Since launching in 2014, Le Kilt has been proudly made in Scotland by expert craftspeople using the finest natural materials; a small, independent business rooted in both the highlands and cityscapes that shape what modern Scottish culture means to us.

Fabric and materials always come first in everything we do. Our aspirational lens on Scottish heritage is as much about the marled greys that mimic concrete streets as the tartans woven from its landscape. The interplay between urban and rural that defines places like Edinburgh is a constant creative influence; the overlap of raw and refined, of art and craft, of regional tradition and contemporary design.

Born and raised in Leith, Edinburgh, and trained at the Royal College of Art in London, our founder, Samantha McCoach, explores the origins and meaning of garments through her designs. Reframing local tradition for a modern audience that wants a connection with its clothes, and appreciates how true craftsmanship reveals itself the closer you look. Without stereotypes, or touristy gimmicks.

Le Kilt began with Sam's grandmother Lena, a kilt-maker, showing her how to make the first samples at the family dinner table. Today, we create contemporary classics, produced by specialist makers without compromising on craft or materials, that provide the foundations of a modern womenswear wardrobe.

By working with a handful of small-scale British manufacturers we enable our customers to think sustainably and invest in quality; reducing wastage, supporting skilled local communities, and building more authentic, conscious connections with their clothes through understanding where they come from.

The kilt is a garment that can be interpreted in a hundred different ways and tell a hundred different stories. A blank canvas for expression that amplifies rather than dictates the wearer's identity - like a fine tailored suit the kilt is a modern uniform but with rules that are open to interpretation. And for more than a decade we've developed new codes that elevate the kilt without losing sight of its beginnings, exploring styles that can be both purposeful and punk; refined, yet still subversive.

A contemporary Scottish craft story for womenswear that we believe should be celebrated everywhere.

samantha@lekilt.co.uk