{"id":68,"date":"2024-12-24T21:47:13","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T21:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/brooke-tritton\/?p=68"},"modified":"2024-12-27T00:36:13","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T00:36:13","slug":"from-the-highlands-to-hollywood-hills-howie-nicholsby-and-the-modern-kilt-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/brooke-tritton\/2024\/12\/24\/from-the-highlands-to-hollywood-hills-howie-nicholsby-and-the-modern-kilt-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"From The Highlands to Hollywood Hills: Howie Nicholsby and the Modern Kilt Revolution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If hearing “kilt” conjures images of a lack of underwear and an overconsumption of Irn-Bru, think again. <\/h4>\n\n\n
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Kilts are a cornerstone of Scottish identity, steeped in heritage. But for Howie Nicholsby of 21st Century Kilts, they\u2019re more than a relic of the past. Determined to reimagine the garment, Howie has turned the kilt into a fashion-forward garment\u2014balancing tradition with modernity. From bold leather designs worn by some of your favourite Hollywood household names to everyday streetwear, his creations challenge rigid perceptions of what kilts can be.      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photograph by Kylie Corwin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Origins of 21st Century Kilts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For Howie Nicholsby, kilt-making was almost inevitable. Raised around kilts in his family\u2019s business, Geoffrey Tailor & Kilt makers, he developed an early passion for the craft.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy journey to America doing Scottish festivals started in 1983 when I was five years old, by 1984 I had a box to stand on and I was in charge of selling the socks and the garter flashes!\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1996, he launched 21st<\/sup> Century Kilts with one goal;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted it to be more for everyone, as opposed to just Scottish people. The kilt is the garment; tartan is the fabric, and there\u2019s no law that a kilt HAS to be tartan.\u201d  <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This vision set exceptional foundations for a brand that continues to challenge traditional perceptions and position the kilt as a versatile, contemporary fashion statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photograph by Kylie Corwin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Heritage: Balancing Tradition with Modernity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For Howie, the biggest threat to the kilt industry isn’t modernisation \u2013 its cheap, mass-produced imitations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s in danger of being seen as a novelty garment, and that\u2019s where I get really upset… We get emails from Pakistan trying to sell us it [kilt imitations] every day … its pretty horrible.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Howie\u2019s frustration reflects the wider challenge of balancing authenticity with affordability. His solution? Prioritising quality design to modernise the kilt without sacrificing its roots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cream socks, Howie explains, are a prime example of modern misconceptions;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhite socks were made up by English TV producers who couldn\u2019t see the dancers\u2019 legs on black-and-white film,\u201d he explains. \u201cPipe bands lost their budgets and couldn\u2019t afford tartan socks. The military wore white spats that could look like white socks, but if you look at the portrait galleries, there were never white socks.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

By eliminating outdated gimmicks, Nicholsby transforms kilts into practical garments rooted in authenticity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photograph by Kylie Corwin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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