A Journey Into the Mist - Isle of Skye District Tartan

Isle of Skye tartan is a district tartan, meaning that it is not associated with any particular clan, but to the island itself. The tartan was designed in 1993 by Angus MacLeod, who was from the neighbouring Isle of Lewis, after he won a competition to design the tartan. Wasn't he lucky? Isle of Skye tartan draws its influences from the island's scenic landscape, consisting of greens, browns and purples which combine to create this beautiful tartan.

The Isle of Skye is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides and the second largest in Scotland after Lewis and Harris. It is home to some of the country's most beautiful scenery and landscapes, with a host of famous landmarks ranging from the Old Man of Storr to the Fairy Pools. The island has two different Gaelic names, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach, which is thought to mean either the 'Winged' or 'Notched Isle'; and Eilean a’ Cheò, meaning 'The Misty Isle'. The confusion over the meaning of these names is due to the number of different people who have called Skye home over the years, including Picts and Norsemen.

On the north coast of the island, you can find an unusual rock formation which has come to be known as Kilt Rock. The rock face of this sea cliff has formed into patterns that closely resemble the pleats of a kilt! On certain days it can be said that the colour of the rocks can almost appear to be tartan. From Kilt Rock it is also possible to view the famous Mealt Water which cascades down the rock face into the sea.

The Isle of Skye is not only home to some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery, but also to several prominent Scottish clans, resulting in a fair few castles. Clan MacLeodwere the chief clan on the island, hailing from Dunvegan Castle; which sits on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan. The MacLeod's fierce rivals, Clan MacDonald of Uist, were based to the south of the island in Duscaith Castle; with their sept Clan Donald residing in the neighbouring Armadale Castle. The two clans fought one another for many years and had a bloody history. In one such instance, in 1578, Clan Macdonald barricaded a church full of MacLeods and burned it to the ground. This was in retaliation to a previous massacre which had occurred on Eigg in the years prior. As a result of this attack the Chief of Clan MacLeod rode out of his castle with a band of men and defeated the MacDonald clan in what became known as the Battle of the Spoiling Dyke. Today you can still visit the castles belonging to the clans of Skye, all of which are all well worth exploring.

Dunvegan Castle, which can be found on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan, is the seat of Clan MacLeod. From the outside the castle appears to be a unified building, however, all is not as it seems. The interior of the castle consists of five different buildings from different time periods ranging from 1200 to the 1850s, resulting in a smorgasbord of building styles. This disjointed appearance is concealed behind a Victorian façade that was erected between 1840 and 1850 to create the picturesque castle that you can see today.

The castle is the oldest continuously occupied household, by a single family, in the whole of Scotland, with the MacLeods calling Castle Dunvegan home for over 800 years. Clan MacLeod have a long and distinguished history, and claim to be descendants of Vikings. One of the clan's most prized possessions the 'Fairy Flag' can be found within the castle. The 'Fairy Flag' is thought to have originated from Syria or Rhodes from the 4th Century A.D. and is woven of silk. It is believed to have mythical powers, and was said to inspire the clan to victory in battle, even against the toughest odds.

Ahead of the launch of our Spring Collection, ScotlandShop spent the day in the historic Dean Village in Edinburgh to take some photos of our Isle of Skye tartan. It was a great day in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, and the tartan worn by our model Lauren looked looked even better back-dropped against the iconic buildings. Your favourite Kate Coat with its flattering double breasted fastening and semi-fitted shape is now in stock for spring summer, along with a whole new collection for men and women in the Isle of Skye tartan. What are you waiting for?