King Charles charms the catwalk with eco-friendly designs

King Charles has taken his green mission to the fashion runway with an experimental British duo. But not everyone is impressed. Have your say.

King Charles’ clean green mission has now expanded to the fashion runway, with a “world first” collaboration with Britain’s top fashion designer.

The King, 74, has sent British fashion designers Vin + Omi green waste from his rambling Sandringham Estate in Norfolk to create fashionable threads for their latest collection Omnia, meaning everything.

Fashioned from the leaves and stalks of an invasive Chinese weed called the Giant Butterbur, the fashion duo designed a gold floor length robe that stole the runway show at One Hundred Shoreditch Hotel on Monday night.

“The Giant Butterbur grows next to one of the Sandringham Lakes in view of the royal residence and we spent time on the estate,” a statement from Vin + Omi read.

“This dress is kind of a bronze gold and looks different from the rest of the collection. The fabric feels like heavy silk. There’s also an orange jacket made from Sandringham nettles and dyed with Turmeric in the latest collection.

A model walks the runway during the VIN + OMI show in London, England. Picture: Getty Images

The King sent British fashion designers Vin + Omi green waste from his rambling Sandringham Estate. Picture: Getty Images

“Throughout the year we develop new techniques and textiles that consider all eco and environmental aspects, ethics, innovation, social impact projects, education and hopefully creativity and fun.

“For this collection we reveal a world‘s first in collaboration with HRH King Charles III.”

VIN + OMI have collaborated with the green King since 2019.

The new collection uses organic and non materials from his Sandringham Estate in Norfolk with the help of the estate’s head gardener Jack Lindfield who regularly works with the designers to identify materials that are naturally available from the residence from the royal private residence set in twenty thousand acres including cellulose waste, plastic and nettles.

VIN + OMI have collaborated with the green King since 2019. Picture: Getty Images

The British designers have previously had tea with the King. Picture: Getty Images

But not everyone is impressed with News Corp readers panning the designs.

“Those dresses are seriously ugly,” one reader reacted.

Another said, “Thanks, but I’d rather wear a garbage bag. Same look but a lot cheaper.”

The designs left one reader “Speechless!”.

The British designers have previously had tea with the King when he suggested various plants that could be recycled for fashion from his Highgrove Estate.

Since then they have developed a range of textiles and garments in collaboration with HRH, including pieces from nettles, bog cotton, yarn from wood, and cow parsley, as well as horse hair from the stables and even regularly receive personal letters of encouragement from the sovereign.

“He’s very happy for us to take anything that is going to waste that he doesn’t use,” Vin previously told PA news agency.

“He’s pretty good because he uses most things, he recycles most things – it’s very impressive. It’s not just an act, a lot of people say ‘Oh, I’ll recycle that’ – he does it. He really does. And he does it with a sense of humour as well.”

Originally published as King Charles charms the catwalk with eco-friendly designs