The Duchess of Cambridge and The Countess of Wessex host The Commonwealth Fashion Exchange Reception

Tonight The Duchess of Cambridge and The Countess of Wessex hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace on behalf of The Queen to showcase the work of the Commonwealth Fashion exchange.

The Duchess and The Countess had a chance to meet artisans and designers who are working together as part of the project, and had a chance to see some of the fashion pieces on display in the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.

Launched on February 1st, by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Commonwealth Fashion Exchange aims to create partnerships between established and emerging talent from across the 52 member countries, in the lead up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London this April.

The initiative uses fashion as a common language and platform to help people understand the modern Commonwealth in a different way.

It celebrates creativity, sustainable production and manufacturing, trade links and ethical supply chains across the fashion industry, from business and design to textile and fabric design and manufacturing, to craft and artisan skills.

Over the last six months, major fashion designers such as Stella McCartney (UK), Karen Walker (New Zealand) and Bibi Russell (Bangladesh) have partnered with artisan producers in small nations who exemplify traditional handcraft techniques and trades, with a view to creating a 'skills exchange'.

The reception at Buckingham Palace showcased the best of Commonwealth contemporary fashion and creativity with an exhibition of some of the bespoke fashion 'looks' which are the result of these exchanges.

 

The Reception brought together people from across the fashion industry, including designers, manufacturers, textile producers, and craftspeople.

See all of the designs and find out more about the Exchange, which has been created and is being managed by Eco Age.