This artifact was originally a bespoke coat-dress, tailored for the owner’s wedding from a rare piece of vintage Spitalfields silk with shocking pink silk lining. 30 years later, it has been remade into a kilt, using the same traditional hand stitched methods used for creafting the traditional tartan kilts.

This transformation is part of the IV36 Initiative, a local circular economy system launched by Andrea Chappell in 2021 to protect the endangered craft of kiltmaking. By sourcing regional textiles, from farmers’ fleeces and local mill fabrics to post-consumer donations, Chappell upcycles discarded items into bespoke kilts, knits, and make-at-home kits.

To ensure the survival of her craft, 20% of all profits are reinvested to fund kiltmaking apprenticeships for residents of Forres (postcode IV36), directly aiding the regeneration of the community and its local textile ecology.