Liberty Hypernova 150: The Icons | Episode 1: The Liberty Tartan Kilts
Hand-made over three-months in Scotland, discover how centuries of artisanal heritage and contemporary creativity are woven into each pleat
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Liberty Hypernova 150: The Icons | Episode 1: The Liberty Tartan Kilts
Hand-made over three-months in Scotland, discover how centuries of artisanal heritage and contemporary creativity are woven into each pleat
The Tartan Long Kilt from the Liberty Hypernova 150 Collection by Frida Giannini
Few items of clothing hold such strong cultural and artisanal allure as the traditional Scottish kilt. In each, individual garment, personal and cultural histories, heritage, masterful skill and creativity intertwine – each kilt holding generations of stories.
It’s these evocative artisanal legacies, then, which make the kilt such a vital inclusion in the Liberty Hypernova 150 Collection: designed by creative director Frida Gannini in honour of Liberty’s 150th anniversary. In a collection that celebrates masterful craft, technique and tradition, while revelling in the contrast between heritage and modernity, a new take on the kilt presented an enticing creative opportunity. And thus, the Liberty Tartan Kilts (long and short) came to be.
The Liberty Long Tartan Kilt
@lochcarron_of_scotland
Creative director Frida Giannini
The Liberty Tartan: Heritage Crafted Anew
The story begins with the tartan itself. The origins of this patterned cloth date back to 17th century Scotland where, traditionally, different clans from across the country would have their own specific tartan designs. However, across Liberty’s 150 years of design and print expertise, there had never been a registered Liberty tartan.
The iconic London storefront
@lochcarron_of_scotland
A glimpse into Liberty's archive through the I AM. WE ARE LIBERTY exhibition
The process began in collaboration with Selkirk based tartan manufacturers Locharron of Scotland. With a heritage dating back to 1892, Locharron of Scotland has spent over a century working to promote and preserve Scottish crafts: a dedication that aligns with Liberty’s own commitment to artisanal craft.
Using Liberty’s signature purple as a base, in combination with the bold, vibrant palette of Hypernova 150, the design for Liberty’s signature tartan came to life, capturing generations of tradition and heritage, with a flash of Frida’s bold modernity. The resulting Liberty Tartan is now registered in the Scottish Registry of Tartans, as well as being entered into Liberty’s own archive.
Woven by Hand: Masterful Skill
The weaving of the tartan cloth itself is an intricately detailed process. Helmed by the expert team at Locharron, the Liberty Tartan cloth came to life across a three-month period. The first stage of the process sees pure virgin wool yarns dyed in small batches to ensure the tartan’s signature rich, consistent colour throughout. Once dyed, each yarn is set into the pattern by hand, with mathematical skill and precision to ensure not a single misplaced thread. When woven together, this intricate process creates a perfectly proportioned, delicately balanced cloth. What’s more, the traditional weaving techniques used by Locharron of Scotland have barely changed for over a century: symbolising the enduring artistry and masterful skill behind each creation.
Rolls of tartan at the @locharron_of_scotland factory
@lochcarron_of_scotland
Loch Carron @lochcarron_of_scotland
The making of the kilts themselves involves a similarly intricate approach. Both the long and short kilts in the Hypernova 150 collection are created using one single length of Liberty Tartan cloth. Each of the 20 pleats in the garments are precisely measures, folded, pinned, pressed and sewn by hand by Motherwell-based kilt makers Glenisla Kilts, to produce an exquisite, elegant and timeless garment.
With every kilt woven and constructed by hand in Scotland, using the finest materials and skilled artisanal makers, these unique creations are designed to last a lifetime, transcending trends and taking Liberty, and Hypernova’s, craft into future generations.
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