Dumfries House in Scotland, the nonprofit has already launched a sustainable fashion line (Modern Artisan) and collaborated with French fashion house Chanel to train artisans. It sounds like there will be more royally good threads to come, then.