Are there any kilt makers in the UK which stand above others in quality?

[North40]

I've been wearing kilt jackets for nearly 50 years and what I've found is that giving measurements almost never results in a jacket that fits the way you want your jacket to fit.

Figures.

I had done some lurking and saw some of your posts mentioning the blunder that happened when you bought a jacket through St. Kilda. Kind of got spooked by that and have been trying to find shops that would allow an in-person measuring and order for a day jacket in a choice tweed outside of the normal color palettes. I haven't had much luck, though.

Are there any UK firms that you came across during your travel that you would recommend? Your mention of Geoffrey Tailor is the first time I've heard of it.

[jsrnephdoc]

Figures.

I had done some lurking and saw some of your posts mentioning the blunder that happened when you bought a jacket through St. Kilda. Kind of got spooked by that and have been trying to find shops that would allow an in-person measuring and order for a day jacket in a choice tweed outside of the normal color palettes. I haven't had much luck, though.

Are there any UK firms that you came across during your travel that you would recommend? Your mention of Geoffrey Tailor is the first time I've heard of it.

Well, the mistake in my case was NOT St. Kilda's but rather Lochcarron's (substituting a different Robertson weathered tartan for the one I'd ordered), and St. Kilda's response was the best it could have been. They could have asked me to return the first kilt to them and they could have offered it for sale at some discounted price. Instead, they GIFTED me with it. I did have to wait a few months for what I really wanted, but that was also on Locharron, because they don't have all tartans in inventory all the time, and they have a programmed schedule for what they weave, when.

At the moment, I've been waiting several months for Lochcarron to do a weaving of a restricted tartan "The Nursing Tartan," designed by some Scottish National Health Service nurses in the colors of their national uniforms. I'm hoping to get permission for a kilt to be made from it. That has to happen through Gordon Nicolson Kiltmaker because the restrictions don't permit Lochcarron to supply the fabric to any other kiltmaker. Nicolson has an excellent reputation, of course. Houston Kiltmakers in Glasgow is also well regarded, and I think they do made-to-measure jackets as well, but I've not used them for anything.

USA Kilts has given me excellent service for everything I've ordered from them. Jackets from them are made in Scotland (quite possibly by Gaelic Themes.

[Tomo]

Not a personal endorsement but The Kilt Experience in the Sottish Borders offer made to measure, hand-sewn kilts and bespoke tweed waistcoats and jackets. I understand they largely source their kilting materials from Lochcarron and tweeds from the Lovat Mill - both of which are located in nearby Selkirk. They also do their own leather work and sporrans.

https://www.thekiltexperience.com/be...lt-outfitters/

[North40]

USA Kilts has given me excellent service for everything I've ordered from them. Jackets from them are made in Scotland (quite possibly by Gaelic Themes.

I believe they are made by Gaelic Themes? Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Not a personal endorsement but The Kilt Experience in the Sottish Borders offer made to measure, hand-sewn kilts and bespoke tweed waistcoats and jackets. I understand they largely source their kilting materials from Lochcarron and tweeds from the Lovat Mill - both of which are located in nearby Selkirk. They also do their own leather work and sporrans.

https://www.thekiltexperience.com/be...lt-outfitters/

I've come across this site before. It seemed promising. Although, the vague wording on who manufactures their jackets turned me away at first.

Our Scotland-based tailors can also work on custom designs which we would be pleased to discuss and create with you.

Does anyone know whether or not their tailors have physical establishments where you can get measured in-person? Or is it more in-line with how St. Kilda handles their jacket orders?

I sent them an e-mail earlier today asking about that, so it might be a moot point to ask here, but I thought I would anyways.

[jsrnephdoc]

I believe they are made by Gaelic Themes? Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.



I've come across this site before. It seemed promising. Although, the vague wording on who manufactures their jackets turned me away at first.


Does anyone know whether or not their tailors have physical establishments where you can get measured in-person? Or is it more in-line with how St. Kilda handles their jacket orders?

