History of Houston Kiltmakers
Houston kiltmakers has been in the heart of paisley for over a century and in that time, the shop has been through a lot. Starting 4 generations ago our family business emerged as a gentlemen’s outfitters then becoming a key highland wear supplier & kilt maker. The shop has grown with time and witnessed change in highland wear trends & witnessed over 100 years of paisleys history being on it’s doorstep. We have survived 2 world wars, depressions & recessions.
Our little home town shop has grown over the years and now in its fourth generation, is a leading business in the industry, shipping our premium highland wear goods all over the world. People travel from all over the globe to our little shop in paisley to get their own bit of scottish history and the best scottish kilt outfits available.
Who are Houston kiltmakers?-
Houston Kiltmakers is a fourth-generation family-run business with over a century of expertise as gentlemen’s outfitters, Highland wear, and Tartan specialists. We offer an extensive range of tartans and have the capability to produce or design any tartan for purchase.
Using only the finest materials, each kilt is handcrafted and custom-tailored by skilled craftsmen and women to ensure it lasts a lifetime. We prioritize personalized service, guaranteeing first-class attention whether you visit us in person or use our online mail-order service.
We provide the highest quality Highland wear available. Whether you’re looking to buy a complete Highland outfit or start with a kilt and gradually build your ensemble, Houston’s offers options to suit all budgets and tastes. A kilt is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and it’s worth investing in one from a reputable kilt outfitter. We also offer comprehensive professional services, including aftercare support if needed.
Houston kiltmakers is family owned & run, with a team of knowledged & experienced staff. The shop has been a key part of the highland wear industry & and will continue to be for generations, being one of the last few authentic traditional kilt makers in Scotland.
Ken & Ewan MacDonald-
Ken MacDonald is the shop owner, the 3rd generation of the family business, started by his great grandfather William Houston. Kens led the business to modern success as well-known figure in the industry, having served as the past Vice Chairman of the Scottish Tartan Authority and three-time past Deacon of the Incorporation of Weavers of Glasgow (established in 1514). He has been involved in numerous significant projects, including designing Houston’s Bute Heather Collection, which revolutionized the kilt hire scene in Scotland with its contemporary designs that have been bestsellers for over two decades.
Aside from his role in the highland wear industry, Ken MacDonald was a Director of Paisley First (Business Improvement District), and past member of the Paisley Vision Board whose remit was to lead the regeneration of Paisley town centre. He has served his third term as Deacon of the Incorporation of Weavers Glasgow.
Throughout his career, Ken has worked on a wide range of corporate tartans for clients such as London North Eastern Railway, the Wallace Society, Accord Hospice, and RAF Kinross. A notable highlight of his career was designing the Apollo 12 tartan and presenting it to Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon.
Ken has also had the honour of presenting the American National Tartan to George W. Bush and the Glasgow Miles Better Tartan to Prince Charles, who is now the King, as well as to Princes William and Harry.
Ewan MacDonald, the fourth generation of the family business, has followed in his father Ken MacDonald’s renowned footsteps. Ewan is an innovator in the highland wear industry, enhancing the shop and its projects while establishing himself as a leading tartan designer.
Despite being in the early stages of his career, Ewan has already gained significant attention for his work on tartan designs and weaving projects for high-profile clients such as Dominoes, Aldi, NASA, Barclays, Boeing, Skyrora, and the Robert Burns World Federation. Collaborating with his father and connecting with numerous industry partners, Ewan possesses extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of highland wear and design.
Ewan has a keen eye for kilt outfit styling, curation, and trend forecasting. His attention to detail has led to projects such as designing the tartan for the Clan Chief Buchanan’s inauguration. Additionally, Ewan has considerable experience in creating personal and wedding tartans for a diverse range of customers.
Both are extremely well knowledged and experienced in the industry, staying within the family business both have learned the ins & outs of every detail of the highland wear scene and innovators in their fields. Houston Kiltmakers is their pride & joy and most importantly their livelihood, both alongside their shop team share a genuine passion for tartan & highland wear.
Our shop in paisley-
Paisley is a town located on the outskirts of Glasgow in the west end of Scotland , known as the largest town in Scotland. Paisley is about a 5 minute drive from Glasgow airport.
Paisley is renowned for its significant role in the textile industry, particularly for the iconic Paisley pattern, which gained fame through the town’s notable mills. At their peak, these mills produced 90% of the world’s thread. The Paisley pattern became a global phenomenon, frequently appearing in high fashion.
Paisley town was especially known for its shawls, with various countries creating their own interpretations of the Paisley pattern to suit their fashion industries. The mills in Paisley were inundated with orders for shawl production, and the town boasted over 7,000 weavers. Crafting a single shawl took about two weeks, and the entire process from design to finished product spanned roughly six months.
W M Houston Gentlemen’s Outfitters was established in 1909 by Mr. William Houston from Paisley, the grandfather of Ken. In 1924, the Houston family acquired the business and flats above the shop with just 2 shillings and sixpence in the till. For over 50 years, the shop served as a traditional gentlemen’s outfitter, offering pinstripe suits and bowler hats. Over time, the Houston family, followed by the MacDonald family, expanded and developed the business, which remains based in Paisley.
At the age of 16, Ken MacDonald the current owner joined the family business, W.M Houston Gentlemen’s Outfitters, which is now known as a Traditional Kilt makers in Paisley, Scotland. Houston Kiltmakers are globally recognized as a leading authority on all aspects of Scottish highland wear and etiquette.
