The Rise of The Kilt

[Whidbey78]

It's hard to say with any real objectivity. It's not a census form question, nor does anybody really track such things as far as I know.

I meet people all the time who are interested, have worn a kilt a few times, or own one or more but only wear them for special occasions, games, etc. It's sort of like buying a car...suddenly you see the same model everywhere you go. They were around, but you never really took note. It looks like growth since I never heard anybody even mention kilts a few years ago, but on the other hand it isn't really a topic that comes up unless you are a kilt wearer talking to other kilt wearers, or it's idle chit-chat with a stranger while wearing a kilt. Nothing starts up kilt related conversations like wearing a kilt!

While Utilikits is branching out with a new store it isn't a reliable indicator of expanded interest. Since the bulk of their business is mail-order they may simply have been sending a lot of product to one area and decided it would be more economical to have a brick and mortar store there and have the customers come to them instead of shipping product to that same area.

Rocky, Alt.Kilt, SHO and others have hired additional employees and/or moved to larger facilities in recent months, but that can't be a reliable marker either. It's impossible to know how many of their growing customer base are new kiltwearers and how many are "converts" to a new brand.

While economists say the recession was over a year ago, people are still watching money closely, and will be for some time. Some who would usually deal with makers in the UK may be shopping the domestic market to avoid the added expenses incurred with international purchases.


Of course I'm basing my statement on what is happening here...the same could very well be true overseas. That may be the most reliable way to see if there is growth...compare market share between retailers in different locations. What are the trends in their demographics and customers geographic situation. We wouldn't need monetary figures, just a few numbers: What percentage of your business was domestic, how much was foriegn(and where did it go), what is your overall increase or loss in purchases over the last x-amount of years. A very, very rough estimate is the best one could hope to get even if a ton of retailers volunteered their figures for review and comparison, as you still have to account for the independent kiltmakers, shops that also sell material that could be "kilted up" by the customer or another maker of the buyers choice, or used for a completely different purpose. Then there is the used kilt market...impossible to track.

Then, how do we qualify and quantify "interest?" Do we include the guy who bought a cheap kilt at the games or renfair and never wore it again? The one who bought the cheap kilt and wears it occasionally but simply regards it as another thing in the closet to wear and has no real passion about it? Or the one who bought it because it seemed like a good idea at the time but never will use it? How about the guy who bought 5 for his wedding party? To the seller, it's a purchase and even detailed sales figures won't shed much light on the kilt's end use or the intent and mindset of the customer.

It's extremely difficult to track consumer interests in anything but the largest markets(electronics, cars, etc.). In such a small market, and a small community it's nearly impossible to really see if there is growing interest, growing consumption of product, or if there is simply a shift in where people are going for products. On the other hand, maybe very little is changing except that forums such as this put a lot of info in one spot and bring together a lot of people with a common interest who otherwise would never meet and, thus, creates the illusion of a larger community or a growth trend.

[KiltShot]

It's extremely difficult to track consumer interests in anything but the largest markets(electronics, cars, etc.). In such a small market, and a small community it's nearly impossible to really see if there is growing interest, growing consumption of product, or if there is simply a shift in where people are going for products. On the other hand, maybe very little is changing except that forums such as this put a lot of info in one spot and bring together a lot of people with a common interest who otherwise would never meet and, thus, creates the illusion of a larger community or a growth trend.

Does this mean that only a dramatic increase in demand or media presence would answer the question?

[Whidbey78]

I'm just saying that I am not sure if it could be answered accurately based on the information available. A trend can't be identified without having at least two sets of figures to compare, whether they are from two locations to identify movement or two times to indicate changes. I'm also unsure if increased presence in the "public eye" would indicate an increase in interest or participation, but it could probably generate one.

Many on this forum have commented that they have notice an increase in kilt wearing, in North America and elsewhere. I always try to look at things from as many angles as I can(and admittedly rarely get to all of them), so I wonder if there is growth in kilt wearing, or if kilties are just showing up in higher concentrations. There were probably similar discussions about hippies at one time.

I think(read--my opinion) that there probably is a slow growth in the number of kilties amongst us, at least in the US and Canada, which is probably a good thing. I would much rather see a slow and gradual increase in kilt wearing than have it rapidly become a common and popular fashion, as they rarely last. Think about leisure suits, bell bottoms, MC Hammer pants, red leather jackets with 70 zippers, the list goes on.