I sent them an e-mail earlier today asking about that, so it might be a moot point to ask here, but I thought I would anyways.

I'll be VERY interested to learn what you find out. They claim their jackets are made to measure, but don't really say they're different from standard "idealized" sizes. It's also curious that their location isn't specified beyond "Scottish Borders," although they DO say they make on site measurements for their kilts. And, I was pleased to see that the very first kilt they made was in one of my family's tartans.

A truly one-off jacket is a VERY expensive proposition and almost certainly would cost almost twice what a hand-sewn kilt would cost. I have no idea how much they charge for their kilts. Their website is well crafted, but many things are stated in rather vague terms, so were I to consider having them make me a kilt, I would do so only AFTER visiting their business and further assessing their operations myself. Interestingly, their "testimonials are all at least 5 years old.

[PiperScout]

Geoffrey Tailor & Kilt Maker is located on the Royal Mile / High Street in Edinburgh and has been in the kilt-making business for a few generations. They are more on the "bespoke" kilt end of pricing and quality, but you will not be disappointed.

I have one kilt made by them in 1989 that continues to wear beautifully, and visited the shop in June 2024 and purchased an Argyll jacket & waistcoat they measured and sent to me a month later.

https://geoffreykilts.co.uk/

[OC Richard]

Geoffrey Tailor & Kilt Maker is located on the Royal Mile / High Street in Edinburgh and has been in the kilt-making business for a few generations. They are more on the "bespoke" kilt end of pricing and quality, but you will not be disappointed.
https://geoffreykilts.co.uk/

Yes IMHO they're top-shelf, and their prices reflect that.

I visited them in August 2024. I was surprised that their big impressive shop right by the Castle was gone (the last time I was in Edinburgh was 2007) and now they're up a narrow staircase in an obscure shop a bit further down the street.

The place was more like a store-room, with racks full of jackets and kilts everywhere, and a cheery young man and young woman busy with online and phone orders.

At first they assumed I was picking up an order. When I explained I was just having a look they welcomed me to take my time, which I did.

They had racks of jackets which as I said appeared identical in cut and fit to the jackets I saw at all the other legitimate Highland Wear shops. However they were lacking the tell-tale "peat" tweed, the mark of the House of Edgar jackets which most shops had.

[jsrnephdoc]

Yes IMHO they're top-shelf, and their prices reflect that.

I visited them in August 2024. I was surprised that their big impressive shop right by the Castle was gone (the last time I was in Edinburgh was 2007) and now they're up a narrow staircase in an obscure shop a bit further down the street.

The place was more like a store-room, with racks full of jackets and kilts everywhere, and a cheery young man and young woman busy with online and phone orders.

At first they assumed I was picking up an order. When I explained I was just having a look they welcomed me to take my time, which I did.

They had racks of jackets which as I said appeared identical in cut and fit to the jackets I saw at all the other legitimate Highland Wear shops. However they were lacking the tell-tale "peat" tweed, the mark of the House of Edgar jackets which most shops had.

I always wonder about places with racks full of already made kilts. With SO many tartans, multiplied by the almost infinite array of body sizes, what good are "ready made" kilts if they're to be a treasured long-term possession?

Did you see any evidence that they had tailors at work or available?

[OC Richard]

I believe they are made by Gaelic Themes? Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Right, St Kilda Holdings owns the St Kilda Store, St Kilda Kilts, Gaelic Themes, and RG Hardie (their pipemaking branch).

About where the jackets are made, that's another story

https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...6/index10.html

However it doesn't look like that anymore https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7997...UzSAFQAw%3D%3D

[Tomo]

[QUOTE=OC Richard;1410859] However it doesn't look like that anymore/QUOTE]

If you look at the photos for other dates on Google maps - it had been rebranded as Gaelic Themes by 2015 through to 2016, after that (@2018) the branding had been removed and there is a To Let sign visible in the window.