HRH Prince Charles in Sydney - Campaign for Wool

Five Australian fashion designers have met with Prince Charles during his Australian Tour visit to show off their wool creations in celebration of Australia’s wool industry.

Image Credit: Zimbio.com
As part of The Campaign For Wool, Josh Goot, Dion Lee, Kym Ellery, Camilla Freeman-Topper (of Camilla and Marc) and Akira Isogawa chatted with the prince, who is a patron of international campaign.
Dressing appropriately for the occasion Prince Charles wore a navy suit made of Australian merino wool from Tasmania and designed by UK tailors Anderson and Sheppard.

Hosted by the Australian Wool Innovation the event took place at 
Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Prince even took the time to share a moment with a bottle-fed lamb from South Australia who during the event grazed on the balcony overlooking Sydney Harbour.

Renowned fashion designer Dion Lee, who won the $50,000 Australian prize for the prestigious International Woolmark competition in London earlier this year and is now in the running for the international Woolmark prize, showed the Prince his elegant and edgy tailored grey wool dress design.  "It was a great opportunity to show my brand and the collection to Charles - it's obviously an opportunity that doesn't come around every day," Lee later told AAP. 

 Image Credit: The fashion creations on display, melissahoyer.com

The Sydney-based designer said Prince Charles approved of his winning creation, which features criss-cross rubber film down the back, softened with delicate black blended wool sleeves.  "It was a highlight to be in a room with Prince Charles and with such esteemed members of the Australian fashion industry as well - it was a great moment" added Lee. 

CEO of the Australian Wool Innovation Stuart McCullough said it was a great opportunity to meet with the Prince of Wales and be able to present Australia’s most prominent Campaign for Wool partners.

"With the support and endorsement of its patron, the global Campaign for Wool continues to connect to consumers around the world highlighting the benefits of wool in apparel and interiors" McCullough added.

The Campaign For Wool was launched globally on Australia Day 2010 in an effort to support struggling farmers.

Australia will launch its 2013 WOOL WEEK activities in April/May 2013.