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Scotsman
3 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Tartan: A fabric of iconic patterns
Tartan is one of the most recognisable and iconic patterns in the world, deeply rooted in Scottish heritage. Originally associated with Scottish clans, tartan has evolved into a global symbol of tradition, fashion, and identity. But did you know there are many different types of tartan, each with its own history and significance? Let's dive into the fascinating world of tartan patterns. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 1. Clan Tartans Clan tartans are perhaps the most well-known type of tartan, representing specific Scottish families or clans. Each clan has its own unique pattern, often with historical significance. Examples: Macleod of Harris Tartan Kilt ○ MacLeod Tartan (Blue & Green) ○ Campbell Tartan (Black, Green, & Blue) ○ MacDonald Tartan (Red & Green) Traditionally, clan tartans were worn as kilts, plaids, or sashes to signify family allegiance. Today, they remain a proud symbol of Scottish ancestry. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mackay Tartan Argyll Jacket 2. District Tartans (Regional Tartans) Not all tartans are tied to clans—some represent specific regions or districts in Scotland. These tartans were often linked to the weavers of a particular area rather than a single family. Examples: ○ Royal Stewart Tartan (associated with the Royal House of Stewart but also worn as a universal tartan) ○ Black Watch Tartan (originally worn by the Black Watch military regiment, now a universal pattern) ○ Glasgow District Tartan (representing the city of Glasgow) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 3. Military Tartans Several tartans were designed for Scottish military regiments. These patterns were used to distinguish different units and are still worn in ceremonial uniforms today. Examples: ○ Black Watch (Government Tartan) – One of the oldest military tartans. ○ Cameron of Erracht – Worn by the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. ○ Gordon Highlanders Tartan – Associated with the Gordon regiment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 4. Fashion Tartans Tartan has long been a favorite in fashion, from punk rock to high-end designers. Unlike traditional clan tartans, fashion tartans are created purely for aesthetic appeal. Examples: ○ Burberry Check – A famous plaid pattern used by the luxury brand. ○ Vivienne Westwood Tartans – Punk-inspired designs that revolutionized tartan in fashion. 5. Commemorative Tartans Some tartans are designed to honor special events, organizations, or causes. These can range from royal celebrations to charitable foundations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Examples: ○ Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Tartan (created for her 70-year reign) ○ Tartan Day Tartan (celebrating Scottish heritage in North America) ○ Cancer Research UK Tartan (supporting charity) 6. Corporate Tartans Companies and organizations sometimes create their own tartans for branding or uniforms. These tartans often incorporate company colors or logos. Examples: ○ British Airways Tartan (used in staff uniforms) ○ The Edinburgh Woolen Mill Tartan (a retail brand's signature pattern) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 7. Universal Tartans Some tartans are not tied to any specific group and can be worn by anyone. These are often popular patterns used in clothing and accessories. Examples: ○ Royal Stewart Tartan (one of the most recognizable universal tartans) ○ Black Watch Tartan (another widely worn pattern Trending Tartans : Clan Tartans Stewart Royal Tartan – A favorite among celebrities like Harry Styles, who has been seen wearing it in recent street-style looks. – A favorite among celebrities like Harry Styles, who has been seen wearing it in recent street-style looks. Gunn Modern Tartan – Gaining popularity in modern fashion due to its bold red and black contrast. District Tartans Skye Tartan – Inspired by the Isle of Skye's landscapes, this earthy-toned tartan is trending in home decor and rustic fashion. – Inspired by the Isle of Skye's landscapes, this earthy-toned tartan is trending in home decor and rustic fashion. Hebrides Tartan – A coastal-inspired design gaining traction in sustainable fashion brands. Military Tartans Black Watch Tartan – A timeless classic, now being reimagined in streetwear and luxury fashion (seen in recent collections