The United States Consulate General in Edinburgh has launched an online poll asking the Scottish public to help choose its official tartan.
One winner will be chosen from three designs, which incorporate colours and patterns influenced by the shared history between Scotland and the United States. The poll will close on Monday, November 21, with the winning design announced on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30.
Officials at the Consulate which was first established in Edinburgh 224 years ago, partnered with tartan designer Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle, based in Evanton, north of Inverness, to develop the three options.
Prickly Thistle has a strong history creating innovative, bespoke tartan including those used at the 25th Annual New York City Tartan Day Parade in April 2022 and on previous occasions.
She also designed “Aliam” commemorating Alan Cumming and Miriam Margoyles’ 2021 “Lost in Scotland” TV special and “Sassenach” for Outlander actor Sam Heughan.
The Consulate General’s winning design will be registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans, where it will be publicly accessible among thousands of other tartans.
The tartan poll can be accessed via the Consulate’s @USAinScotland Twitter page or by visiting https://bit.ly/3fSUWhs.
The Consulate General’s team is engaging online audiences throughout the competition. The winning tartan will form a distinctive part of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Edinburgh, symbolising the deep connections between the United States and Scotland and boosting awareness of the Consulate General’s activities.
U.S. Ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said: “Tartan is embraced internationally as a symbol of Scotland, and we are thrilled to be one step closer to finally having an official tartan to call our own. All three designs up for a vote are representative of the deep historic and contemporary ties between the United States and Scotland. I hope our tartan will come to symbolize the continued growth of our relationship.”
U.S. Consul General Jack Hillmeyer said: “The United States has maintained a diplomatic presence in Scotland since 1798, when President John Adams appointed the first U.S. Consul. Since then, the ties between our nations have grown wide and deep. Millions of Americans claim Scottish ancestry, including dozens of U.S. Presidents.
“Americans harbour a deep love of Scotland, and the United States boasts more than 1,000 Scottish associations and clubs. Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Scotland annually, in addition to the thousands more who choose to study in Scotland each year. We are proud to be Scotland’s principal international trading partner, and our bonds continue to grow in new and emerging industries. This tartan aims to celebrate all we have in common with each other.”
Clare Campbell from Prickly Thistle said: “I was delighted to work with the U.S. Consulate General on their tartan project. Tartan is an expression of history, geography, and self-expression. These designs are instantly recognisable as Scottish but help visually tell the story of the different ways America and Scotland are interlinked. No matter the winner, Scotland will be welcoming a wonderful new tartan onto its national tapestry.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
