From the romantic looks of Venetian gondoliers to the colourful and versatile Indian Sari, national dress is an expression of pride, tradition, and belonging. As such, it carries cultural, ethnic, and symbolic significance. Worn for daily occasions as well as festivals and special events, traditional dresses are deeply rooted in cultures as a way of preserving and celebrating a country’s heritage and history.
The array of national dress that depicts each culture is varied. It often happens that different tribes, cultures, and regions within the same country have different traditional costumes which take inspiration from different backgrounds. For instance, the Namibian national dress of the Herero women is based on an adaptation of Victorian dress that German colonists wore when they first arrived on their land. Although a bloody conflict took place at the start of the 20th century, the dress has been retained as a proud part of the Herero identity.
Featuring many different textiles like the luxurious silk of the Japanese Kimono or the prestigious wool of the Scottish Kilt and the leather of the German Lederhosen, national dress is an ode to the creativity and craftsmanship of the people who make and wear them. Recently @firstpiper Ross, who travels around the world wearing his kilt and playing his bagpipes, has embarked on a trip to Switzerland where he discovered and shared with us the Tracht, the traditional dress across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. From pom-pom hats to modern versions, Flurina guided Ross through the variations of their dress as they managed to capture those beautiful moments across the Swiss Alps (see pictures here).
As a proud Scottish business, we have been handcrafting and loving the Scottish kilt for 6 generations here in Edinburgh, the Capital City of Scotland. Our 150-year history as a family owned and managed business began in 1868, when William Anderson and his two sons ran a well-known tailoring business on the North Bridge. Since then, the company has grown and expanded becoming renowned across the country and beyond as Scotland’s premier civilian tailors and kiltmakers.
Our kilts are the jewel in the crown, they embrace style and tradition while ensuring premium quality and utter elegance. Handcrafted by our skilled kiltmakers in our factory in Leith, every attention to detail is given to create the perfect garment. Meticulous chalking, precise cutting and attentive pattern matching are just a few of the steps that our experienced hands go through every day. We are one of the few companies that still offer a fully hand-stitched kilt to create a truly exceptional piece to last for generations to come.
Being deeply rooted in Scotland and proud supporters of our national dress, we safeguard the art of kiltmaking in every piece we craft. We offer the most beautiful and wide variety of tartans and tweeds that we use to create our unique collections. If you are looking to show Scottish flair and elegance, browse our kilt collection here and book an appointment to be assisted by one of our experienced Highland Dress Experts.