by Burberry and Ralph Lauren). Fashion Tartans Neon & Pastel Tartans – A bold, Gen-Z-friendly twist on traditional patterns, seen in brands like GCDS and Collina Strada. – A bold, Gen-Z-friendly twist on traditional patterns, seen in brands like GCDS and Collina Strada. Plaid Grunge Revival – Thanks to the Y2K comeback, tartan mini skirts and punk-style plaids are everywhere (inspired by 90s icons like Gwen Stefani). Commemorative Tartans Coronation Tartan – Designed for King Charles III's coronation, this tartan is appearing in royal-inspired collections. – Designed for King Charles III's coronation, this tartan is appearing in royal-inspired collections. Earth Day Tartan – Eco-friendly tartans made from sustainable materials are gaining attention. Corporate Tartans Starbucks Holiday Tartan – Their red-and-green plaid cups and merchandise are a seasonal hit. – Their red-and-green plaid cups and merchandise are a seasonal hit. Barbour Tartan – The heritage brand's signature waxed jackets often feature their custom tartan lining. Universal Tartans Buffalo Check – A rustic, large-scale plaid dominating fall/winter fashion (think: cozy cabincore vibes). – A rustic, large-scale plaid dominating fall/winter fashion (think: cozy cabincore vibes). Gingham Tartan – A softer, picnic-style plaid trending in spring/summer dresses. Conclusion Tartan is much more than just a pattern—it's a living tradition that connects people to history, culture, and identity. Whether you wear a clan tartan to honor your heritage, a fashion tartan to make a style statement, or a commemorative tartan to support a cause, each design tells a unique story. Nostalgia & Heritage Trends (e.g., 'cottagecore' and 'heritage prep') Celebrity & Runway Influence (Harry Styles, Bella Hadid, and luxury brands embracing plaid) Sustainable Fashion (wool and recycled tartan fabrics are eco-friendly choices) Do you have a favorite tartan? Share yours in the comments below!
France 24
28-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
Tweed's youthful makeover resurrects symbol of Scottish heritage
MacLeod became a weaver two years ago, joining residents on the islands of Lewis and Harris, off Scotland's northwest coast, in helping to rejuvenate the tweed industry after a significant period of decline. "It's a good thing to keep the tradition going," he told AFP. Tweed is a symbol of Scottish heritage and has "always been part of the culture" on the Outer Hebrides, added Macleod, who hails from the island of Scalpay, which is connected to Harris by a bridge. It's now "an attractive sector to be in", he explained. He left the Hebrides for seven years to work in banking but the pull of his roots proved too strong. During the day, McLeod now works for a small local cosmetics company. In the evenings, he puts on a podcast, usually about espionage, and patiently begins to weave. Only the steady hum of his machine disturbs the calm of the old stone barn. Harris tweed, traditionally made from 100 percent wool, is the only fabric protected by a 1993 Act of Parliament. It must be "handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides". 'Resurgence' The weaver spoke of his "satisfaction" once the tweed is finished. The fabric, once associated with the British aristocracy, then goes to the spinning mill for a quality control check, where the slightest flaw is flagged up. Finally, it receives the precious "Harris Tweed" stamp -- a globe topped with a cross -- certifying the fabric's provenance and authenticity, issued by the Harris Tweed Authority (HTA). The tweed then leaves the island to be purchased by discerning companies abroad, including luxury brands such as Christian Dior, Chanel, and Gucci. Several sneaker brands such as Nike, New Balance, and Converse have also used it for limited edition products. The traditional staples are jackets, caps, and bags, but the fabric can also used for furniture. There are 140 weavers, according to the HTA, which launched a recruitment campaign in 2023 and offered workshops to learn the trade following a wave of retirements. This know-how, often passed down from generation to generation, is now being nurtured by a different profile of weaver. "It's nice to see younger people coming in," said Kelly MacDonald, director of operations at the HTA. "When I joined the industry 22 years ago, there was a severe period of decline. I was wondering: 'is there going to be an industry anymore?'" But the industry is now enjoying a "resurgence" and "significant growth", with more than 580,000 metres of tweed produced in 2024. "We are always looking at new markets," she explained, and tweed is now exported to Korea, Japan, Germany, France and other countries. It is no longer dependent on the US market, as it once was, and should be largely shielded from the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Slow fashion Tweed has "modernised", said Cameron MacArthur, who works at Carloway Mill, one of the three spinning mills in the west of the Isle of Lewis. He is only 29, but has already worked there for 12 years. The mill, with its large machines, looks as if it hasn't changed for decades. But MacArthur has seen it evolve to embrace a younger workforce and newer fabrics, meaning it is no longer just the ultra-classic Prince of Wales check or dark colours that are on offer. "Nowadays, we're allowed to make up our own colours... and we're just doing different things with it, modernising it, making it brighter," he said, showing off rolls of turquoise blue and fuchsia pink. "We're so busy... it never used to be like that," he said, adding that he was "proud" to be working with the local product. MacDonald also noted that tweed was an antidote to environmentally unfriendly "fast fashion." "How nice to own a product where you can actually look on a map to a tiny island and say, that's where my jacket was made. That's so rare now, and I think people really engaged with that," he said. "Every stage of the production has to happen here, but from start to finish, it is a really long process. We are the epitome of slow fashion."
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Advocacy group makes strong bid for council seats
Another key member of a community advocacy group is making a bid for the Selwyn District Council. Lincoln Voice secretary Denise Carrick will be running for a seat in the Kā Puna Springs Ward. She is the third committee member of Lincoln Voice to announce they will stand for the district council in the October local body elections. Chair Tracey Macleod is running for one of the at-large seats and committee member Aaron McGlinchy for a Springs Ward seat. New councillors-at-large added Unlike Macleod and McGlinchy who are running as independents, Carrick will be using the Lincoln Voice banner in her campaign. 'I have the blessing of the committee and the founding members to do that,' Carrick said. Current Springs Ward councillors Malcolm Lyall and Debra Hasson are yet to decide whether they will stand again, while Grant Miller announced on Anzac Day he would not be seeking re-election. Like Macleod and McGlinchy, a key motivation for standing was Lincoln Voice's fight to stop the huge 2100-home Carter subdivision, Earlsbrook. Lincoln Voice had appealed the private plan change, which the council approved in the Environment Court. But before the case was heard, the appeal was made null and void after the subdivision was included in the District Plan, which the council controversially signed off on with only six councillors present. The remaining five and Mayor Sam Broughton were either away or not voting due to a conflict of interest. Because Lincoln Voice was never involved in the District Plan process, which started a number of years before the group was formed, it had no grounds to appeal the plan. That prompted questions and criticism from Lincoln Voice as to why the vote was not delayed until more councillors could be present for the vote. Carrick said if she was elected and a similar big decision was to happen she would want a full council to be present. 'Those sorts of big decisions need to be handled better.' Carrick said now the subdivision is under construction, she wants to focus on ensuring Lincoln has the infrastructure to cope with the extra homes. 'It is in the background, because what's done is done. 'But the repercussions of it are still becoming very evident with growth in population and the need for infrastructure.' Carrick is also on the Selwyn Community Patrol committee and works part-time as a teacher aide at Rolleston College. Macleod owns and operates NTM Consulting, while McGlinchy is a part-time consult operations manager for Eco Index. In recent years Carrick's focus has been on Lincoln, but she said she can still represent the other Springs Ward townships. This now includes West Melton. 'Each of our townships has got different issues, but we all have quite a lot in common with how quickly we've grown and the issues that brings,' she said.
