Shows and identifies the tartans of Scotland, explains how they are woven, and recounts the myths surrounding their origins.

There are almost 200 Scottish clans in all, each with its own set of tartans. This book provides a short history of each clan accompanied by a picture of at least one of its tartans, and includes lists of various clan associations around the world.'

Tartan is so much more than just a cloth. From its clan origins in the Scottish Highlands to the catwalks of Milan, London, and New York, from its regimental history to its anti-establishment status, tartan has not only shaped a nation but has become an international style icon. The Secret Life of Tartan is as colorful and interwoven as the threads of the fabric itself. From troops in Black Watch tartan controlling Highland rebels to the Balmoral tartan exclusively worn by royalty, from the first tartan on the moon to the pattern of choice for punk and high fashion alike, tartan truly has a remarkable universal status. Today, tartan evokes history, kinship, tradition, romance, irreverence, fashion, and style. The Secret Life of Tartan unravels the truths and the myths of the cloth that shaped a nation to reveal how it has captured hearts around the world.

William “Braveheart” Wallace did battle in it. Queen Victoria decked Balmoral in it. Madonna donned it to strut around the stage. Tartan, the beloved symbol of kin, clan and nation to the Scots, has evolved into the one of the world’s favorite fabrics. Serving as inspiration for designers of everything from haute couture to furniture, tartan mania is in full swing. Fashion world insiders Jeffrey Banks and Doria de La Chapelle have written the definitive book on tartan, bringing together a dizzying array of images to tell the story of tartan’s humble beginnings to its current status as the ultimate emblem of great taste and high fashion. In addition to chronicling tartan enthusiasts from every age–including the incomparably fashionable Duke of Windsor whose closet was jam-packed with tartan kilts–Tartan profiles the designers who’ve made tartan an integral part of their work, from punk-inspired provocateurs Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Alexander McQueen to the more refined fashions of titan Ralph Lauren and Burberry. The perfect mix of a fashion and lifestyle book, this volume explores the global phenomena of tartan mania.

Tartan and Tweed is a comprehensive look at the chequered history of tartan and tweed from their origins in the Scottish Highlands to their reinvention, growing and continued popularity and use in contemporary fashion design, music, art and film. Both tweed and tartan are fabrics with a strong cultural identity and history. But they have been reinvented to create multiple meanings, particularly when used in street fashions and in haute couture to mimic or parody the aristocracy, and to act as a subversive symbol of rebellion. This lavishly illustrated book focuses on fashion over the last century whilst looking back at the journey these fabrics have made from traditional cloth to stylish fabrics. We follow the early popularity of tartan and tweed including the fabrics' connections from crofters and clans to aristocracy, and look at tweed's dramatic recovery during an economic crisis and its subsequent re-invention as desirable luxury fashion fabric. The book explores the use of tartan and tweed in fashion in the collections of leading designers including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Chanel who have used these textiles in a fresh, subversive way, while also paying tribute to their history. Making use of first person sources, historic documents, paintings and fashion photographs, this is a complete overview of tartan and tweed in Scotland and beyond.

Centuries ago a mysterious family of mad geniuses split into five clans; feuding, hiding, hoarding their secrets of fighting and art, magic and science. Now at the dawn of the mechanical 19th century, only the five clans united can hold back the blood-red tide of industrial apocalypse. Unless they dive into it laughing. I did say 'mad'