Queen Victoria’s new drawing room at Balmoral castle with interiors designed in 1855 by the fashionable Mount Street decorator Holland with Royal Stuart Tartan carpets and Hunting Stuart curtains (Image © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust)
As we look toward a season of celebration, we often reflect upon the many traditions that we hold dear, pulling them out, dusting them off and embracing their timeless nature. Each family has its own unique traditions surrounding the holidays, including food, activities and decor. One of the most iconic and perhaps ubiquitous staples of holiday decor is tartan. The rich fabric adorns all things seasonal, such as tree skirts, blankets and even wrapping papers.
Originating in Scotland as early as the third century, tartan is made of a simple two-over-two twill weave, creating a pattern of geometrically aligned stripes. Produced by local weavers in wool using natural dyes, the colors were often chosen for the purpose of the garment (dark colors for hunting, bright colors for celebrations). These garments were worn by the Highland clans of Scotland until the British banned the fabric in 1746 as a symbol of the Jacobite rebellion. Though the ban was lifted in 1782, many Highlanders had become accustomed to other modes of dress, shunning their traditional garb.
Consequently, production of tartan became limited to that of a ceremonial nature until British monarchs King George IV and Queen Victoria brought the fabric onto the world stage on separate occasions in the 19th century, most notably when Queen Victoria built Balmoral Castle in Scotland and had it decorated in tartan from top to bottom, putting the fabric at the forefront of fashion and decor. Shortly after, tartans and other plaids began appearing in clothing and furnishings en masse.
As tartan’s reach began to expand across the globe, it took on a new role as the inspiration for other styles of plaid that were entering the market such as Buffalo Plaid, said to have been made in collaboration between a Scottish immigrant and Native Americans in the 1850s. Many of these newer varieties of plaid were cheaper and easier to produce than tartan, making them both more accessible to the masses and more popular, resulting in a decline in tartan.
It wasn’t until the late 20th century that tartan saw a true renaissance in the punk movement. Drawing on the rebellious lineage of the fabric, designers including Vivian Westwood and Alexander McQueen tore into the quintessential textile in the 1970s, refitting it with studs, spikes and safety pins for a sharper edge. An extremely versatile design, tartan has been reborn to fit in almost every category imaginable, from punk to prep. It has infiltrated Japanese style; clothed Nigerian tribes; covered walls in homes; and embellished chairs, lampshades and so much more. The warm and effortlessly chic style of tartan can truly fit in anywhere.
Over the past several years, home decor and interior designers have embraced the adaptable nature of tartan and its fellow plaids with a renewed fervor. Whether it’s using one piece to make an impact in a room or multiple styles of tartan and plaid to create an eye-catching juxtaposition, designers such as Ralph Lauren are giving the fabric new life, proving that tartan can transcend any season.
