A portrait of the king in his youth: the style guide of Carlos III, in a rural and sustainable chic

In formal moments, with protocol dictating the most predictable options, or in a relaxed atmosphere, with any sporting activity setting the tone for ease. In any of the scenarios, it will be said that the heir who would ascend to the throne on September 8, 2022 never deviated from a markedly classic style. The impeccably cut suits by Anderson & Sheppard, the shirts by Turnbull & Asser, the timeless Scottish skirts that paraded so many times in the Balmoral refuge and even a series of other pieces by Barbour or Burberry, the labels of choice to compose a “chic” outfit. ”. rural” perfect, they are a regular presence in the wardrobe of Carlos III.

However, don’t be mistaken if you think that the apparent predictability of appearance is impervious to future trends. This is the image of an English gentleman par excellence, but who intensely lives the role of founder and patron of The Campaign for Wool, for example. Yes, the well-known environmental concerns of the sovereign who succeeded Elizabeth II extend to clothing and accessories, and Carlos has actively promoted the use of wool as a sustainable fiber. In relation to this commitment, Tatler recalls the collaboration with emblematic brands such as Johnston of Elgin or the large-scale art installations, with this material, at Dumfries House. Not to mention promoting the circular economy through initiatives such as Sustainable Markets. Seen this way, at a time when recycling options are advocated, buying less and more sensibly are trends, it seems that the then Prince of Wales already specialized in this formula. Not by chance, Carlos has a pair of coats he’s worn heavily since the ’80s.

The terracotta brown coat is one of the recurring pieces in the winter wardrobe of the now King Charles III © Getty Images

In 2020, for the British edition of Vogue magazine, he spoke with Edward Enninful about his relationship with fashion and his style in particular. When asked by the creative director where he came from, Carlos joked, “I thought it was like a broken clock: it works out twice a day. But… I’m so glad you think I have style. I take care of the details and the combination of colors. I am lucky to find wonderful craftsmen, who allow me to extend the life of the pieces. I am one of those people who puts his shoes to repair, or any other parts, instead of just throwing them away. From an economic point of view, I really think there is a great opportunity for small companies involved in repairs and conservation”, defended the then prince. “My style comes back in fashion every 25 years,” he said.

Sustainable, therefore, and elegant. For the past few decades, clothing choices haven’t been the main topic of conversation when it came to Carlos, but over time the pages of men’s magazines gave up: without realizing it, a series of basics and accessories were only became mandatory. for the eldest son of Elizabeth II who discreetly set the tone and inspired his contemporaries. A riding boots, trench coat (which he used in Portugal, during his visit in 1987), the collars, the beige suits, the tweed coats, the sunglasses or the short-sleeved shirts you wore on vacation, helped to consolidate this immaculate portrait, whether at a polo match – a favorite modality in his youth – hunting, skiing, windsurfing or an exclusive evening. It’s hard to pick the most irreverent look but if we quickly recall Diana’s famous shearling sweater, perhaps the Hermès yellow alternative she wore to a polo match in Windsor is right up there.

Proof that it has never been fashionable, there is something that is clearly missing from its vocabulary and drawers: Jean. “The most amazing thing about him is the fact that he doesn’t follow trends and always manages to be fashionable. Carlos continued to wear tight coats when everyone else stopped wearing them. It was a brave step, perhaps unconscious, but it was worth it because it became his brand image”, defended Jeremy Hackett, from the well-known brand Hackett, quoted by Esquire, who in 2007 ruled that Carlos was the true element with the most style, the man whose “The wardrobe never went out of style because it was never in style to begin with.”.

Also according to the publication, the new monarch will have some aspects in her favor in terms of style. On the one hand, the physical structure inherited from her father, on the other, the aristocratic inspiration, in a way borrowed from the previous Prince of Wales, Edward, Duke of Windsor, an icon of the 20s and 30s of the last century. in the fashion chapter.

In a rural setting, one of his brand images © Getty Images

Whether it’s shoes, almost always John Lobb, or Saville Row creations (with double-breasted blazers among his favourites), Carlos bets on it lasting, once admitting that he still wears a coat from 1969. Dia is a gray model complemented by dandy details, while the dark variant chosen for the end of travel has been around for at least three decades. The suit he chose for his wedding day with Camilla, in 2005, was made seven years earlier, and in 2018, at his youngest son’s wedding to Meghan Markle, he showed up in a suit at the age of 36. It’s official: Carlos already mastered the fashionable art of going to the fashion trunk long before the expression “archive” was coined, which is not to say that he allows monotony to set in. According to Esquire, manages to change clothes five times a day and uses four or five employees to guarantee the state of perfection of the clothing —it is also said that he has a person specially in charge of taking care of the impeccable state of his shoelaces, a faithful mirror of his obsession with details—.

“Every time you get out of a car, you check the buttons, check the pockets, and then say hello. [É] the same movement every time”, described Josh O’Connor, the actor who gave life to Carlos in the popular Netflix series The Crown, quoted by GQ.

In Fiji in 1974

If in the domestic context he never got carried away by the ephemerality of trends, outdoors, in representation of his kingdom, he cultivated another iconic image. Is Carlos going to Texas? Dress like a real Texan. The same recipe was followed in many other destinations over the years, from Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan, and the then prince often made for plenty of hilarious moments. The images of Carlos with turbans, unexpected accessories with feathers on his head or cowboy hats go down in history —like that record from the 70s, in Canada, when he chose a millennial pink suit

The relationship with the clothing, and the respective codes, manifested itself in another unprecedented step when we think of a prominent element of the royal family. In 2020, well-known environmentalist Carlos would launch his own clothing capsule collection, in a collaboration between his foundation and online retailer YOOX. Modernist? Maybe not so much. “Prince Charles has always been on the border between exaggeration and sanity,” described Patrick Grant of Norton & Co in the elegant biblical article The Rake that summarizes the style lessons of the now monarch. “Prince Charles is not a trendsetter as we don’t see other men imitating his style. […] He still wears the kind of clothes his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the other male members of the royal family wore: smart, conventional and appropriate to his role and stage in life, but above all the best. Could be it. British tailors can produce,” says royal biographer Hugo Vickers.