Preserving Tradition: My Journey Into the World of Scottish Kilts

Exploring the rich heritage of Scottish kilts, I discovered unexpected connections between these iconic garments and the pleated skirts of the Miao ethnic group in China

During my trip to Scotland, I was deeply drawn to the traditional Scottish kilt and visited several studios to learn more about it. I was so glad to hear the stories behind this traditional garment. I had a lovely chat with a designer who specializes in custom kilts for individual clients. He spoke about the challenges of preserving the tradition, especially nowadays when many kilts are mass-produced, often losing the spirit and craftsmanship of the original designs.

Later, he showed me a collection of kilts that belonged to a man who had worn kilts his entire life and never got used to wearing trousers. After he passed away, his family donated his collection to the studio for display. As I touched the fabric, I could feel how heavy most of them were. The designer explained that due to the pleats, a traditional kilt can be very heavy—when fully opened, it stretches to about 4 meters in length.

I fell in love with the texture and design of these kilts, which reminded me of the pleated skirts worn by the Miao ethnic group in China. Across different cultures, I often notice beautiful similarities in traditional clothing. For the Miao people, their pleated skirts hold stories of their past and migrations, told through batik patterns and intricate embroidery.

Miao plated skirt (indigo dye, batik)

In that studio, I also saw some modern kilt designs, perfectly suited for contemporary life. It was wonderful to see so much creativity and innovation keeping this beautiful tradition alive on the streets of Scotland!