Both me and my brother bought our kilts through middlemen (well I think where I got mine still counts as a middleman). I got mine made by the people of the Celtic Craft Centre in San Francisco and I love it. My brother got his from The Scottish Shoppe here in Calgary.

My kilt was measured in San Francisco and then made in Scotland. The company has a sister store in Edinburgh.

My brother's kilt was made by a kiltmaker that the Scottish Shoppe gives all of their "kilt work" to. His kilt is very well made as well.

From the front they look almost identical. The tartans are centered the same side ways. There's just a little difference with how they "line up" top to bottom. My kilt has just 2 buckles, one on each side. I know this isn't what people usually see, but my kilt is shaped so well to me that the 3rd buckle isn't necessary. My brothers has 3 buckles.

So, two different middlemen, using two different kilt makers and the result is two kilts that are very well made and at a glance look identical.

Here's the thing though. The people from both shop(pes) that did the measuring were originally from Scotland and have kilts of their own.

So I have no problems going through a middleman... you can kinda get a feel for how well they know what they're doing and how well they work with their kilt maker by talking to them.

There's another "middleman" here in Calgary that I wouldn't hesitate to use either. I've heard nothing but good things about them and they're originally from Scotland too. When I called them a ways back to inquire about getting a kilt and how much it would be they lady there sounded excited about me getting a kilt. I couldn't order at the time (didn't have any idea how expensive they were then), but I haven't forgotten that.