People are always curious about our African Tartans – Where on earth did such a notion come from? Why are there Tartans for Africa? And who would wear these tartans?
The journey began with the Scotland Malawi Millennium Project, obviously in and around the year 2000! David McGill, Tartan Designer, Philanthropist, Eccentric and all-round good egg, was determined to use tartan in a way that fostered multi-culturalism and interculturalism around the globe. Africa held a special place in his heart. “Cradle of civilization Hazel- deserves to be revered” was his opening gambit to me when I posed the same question that repeatedly gets asked of us “Why?”
David’s vision for tartan was to promote an outward-looking, modern Scotland that applied soft power in its international relations across trade, culture and humanity. After the success of the Malawi and Kenya Tartans and the warm reception for both – he got the bug…
David set about bringing people together – Scottish diaspora in Africa, African-Scots, Embassies, Consulates and Community Groups to explore colours, designs, symbolism and meaning in the creation of a range of African Tartans. He did it for 25 out of 54 African Countries as well as designing a pan-African Tartan (Karibu) for those of multi-African heritage and for those like him, who held Africa in high esteem.
Four of these African Tartans that have left lasting legacies. The Malawi and Zambian Tartans were used as a catalyst for creating textiles-based community enterprise. The Sudan Tartan secured EU funding, leading to the development of school uniform projects. We like to think that somewhere in Sudan hundreds of bairns are still running around in their Sudan Tartan skirts and shorts.
The Zimbabwe Tartan was also printed onto cotton and used by women’s textile groups to make tartan crafts and clothes that were sold for income for education and community benefit.
Aside from the tartan actually being used in Africa, David secured sponsorship to run a series of fashion shows between 2006-2009 with Strathclyde University and Heriot-Watt. Both Universities hosted ‘Tartans for Africa Fashion Shows’ with students creating and showcasing their own designs in the tartans. Those fashion shows raised over £50K that was subsequently donated to projects in Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as providing vital funding for refugee and asylum seeker initiatives in Scotland. We want to resurrect that legacy.
When we lost David in 2022 and he bequeathed the rights and licences to his tartans to us at ReTweed. We are a social enterprise based in the Scottish Borders and deliver training and skills to women in craft and design. We knew as much about tartan as you could write on the back of a matchbox.
Tartan Aficionados (and everyone and their granny!) were keen to jump in and tell us to ditch the Africa Collection and focus on the other 100 or so tartans David had designed. We wavered some, but eventually the naysayers lost the argument and we’ve gotten a bit determined to do something profound with these tartans. We want them worn around the world, on catwalks, on high streets – we want fabulous men and women of African heritage on the front of magazines rocking tartan, we want some youngster in East London or Harlem in South African Tartan Trews or a Nigerian Tartan Waistcoat. We want the profits from the sale of that tartan do be applied for the good of all. Come join us and help us make it happen.