Our CANONGATE SALES STORE is currently CLOSED for refurbishment. Our Sales Team have RELOCATED to our HIRE STORE 19-21 St Marys Street to continue business as usual, during this time. ALL COLLECTIONS including Made-to-Measure Orders MUST be arranged by PRIOR APPOINTMENT ONLY to avoid disappointment. Thank you for your co-operation. To allow for STAFF TRAINING, we open slightly later at 10am every WEDNESDAY.

GNK: Time for Reflection

by Gordon Nicolson

In a post Covid world full of uncertainty, let's take a moment to reflect and look at what keeps the GNKfamily moving forward no matter what - there are no limits.

We were recently asked "will Scotland run out of kilts this summer?" as demand booms thanks to the return of tourism and weddings among other special events. Our answer was clear and simple - not at Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers...and here's why:

We wouldn't necessarily agree that Scotland could run out of kilts this summer - here at Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers we have already considered the value and prospects of traditional handsewn kiltmaking.  Our foresight and determination when founding the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy was very much led by our own experiences within the Highlandwear Industry over past decades. Examining the growing threats to the survival of this heritage craft, our practical approach addresses immediate risks, always within the aim of our wider plan. At the EKA, we share essential skills and develop traditional methods to ensure a new generation of passionately motivated kiltmakers go forward to underpin and strengthen the future heritage of Kiltmaking.
Student of the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy putting teaching into practice
 
It is fair to say that yes, demand is incredibly high and lead times are long as people look to invest in or hire beautifully handmade kilts and outfits for weddings, graduations, celebrations following two years of lockdowns and cancellations. Many customers have travelled far and wide, seeking us out to create their own unique outfit, knowing they can rely on our expertise, standards and friendly welcome.
Our Customers are not simply buying a kilt or an outfit. They are investing in the GNKfamily and all that we stand for -  craftsmanship, provenance, heritage, integrity, quality, individuality, community. Each purchase helps to support the whole of our endeavours and supports a tightly woven network of makers, producers and suppliers of traditional highlandwear and materials. 
 
The GNKfamily is very special. We are honest, both online and in store, about what truly makes a tailored kilt great, and how long that process will be.  Our kiltmakers are trained to our own rigorous standards, setting us apart from competitors. Our successes depend on our people - valued, skilled, passionate people all working towards one great goal - to bolster and protect the future heritage of kiltmaking and highlandwear as a valid and viable industry, which can support itself through triumph or disaster. 
As long as there is demand, there will be kilts, carefully and expertly made by hand.
Back to The Kiltmakers Chronicle