Tartan’s fashion appeal in 2018
Tartan is back in style with a host of designers featuring it in their 2018 collections. Balenciaga and Burberry are just a couple of the big brands to bring tartan right up to date with a modern twist on the traditional.
For 2018, urban tartan has become a trend, as online magazine D360 explains. It defines urban tartan as a look that layers traditional tartan with a bit of retro, such as boyfriend jeans, jumper or trench coat. D360 adds that wide leg plaid trousers epitomise urban tartan.
Back in January, GQ magazine predicted tartan would be a mainstay for British men this spring and the magazine’s best dressed man for 2018, Matt Smith, modelled the look to show how it’s done. GQ advised readers that making a statement with tartan trousers or an overcoat was the way to go.
The magazine was right that tartan would be big in fashion this year with the checked print being used by labels such as rising star Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY. The edgy and creative brand, which takes cult clubbing as an influence, gives tartan an urban makeover.
The brand is founded by Glasgow-born designer and creative Charles Jeffrey, who has become one of the most talked-about names in the fashion industry, especially after winning the British Emerging Talent prize at 2017's Fashion Awards.
Urban tartan
His fashion shows bring theatre, performance and emotion with tartan being featured as his collection revisited his Scottish roots and the experience of growing up gay.
Tartan in fashion goes far beyond Scotland, though – in 2018, the plaid has global appeal. Italian designer Sara Battaglia created a fashionable take on tartan in her FW18 main collection and Versace did the same in the appropriately named Clans of Versace autumn winter 2018 collection.
As Vogue reports, Danish designer Astrid Andersen included tartan in her autumn/winter 2018 collection and Spanish label Balenciaga featured the checked print in its spring 2018 collection. Given Balenciaga was recently named the most influential label in the world by global fashion search website Lyst, it may that we can expect to see tartan fashion appearing in other brands too.
Tartan 2018
The sports field is an unconventional catwalk, but nonetheless the Commonwealth Games provided a valuable opportunity for the world to see tartan with a modern slant. Tartan was heavily featured in the uniform worn by Team Scotland in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The outfit - a mix of modern and traditional - was designed in a collaboration between award winning Scottish fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie and tartan manufacturers House of Edgar. The House of Edgar was the first port of call for Sherlock Holmes Tartan designer Tania Henzell when she wanted help in finding the right colours in the design process.
As the hosts of the last Commonwealth Games, Scotland had the honour of being the first team to walk out on to the biggest catwalk in the world at the opening ceremony at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast on 4 April.
The global and inclusive nature of tartan was confirmed during Burberry’s London Fashion Week show back in February with the launch of its new check. Designed by creative director Christopher Bailey as part of his final collection for the brand, the new Burberry tartan uses rainbow-hued stripes in support of LGBT charities. Burberry describes it as an ‘emblem for optimism and inclusiveness’.
To be part of the 2018 tartan trend, visit our store now to buy Sherlock Holmes Tartan.