My Year as Part of The King’s Foundation 35 Under 35

Almost a year on from being announced as part of The King’s Foundation 35 Under 35, I’ve been reflecting on what has been one of the most memorable stages of my career so far.

As a young maker in the UK, getting your work seen isn’t always easy. So, when I received the news that I had been selected, I was genuinely grateful, especially to be recognised for the story I’ve been trying to tell through my creative work: a celebration of Caribbean heritage, a tribute to the Windrush Generation, and a commitment to keeping traditional Caribbean crafts alive.

For those who don’t know my work, I’m a fashion designer and textile artist specialising in raffia embroidery inspired by traditional Caribbean crafts. Everything I create is inspired by my Caribbean heritage, my grandparents’ story, and the legacy of the Windrush Generation. In 2026, I wrote my debut book Raffia Embroidery sharing my love and passion for the craft.

I first spotted the call-out for The King’s Foundation 35 Under 35 on Instagram. I’d already heard wonderful things from fellow makers I’d met along the way who had completed programmes with The King’s Foundation. Plus, the Foundation’s commitment to keeping traditional crafts alive and championing sustainability felt closely aligned with my own values so applying made sense for me.

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of attending some truly special events, meeting an incredible community of talented makers and creatives, and experiencing moments I honestly couldn’t have imagined. I’m excited to share it all with you!

Founded by King Charles III in 1990, when he was Prince of Wales, The King’s Foundation is a global charity inspired by His Majesty’s philosophy of Harmony, the idea that by working in harmony with nature, rather than against it, we can create a more sustainable future. The Foundation advocates for change across:

• education and sustainability
• farming and agriculture
• traditional arts and crafts
• health and wellbeing
• architecture and urbanism.

The charity offers education courses, as well as health and wellbeing programmes. It also leads regeneration projects in the UK and overseas, having made an impact in many countries since 1990.

The King’s Foundation is headquartered at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, its flagship regeneration project, and acts as custodian of historic Royal sites including Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire and the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland. In London, the Foundation runs educational and cultural hubs at The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames, and The Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.

The Foundation’s study programmes span a wide range of disciplines, including:

• fashion and textiles
• traditional arts
• fine and applied arts
• architecture
• horticulture
• furniture making
• arts and crafts
• farming
• hospitality

The aim of the network was to bring together an outstanding group of young people who can go on to champion the Foundation’s work across a range of areas. Some members of the network have studied with the Foundation before; others, like me, were new to it.

Being selected as a British designer, with Caribbean heritage, working to preserve Windrush heritage through craft, felt particularly significant. My work is all about keeping culture alive through crafts, and that felt in the spirit of what the Foundation stands for.

Over the course of the year, The King's Foundation 35 Under 35 network came together for a series of events across some iconic locations in the UK for The King’s Foundation. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

It was the first time almost all 35 of us were in the same room, and the energy was amazing. Meeting the rest of the group, each with their own specialism, alongside members of the Foundation’s team who were clearly so passionate about their work, made for a really special evening.

We were each presented with our official 35 Under 35 pin, which we were to wear at all official events throughout the year, a lovely touch! And I must mention the Highgrove apple juice on offer that evening - I enjoyed it so much I made a note to pick up a bottle when we visited later in the year (spoiler: I did!).

Earlier on the same day as the launch party, a small group of us had the opportunity to show our work to HRH Princess Eugenie at the Garrison Chapel. Princess Eugenie is a Director at Hauser & Wirth and supports several charitable organisations in the fields of conservation, art, and health, including Tate Modern and The Serpentine. She was also one of the mentors for the 35 Under 35 programme.

I chose to bring my ‘You Called We Came’ bag, one of my favourite pieces from my graduate Windrush Collection. It was a privilege to share not just the craftsmanship of the raffia embroidery, but the its story - the history of the Windrush Generation.

Princess Eugenie was warm and engaged and she seemed to genuinely appreciate the colours, the detail, and the meaning behind the piece. It’s always particularly meaningful to share the work with someone who has a real appreciation for art and craft.

Next up was a visit to Highgrove Gardens, Gloucestershire in July - the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. I took the train from Paddington to meet the rest of the 35, and we were met with taxis to take us to the estate. The gardens are open to the public between April and October, with all proceeds helping to fund the charity’s work.

Midway through the tour, we stopped at the area where the Foundation runs its educational programmes at Highgrove, including the Snowdon School of Furniture. We had the opportunity to take part in a mini embroidery workshop with alumni of the CHANEL & King’s Foundation Métiers d’art Embroidery Fellowship. As someone who works with mostly raffia embroidery, getting a taste of luxury embroidery techniques was really interesting and enjoyable, and a reminder of how much there is to learn about embroidery and textiles.

We finished the day with afternoon tea. And yes, I visited the gift shop and came home with the Highgrove apple juice and some honey - both delicious!

I had never been to Scotland before, so the trip to Dumfries House was particularly exciting for me. I took the train from Euston to Glasgow, meeting some of the 35 and The King’s Foundation team on the train, and we were met by a coach which took us through the Scottish countryside to the 2,000-acre Dumfries House estate in Ayrshire. It was nice getting out of London and into the Scottish countryside!

We spent two days at the Foundation’s headquarters. On the first day, we were taken on a tour of the estate and had the chance to learn about all of the education programmes on offer, including in:

• STEM
• fashion and textiles
• farming
• hospitality

It was impressive to see the everything the Foundation delivers in one place.

Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision is available to stream on Prime Video. I’d really recommend watching it if you're interested in sustainability or traditional crafts.

If this post has raised your interest in The King’s Foundation’s work, it’s well worth exploring their education and training programmes. They offer courses for people of all ages and backgrounds, designed to protect traditional skills and improve access to the natural world.

Disciplines include traditional arts, fashion and textiles, fine and applied arts, architecture, horticulture, furniture making, arts and crafts, farming, and hospitality. Courses take place across their UK locations:

From short introductory workshops to longer fellowship programmes, such as the CHANEL & King’s Foundation Métiers d’art Embroidery Fellowship, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply curious.

Looking back, this year has reinforced my belief that the work of preserving cultural heritage through craft really matters. It’s not only an enjoyable creative activity but is also a form of keeping history and traditional alive. Many traditional craft skills are endangered and if we don’t actively work to preserve, learn, and teach them, they’ll disappear. That would be a huge loss.

Being part of this network has also strengthened my sense of purpose around using raffia as a sustainable material. It’s a natural fibre with a long history in craft traditions, and there’s real value in continuing to highlight materials like this, particularly at a time when the conversation around sustainability in fashion is important.

As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, I think the case for handmade craft grows stronger. There’s something special about objects made by hand - the time, skill, and story in each piece.

I’ve made wonderful connections through the 35 Under 35 network, both with fellow makers and with the King’s Foundation team, who have been genuinely supportive throughout. I’m hoping those relationships continue going forward.

Being part of The King’s Foundation 35 Under 35 has given me some of the most memorable experiences of my career to date. I’m incredibly grateful to the Foundation for putting together such a thoughtful and inspiring programme.

If you’re a young maker or creative thinking about applying to any of the King’s Foundation educational programmes, I’d encourage you to go for it!

If you’d like to follow my journey going forwards, follow me on Instagram @tiharasmith or sign up to my mailing list below.