From designing and weaving the tartan to launching our collection, sharing our new Harris Mist tartan has been a proud moment for the whole team at MacGregor and MacDuff. With every department involved in some way or another and having had such a great reaction to the design, we wanted to do something more special than ever to celebrate. Having been inspired by the Isle of Harris, we thought a trip to the island would be the perfect tribute to the tartan’s roots. We hosted a fitting service and organised a photoshoot with the iconic Harris scenery as the backdrop. From start to finish, we received the warmest welcome from everyone we met on the island. Keep reading to find out all about our Outer Hebrides adventure!
Harris Kilt Fitting Service
Our trip to Harris began with us taking our famous kilt fitting service to a new destination. For one day only, Harris locals could visit the Kings of Kilts without having to leave the island. Our fitting services are normally hosted in the heart of a big city. To be surrounded by the picturesque scenery of the Isle of Harris was a real treat for our team and we left feeling more inspired than ever. We were lucky enough to host our fitting service in one of the stylish houses from Love Harris Holidays, provided by our friend Jamie, Director of the iconic Essence of Harris. Close to the island’s main hub of Tarbert, the cottage made for the ideal meeting point for those coming to the service. Not only was there plenty of space to display some of our kilts, jackets and accessories, there was a beautiful view from every window.
Lights! Camera! Action!
We couldn’t visit the Isle of Harris without taking advantage of the breathtaking landscape the island is renowned for. Rather than approaching an agency to find someone to don our new tartan, we decided to look locally for our models. Having locals in front of the camera wearing Harris Mist felt like a poetic way to honour the tartan’s origins. We were overwhelmed by the positive response we received after putting out a call to the island.
As the morning of the shoot dawned, we were lucky enough to have the most glorious sun beaming down on us. A bit like a wedding morning, our Harris locals gathered together at the cottage to get dressed for the day ahead. Joining us we had Eoghan, James, Kevin, Kieran, Nickolai and Scott. Kilts, jackets and every accessory in position, it was time to get started.
Our first stop was one of the island’s most famous beaches, Luskentyre. Turquoise blue waters and pristine white sand. We felt like we could have been in the Caribbean if it wasn’t for the dusting of white snow on the mountains in the distance. Our models strolled on the beach, wandered amongst the rugged terrain and even popped some champagne. Our Harris Mist tartan couldn’t have looked more at home.
Our brilliant photographer Andrew went above and beyond to get the shots. Whether it meant, lying in the sand or jumping in the burn to get the right angle, Andrew made it happen. A little rain didn’t put our group off either, we capitalised on it and saw it as a chance to use our Arran Mist Umbrellas.
Loomshed Hebridean Brewery Deli
We were in for a lovely surprise as we headed back to the cottage for lunch. Local deli and cafe, Loomshed had already set up sandwich platters and homebaking to keep us going for the rest of the day. We also had some of Loomshed’s locally brewed beers which were a welcome treat for our group in between shooting!
Isle of Harris Distillery
As the old Harris adage says, wait five minutes and the weather will change. So while the rain moved up the coast, we decided to move indoors. Our next stop was at the award-winning Isle of Harris Distillery. The copper pot stills and golden brown barrels were a great backdrop for the shoot as they complemented the soft tones of our tartan. We loved having the chance to shoot somewhere so out of the ordinary and it gave our group a chance to enjoy some Harris Gin too.
Borve Lodge Estate
We rounded off our day of shooting in Borve Lodge. The lodge is part of an estate on the island with luxury accommodation for visitors. Again, it was thanks to the generosity of Harris locals that made shooting on the estate a possibility. The estate’s owner Adam, allowed us to use the luxurious lodge as a setting for our final photos and filming. Adam and his son Oscar even got involved in some of the shots. Surrounded by stately rooms, grand fireplaces and ornate antiques, our group looked like true Kings of Kilts!
During the design process, leading up to our trip and the visit itself, we found that the locals beyond welcoming and helpful. With a successful fitting service and a photoshoot like no other under our belts, our Harris adventure couldn’t have gone any better. Each leading man will be gifted a made-to-measure Harris Mist kilt for taking part and we can’t thank them enough for their enthusiasm and positivity. We look forward to seeing where they wear their new Harris Mist kilts next. We would also like to thank all of the suppliers and locals who helped make our plans a reality, we were blown away by their generosity. Keep an eye out across our social channels for plenty more images and behind the scenes action of the trip.
Special thanks goes out to:
Our models for the day - Eoghan, James, Kevin, Kieran, Nickolai and Scott.
Our future Kings of Kilts - Aaron and Seonaidh