Ken developed his passion for highland wear from receiving his first kilt which he wore to school, highland wear has been a key part of kens livelihood and he was lucky enough to work in an industry he’s so passionate about and has been for 50 years.
We have been based in the heart of paisley for over 100 years and have been providing the best highland wear to our loyal & local community for decades. The shop often collaborates in community & charity projects and emphasises the importance of supporting local communities & small businesses.
Paisley’s heritage in textile manufacturing, combined with Houston Kiltmakers’ expertise, showcases our commitment to high-quality, handcrafted kilts. We are dedicated to providing the best customer service through our bespoke options, professional services, and aftercare support, ensuring that our clients receive a lifetime investment in our Highland wear. This commitment has made Houston Kiltmakers a respected name in the industry, known for delivering exceptional Scottish kilts and Highland outfits.
History of the Kilts-
A kilt consists of a single long piece of fabric, usually about 8 yards, featuring an inner apron, a series of pleats, and an outer apron. This fabric is typically made of plain or tartan-patterned wool and is constructed into a skirt-like garment.
Kilts originated around the 16th century as a large piece of woven cloth wrapped around the body for warmth and protection, secured with a belt. This early form of the kilt, known as the great kilt or Feileadh mor, represents the earliest version of what we recognize as a kilt today.
The kilt was inspired by the woollen cloak called a plaid, which was worn over a tunic in Irish Gaelic culture. Initially, kilts and plaids were generally plain wool or simple tartans and were symbols of wealth at the time.
As wool became more readily available, the cloak evolved from a draped piece of cloth around the waist with the remaining fabric wrapped around the bodice, secured with a belt and plaid brooch. This adaptation helped retain heat and provided protection against the elements.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the great kilt evolved into what is now known as the small or walking kilt, which is closer to the modern kilt we recognize today. The small kilt, derived from the lower part of the great kilt, consists of a single piece of cloth that is hand-pleated and wrapped around the body below the belt, lacking the excess fabric and plaid of the great kilt. The small kilt became common in the Highlands around 1746, though many grooms continued to wear a shoulder plaid as an additional accessory.
The contemporary kilt, often referred to as the tailored kilt, resembles the walking kilt but was developed by Thomas Rawlinson in the 19th century. Rawlinson addressed the impracticality of the walking kilt by introducing pre-sewn pleats, creating what is now known as the tailored kilt. This innovation was adopted by his employees and became popular for its practical design.
The tailored kilt gained mainstream popularity through its use in military uniforms and eventually became a fixture in mainstream fashion. Many esteemed academic historians have researched and investigated the origins and history of kilts, contributing to our understanding of this traditional national dress.
King George II enacted the Dress Act of 1746, which prohibited Scots from wearing kilts. Under this law, anyone other than members of Highland regiments or the military who were caught wearing a kilt faced penalties of six months’ imprisonment or seven years’ transportation.
This measure was introduced because kilts and tartan were strongly associated with Scottish support for their clan chiefs and monarchs, which the king perceived as a threat to his authority. He aimed to suppress Highland culture and its symbolism. The act sparked protests, with many Scots wearing kilts in defiance. After 35 years, the ban was repealed in 1782.
During this period, both Highlanders and Lowlanders adapted the kilt to their own traditions, and tartans began to represent specific clans, serving as a means of identification.
In the wake of the repeal, Scottish landowners formed societies to promote the traditional Highland dress, leading to the kilt becoming a significant symbol of Scottish identity. King George IV’s visit to Scotland, was a turning point in history and was seen as the social acceptance of kilts again as he was seen wearing a kilt, this further cemented kilts association with Scottish heritage.
Special clients-
In 1988, Ken was commissioned to design a tartan for the staff uniforms at the Glasgow Garden Festival. The tartan created, known as ‘Glasgow’s Miles Better,’ was used for these uniforms. When HRH Prince Charles visited the festival, he was gifted two kilts made from this tartan for his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. It was a tremendous honour for Ken to present these kilts to Prince Charles in person.
Ewan designed this tartan for Domino’s Scotland. The final design, with equal parts dominos blue and red, along with white and black accents, draws inspiration from their iconic logo. This striking design was woven into cloth and made into kilts to celebrate the opening of a supply chain of stores in Scotland.
Crafting this unique tartan involved numerous drafts before arriving at the impressive final design, which serves as a great asset for Dominoes’ branding. It was a long process to get right but looked incredible when made into the Kilt.
Ewan also got to work on designing a special custom weave tartan for the 2022 Buchanan clan chief inauguration in October 2022 as a colourful option to wear at the event and to use for different items related to the event. The colours used in this tartan are a twist on the colours found in the Buchanan tartan.
This was designed to be an option for those who want to wear the Buchanan tartan but uses a different palate; forest green is now a deep turquoise; yellow is a coral shade and red is a bright pink.
We have also produced hundreds of kilts for big clients such as Nasa, Marti Pellow, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Aldi, Royals & London North East Railway just to name a few.
We hope this informational blog has been educational & interesting, you can find out more about highland wear & products on our website Kiltmakers.com
For similar blogs you can read out history of the kilt blog here & where it began here & you can also browse other topics here.
We would love to welcome you into our traditional highland wear store or you can also enquire to us at [email protected] or call us on 0141 889 4879.
