The kilt can take many forms – from traditional formal dress in tartan to edgy modern designs in denim, camouflage and pinstripe. The iconic Scottish garment has a proud history, a worldwide following, and a bright future full of endless fashion innovation and potential.
Kilts for both men and women are paraded on the catwalks of Paris and Milan as a leading example of contemporary design, while the annual 'Dressed to Kilt' event in New York goes from strength to strength and celebrities queue up to be associated with the latest trends.
Harris Tweed
Another famous Scottish textile that has gone global is Harris Tweed that can only be handwoven on the Hebridean islands off the west coast of Scotland. Fashion designers as prestigious and style-conscious as Vivienne Westwood and Henry Holland have put their own twist on the yarn while international sports companies like Nike have used it to create a special training shoe and the material forms bespoke luxury furnishings for Glasgow's five-star boutique hotel – Blythswood Square.
Harris Tweed is only the genuine article if it carries the sign of the 'Orb', symbol of a trade association that has protected the cloth from imitators for 100 years. An Act of Parliament in 1993 further protected its authenticity.
Cashmere
The softest of fibres and the last word in elegance and sophistication, Scottish cashmere has proved itself in the style stakes over and over again.
Cashmere has been produced in Scotland for hundreds of years and crafted into products that have gained an international reputation for luxurious warmth and opulence that the ever-changing face of fashion translates into a kaleidoscope of colours and contemporary uses.
In the north, Johnstons of Elgin are synonymous with quality and Scottish-made cashmere while in the Scottish Borders the town of Hawick has been a driving force behind the establishment of the Cashmere 'Made in Scotland' trademark that enforces strict quality control.
Scottish Academy of Fashion
The Scottish Academy of Fashion aims to combine Scotland's strengths in education and fashion and textile design to create a global centre of excellence in fashion-related learning and research.
Partners include the Edinburgh's College of Art and Heriot-Watt University and Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.