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Advocacy group makes strong bid for Selwyn District Council seats
Another key member of a community advocacy group is making a bid for the Selwyn District Council. Lincoln Voice secretary Denise Carrick will be running for a seat in the Kā Puna Springs Ward. She is the third committee member of Lincoln Voice to announce they will stand for the district council in the October local body elections. Chair Tracey Macleod is running for one of the at-large seats and committee member Aaron McGlinchy for a Springs Ward seat. New councillors-at-large added Unlike Macleod and McGlinchy who are running as independents, Carrick will be using the Lincoln Voice banner in her campaign. 'I have the blessing of the committee and the founding members to do that,' Carrick said. Current Springs Ward councillors Malcolm Lyall and Debra Hasson are yet to decide whether they will stand again, while Grant Miller announced on Anzac Day he would not be seeking re-election. Like Macleod and McGlinchy, a key motivation for standing was Lincoln Voice's fight to stop the huge 2100-home Carter subdivision, Earlsbrook. Lincoln Voice had appealed the private plan change, which the council approved in the Environment Court. But before the case was heard, the appeal was made null and void after the subdivision was included in the District Plan, which the council controversially signed off on with only six councillors present. The remaining five and Mayor Sam Broughton were either away or not voting due to a conflict of interest. Because Lincoln Voice was never involved in the District Plan process, which started a number of years before the group was formed, it had no grounds to appeal the plan. That prompted questions and criticism from Lincoln Voice as to why the vote was not delayed until more councillors could be present for the vote. Carrick said if she was elected and a similar big decision was to happen she would want a full council to be present. 'Those sorts of big decisions need to be handled better.' Carrick said now the subdivision is under construction, she wants to focus on ensuring Lincoln has the infrastructure to cope with the extra homes. 'It is in the background, because what's done is done. 'But the repercussions of it are still becoming very evident with growth in population and the need for infrastructure.' Carrick is also on the Selwyn Community Patrol committee and works part-time as a teacher aide at Rolleston College. Macleod owns and operates NTM Consulting, while McGlinchy is a part-time consult operations manager for Eco Index. In recent years Carrick's focus has been on Lincoln, but she said she can still represent the other Springs Ward townships. This now includes West Melton. 'Each of our townships has got different issues, but we all have quite a lot in common with how quickly we've grown and the issues that brings,' she said.
The Star
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
UBS Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong to feature Simone Biles and Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova, a renowned author, psychologist and poker player, will discuss uncertainty at next week's Asian Investment Conference (AIC) in Hong Kong, a topic that is certain to be at the front of mind for attendees of the event, hosted by UBS. She will be among the dozens of policymakers, economists, and robotics scientists to speak at the AIC, which was launched 28 years ago by Credit Suisse, now part of UBS. Niall Macleod, the curator of the event and UBS' head of product management for the Asia-Pacific region, said the conference would open with discussions on economics, trade and political issues, before moving into strategies for managing uncertainty. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. 'What are the tools you can utilise to try and handle the things you can't see, the things you can't necessarily predict?' he said. The political and economic uncertainties are far greater than normal, he said. 'It's providing a real challenge to investors,' he added. In early April, US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on all its trading partners, with China facing the heaviest duties. Global markets tumbled on the news and China applied its own tariffs on US imports. Last week, China and the US agreed to a 90-day truce on tariffs. China said it would lower duties on US imports to 10 per cent from 125 per cent, while the US would cut its tariffs to 30 per cent from 145 per cent. Macleod said when he started planning the event six months ago, he was unsure whether tariffs and trade would still be relevant. 'Six months on, it is one of the key debates,' he said. The AIC was expected to welcome more than 3,500 participants – including institutional investors, companies, ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices – up from over 3,000 last year, UBS said. The programme also includes a session focused on wealth management in Singapore ahead of the main conference, which runs from May 27 to 30 in Hong Kong. About 80 speakers – including Pascal Lamy, the former head of the World Trade Organization; Raghuram Rajan, a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India; and Olivier Blanchard, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund – will address topics ranging from economics and geopolitics to artificial intelligence. Simone Biles, the famous American gymnast, will also speak at the event, on the topic of resilience. 'When you think about the hours and hours and hours she's put in to become this iconic, successful gymnast, she certainly inspires me,' Macleod said. 'When you look at the uncertainties in the economy and how you deal with uncertainty, a lot of it is about being resilient,' he said. For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
