The CHANEL & King’s Foundation Métiers d’art Embroidery Fellowship in Partnership with le19M is a
residential 24-week intensive embroidery programme designed to challenge and develop creative practice with a focus on skill development and refinement.
This specialist postgraduate-level programme will provide students with intensive training opportunities in the field of Embroidery for Haute Couture and the Luxury Fashion Industry – essential for successful progression into the industry. The Fellowship takes place at The CHANEL Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove, and over two separate weeks at le19M in Paris. Teaching is delivered by artisans and highly skilled tutors, with mentorship and guidance by Creative Directors from Maisons d’art such as Lesage, Atelier Montex and Lemarié. Throughout the programme there are opportunities for students to expand their creative process and presentation skills through contextual studies lectures, presentations and critiques. Only six students are selected each year and awarded bursaries to help towards the cost of living.
This practice-based learning encourages creativity, builds skill-confidence and prepares recent graduates to become artisan embroiderers of the future.
About the Programme
The CHANEL & King’s Foundation Métiers d’art Fellowship in partnership with le19M will equip students with a wide range of creative and practical skills, geared towards high-end atelier studio practice. The Fellowship will focus on hand embroidery and beading skills, providing students with access to studio space, expert tuition and materials.
Contemporary embroiderers must constantly re-invent traditional skills. As such, the course will improve technical ability and encourage creative experimentation and presentation skills, all essential qualities for a successful career in the fashion industry.
A vital part of the creative development process will be the opportunity to gain real-life insight from the ateliers at Le19M in Paris for two separate weeks, with travel and accommodation included.
The course fellowship runs from Monday 27th January to Friday 11th July 2025. Applications for the 2025 fellowship are now closed.
Teaching and Learning
The fellowship is studio based and we require students to have a collaborative approach to teaching and learning. We encourage students to be in The CHANEL Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove, undertaking course activities and research with dedication and commitment. As this is a fully-funded postgraduate-level programme, provided through the generosity of our partnership with CHANEL, we have high expectations of studentship, studio etiquette, productivity and outcomes.
Taught sessions will encourage students to develop their own learning style, create new ideas and learn specialist techniques, as well as featuring group discussions and tutorials. Peer-on-peer support and a positive, collective learning experience are essential requirements of fellowship students.
The course has been developed in partnership with CHANEL and Le 19M to reflect a ‘real-world’ studio culture and expectations. Students will be given the opportunity to reflect upon gained knowledge and skill training during personal tutorial sessions. We encourage students to reflect on their achievements and performance through on-going personal evaluation.
Tutorials, critiques and/or work reviews form an integral part of the programme, and students will see a variety of guest tutors throughout the 24 weeks. Students will be supported by Jamilla Ives, the Curriculum Coordinator, throughout the duration of the programme.
Self-directed sessions are allocated throughout the programme and should be used accordingly. Students are encouraged to prioritise and time-manage their own learning schedule around the timetabled Schedule.
Course Structure
Stage 1: Development
At Stage 1, students will refine and practice skills whilst contextualizing practice. Drawing through observation, developing creative values and creating samples will be core components at this intensive stage of training. Stage 1 includes a week at le19M in Paris, with training delivered by acclaimed tutors at the prestigious Ecole Lesage. Students will be accompanied by staff from the UK.
Stage 2: Exploration
At Stage 2, students will develop concepts and engage in experimentation and research, supported through a structure of tutorials, presentations and contextual discussions. The aim of this stage is to expand on working methodology and concepts with a contemporary focus for Fashion. At the start of Stage 2, students will spend their second week at le19M in Paris, meeting their mentors and being introduced to the Maisons d’art. Students will be accompanied by staff from the UK.
Stage 3: Consolidation
At Stage 3, students will produce final concepts guided by expert tutors and advice from their assigned mentors. Samples will be produced to be exhibited.
What’s Included
- Expert tuition at Ecole Lesage at Le19M in Paris.
- Specialist skills training from The King’s Foundation tutors at The CHANEL Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove.
- The opportunity to develop a unique portfolio, designed to improve your technical dexterity, skill, accuracy and concept development.
- Garden tours, museum visits and research days, enabling students to take inspiration from the Highgrove Estate, the Royal Collection and the Atelier archives.
