TARTAN’s Comeback
From the sublime to the ridiculous, the world of feminine high fashion is a roller-coaster ride
of transient trends and glamour gimmicks dreamed-up by designers who often seem to be
more concerned with their own outsized egos than they are with the basic needs of women.
All of which leaves plenty of room for those producing classic garments characterised by
genuine quality. It’s a niche in which tartan’s eternal elegance comes into its own. SCOTS
Editor, Susan Cromarty, reports. Photographs by Kinloch Anderson.
T
here was a time, 20 to 30 years ago, when of autumnal oranges, reds and greens,” Sally said,
tartan seemed to be on every woman’s “while the textiles include lovely big thick tweeds in
hips. In those days no lady’s wardrobe autumn tones. Another of the themes we’re looking
was complete without at least two or three at is Highland Frost. That’s a very cool palette of icy
nicely tailored, pleated or plain, tartan skirts. They hues with pink tones. That theme tells the tale of
were the heady boom years for Scotland’s national Scotland’s changing landscape through the winter
cloth when manufacturers like Edinburgh’s Kinloch months. These themes give us wonderful colours that
Anderson made an astonishing 100,000 skirt a year we then translate into our own Kinloch Anderson
and earned the Queen’s Award for Export. But for tartans and house check. Our overseas licensees are
every boom there’s bound to be a bust and in the looking to use those designs within their product
cyclical nature of fashion, women grew tired of tartan ranges. We try to guide them as much as we can and
and turned to other fabrics. give them design options.”
Now it seems, the boom years may be on the Traditional tartan has always been out there in
way back. Tartan is currently enjoying a remarkable women’s fashion, but now Sally says, it’s evolving in
comeback on catwalks throughout the world. It’s a creative new ways. “We’re seeing tartan reappearing
trend that owes a great deal to the enthusiasm and on the catwalks,” she said, “and we know that demand
the imagination of younger women, most of whom is building. The challenge for us is to embrace the
were not yet born when the last big tartan boom was new-look tartan and at the same time retain the
in full swing. Seen through their fresh young eyes, authenticity and tradition that are so important to
tartan has taken on a whole new look. Scotland and remain the mainstays of our brand.
Sally Gotts is the head of the sales, marketing “We don’t want to dilute it and turn it into an
and design team at Kinloch Anderson where she and extremely contemporary brand because people won’t
designer, Kirsty Franey, have the daunting task of recognise us in that. Instead of creating entirely new
predicting fashion trends 12 to 18 months in advance. styles, we are re-inventing some of our tried and
They liase with the market research department tested older styles. That sometimes involves making
at Scottish Textiles and come up with colours and our skirts a little bit shorter or more tailored or
concepts that ultimately go into clothing made by the perhaps having a plain-coloured fabric with a little
company in Edinburgh. Right now they’re working bit of tartan trimming as opposed to all-over, top-
on the Spring-Summer Collection for 2010. to-toe tartan. We’re trying to stress the importance of
“No one has a crystal ball with a clear view of the right accessories. For example we do a pencil-slim
the future of fashion,” she said. “We use Scottish straight skirt that’s worn with a big belt and maybe a
Textiles’ trend library which provides reliable source pair of patterned tights. The accessories don’t have
material and combine that with our own experience to be matching; perhaps a nice cashmere sweater or
to interpret it from a Kinloch Anderson point of view. a big wrap around the shoulders and a nice big bag
We have to try to create themes that will best represent and knee-high boots. There’s lots of different ways of
us and that can be a very challenging task.” wearing tartan skirts and I think it’s about what you
One of the current themes is Scottish Woodland, wear them with.”
a concept that provides a palette of colours and Sally stressed that Kinloch Anderson’s traditional
textures inspired by the beauty of the Scotland’s garments are made in Scotland. “That’s a very important
landscape. “The palette displays a warm colour range aspect of our brand,” she said. “Made in Scotland is
a phrase that’s synonymous with the highest quality.
Left: Bias cut calf length skirt in Maple tartan It symbolises authenticity and heritage and pride in
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