Tartans Appeal To Celebrities

Tartan and it's adoption by celebs

Now days a male or female celebrity wearing a kilt is a fairly common sight, how does this relatively recent development effect the standing of the plaid both at home and abroad?

Home grown Scottish stars have sparked interest in Scotlands national dress. Scottish stars are often pictured wearing a kilt include Sean Connery who has won an Academy Award for best supporting Actor voted the 'Sexiest Man of the Century' in 1999. Gerard Butler originally from Paisley, James McAvoy from Port Glasgow and Perth's Ewan McGregor are also passionate about their Scottish roots and wearing traditional dress. Mel Gibson in braveheart gave tartan a big boost.

The annual 'Dressed to Kilt' event is a great place to see celebs, with our without Scottish heritage, in a kilt. The event is a charity fashion show which raises money for 'Friends of Scotland' a non-profit organisation founded by Sean Connery. The money raised at the event goes towards Wounded Warriors,which provides assistance to injured veterans specifically from Iraq and Afghanistan . the Paralyzed veterans of America and Erskine Hospital. Celebs that have taken part in the show include, comedian Mike Myers, Alan Cummings, and Kyle MacLachan of Twin Peaks fame.

The 2011 'Glenlivet Dressed to Kilt' charity fashion gala takes place in New York on April 5th the theme will be Country Chic, drawing on the Scottish roots of country music and it looks set to be a star-studded bash.

Musicians too have discovered the joy of plaid. Madonna worn a tartan mini during her 'Drowned World tour' and she was gifted a special tartan by the Scottish Tartans Authority to mark her wedding which took place in Scotland.

Fran Healy of the band Travis often wears a canvas kilt. This mix of the traditional and the contemporary has lead to some protest from those who feel that the kilt, as a symbol of national identity, should be more respected and not open to the whims of fashion and personalisation. Some tartan weavers are critical that celebrities without a Scottish connection are wearing tartan simply to gain publicity?" she said. Concerns have also been raised about the number on non-traditional designs that have been introduced which have little in common with traditional clan or family designs. However these new designs and celebrity adoption of the kilt are excellent for attracting attention to the kilt and Scotland the reality is that the majority of people wearing highland dress are wearing traditional tartans in a traditional way.

The traditionalist view is certainly not held by many kilt weavers who are happy to mix the contemporary with the traditional as new tartans are created.

Lochcarron, of Scotland' top weavers have linked very successfully with a host of famous names including fashion designers - Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Ralph Lauren. The company, who have a collection of over 700 tartans, have also make kilts for specific celebrities - creation include a kilt for Samuel L Jackson, Gavin Hastings, Ewan McGregor and David Coulthard.

While kilts are a traditional item and a sign of Scottish ancestry it seems that they can also be updated and customised to widen their appeal by blending the Highland with 'haute' couture and popular fashion.


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Anna Murray is Head of Marketing at The Scotland Kilt Company - a family run business based in Edinburgh. To discuss your requirements for a kilt or kilt package please get in touch www.thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk email info@thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk Or call 0131 225 3555