US retailer launches official tartan

New York department store Saks Fifth Avenue has launched its own tartan to kick off a special

‘Best of Scotland’ celebration, marking its long-standing affiliation with Scottish textiles.

The new black-and-white plaid tartan was developed exclusively with the Scottish Tartans Authority, under the guidance of Brian Wilton, one of the world’s leading tartan designers, and is now officially registered and certified as the Saks Fifth Avenue Tartan.

Wilton created a distinctive square pattern reflecting the iconic Saks logo and the design or ‘sett’ used in the tartan worn by the 79th New York Regiment, also known as the Highland Guard, who were a common sight parading the streets of New York in the 1860’s in their distinctive tartan ‘trews’, when the founder of Saks opened his first store.
The retailer has used the tartan to produce a variety of products such as scarves, rain boots and jackets, which are currently being showcased in the windows of the retailer’s flagship New York store.

Eric Jennings, Vice President and Men’s Fashion Director at Saks said: “We travelled to Scotland last year and hand-picked the finest cashmere and tweed for the Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Collection. While touring the mills, we were reminded of how the Scots combine phenomenal craftsmanship with innovative techniques to produce stunning textiles.”