- Opportunities to use innovative or unconventional materials, alongside traditional materials, as part of your concept and outcome development.
- Access to beautifully appointed studios, free materials and intensive, expert tuition.
- Opportunities to develop your personal career plan and further refine your portfolio and presentation skills for a career within the fashion industry or as a future artisan.
- Application of embroidery techniques to a professional level.
- Mentorships from Directors from Les Maisons d’art at le19m, Paris.
- Accommodation onsite at Highgrove for £400 per month*, which includes weekly laundry and cleaning service, all utilities and Wi-Fi.
- Travel and accommodation for visits to le19M in Paris.
- Access to Barley Court Farmhouse kitchen facilities, dining room and lounge.
- A bursary of £1500 per month towards the cost of living.
Location
The programme is delivered at The CHANEL Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove, in a converted 17th century house and farm buildings which sits on the edge of the Highgrove estate.
Located just a mile away from Tetbury and in beautiful Cotswold countryside, it makes for a picturesque location to escape to and focus on your practice.
You can reach Highgrove by rail, the nearest station being Kemble GWR, with trains to London Paddington, Bristol, Bath and connections to the North. If you want to bring your car, there is easy access to both the M4 and the M5 and plenty of parking on site.
Bristol, Gloucester and Bath are all about 40 mins drive away, whilst Birmingham is 2 hours away and London 2 ½ hours away.
Accomodation
Accommodation is available on site and will be charged at £400 per month. The accommodation consists of a single room with an ensuite shower room. Students will have access to cooking facilities in our shared kitchen and there are plenty of options for eating out in Tetbury, which is only a mile away. All bedding and towels are provided and the rooms will be cleaned once a week.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2026 fellowship will open in summer 2025. Applicants are required to complete a digital application form and submit a short video and a digital portfolio. You can find the application form here
What to include in your digital portfolio
Your portfolio should include 15 – 20 pages summarising your inspiration and approach, creative process and final projects.
- Your portfolio should have a clear visual identity.
- Your portfolio should include examples of your research.
- We would like to see a combination of work in progress as well as images of final outcomes.
- Please explain any narratives and recurrent themes in your work.
- We are interested to see how your work has progressed or evolved – this can be shown through a series of images or drawings. Don’t be afraid to show work that hasn’t been successful if it has helped your work progress.
- Please annotate your images to explain your concept, the scale in millimetres and the material used.
Please send this to us as a pdf file to highgrove@kings-foundation.org Please ensure your name is in the title of the file and mark your email The Métiers d’art Partnership – Embroidery Fellowship.
What to include in your video
We would also like you to submit a short 2 minute video.
- Your short video should be an introduction of yourself, your practice and your personality.
- Your video should be a summary of your application and outline why you are interested in pursuing or developing a career in embroidery and are committed to undertaking an intensive training programme.
- We would like you to talk through a key piece from your portfolio, reflecting on technical process, design development and creative influences.
- We would like you to outline areas of technical skill and design that you would like to develop and how you feel this programme could assist with your future career development.
- We recommend you record your video on a laptop or a phone while sitting at a desk, somewhere well-lit and quiet.
- Face forward and look into the camera.
- If you are using notes, try to use these as prompts rather than reading a script.
- Try to be relaxed and show us your personality.
Please send this to us as an MPEG 4 video file, via We Transfer to highgrove@kings-foundation.org Please ensure your name is in the title of the video and mark your email The Métiers d’art Partnership – Embroidery Fellowship.
Shortlist of candidates
A shortlist of candidates will be selected by a panel of King’s Foundation Directors, staff and expert tutors. The shortlist of candidates will be shared with Artistic Directors from Maisons d’art at le19M such as Lesage, Atelier Montex and Lemarié, where candidates will be selected and called to interview.
Interviews
Interviews will be in person at Highgrove.
Interviews will take place at The CHANEL Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove in Gloucestershire. Interviews will be 40 minutes long, with an opportunity for candidates to present their portfolio, take a tour of the site and accommodation and answer a set of questions. At the end of the interview, candidates will have the opportunity to ask questions about the programme.
The interview panel will consist of staff and tutors from the King’s Foundation and representatives for the le19M in Paris.
