Written by Brianna Price.
Few patterns share a legacy as long lasting and ever shifting as Tartan.
What began as a system of identification within Scottish clan culture has been repeatedly subverted, appropriated and re-signified across centuries, moving fluidly between symbols of belonging, rebellion and prestige.
From the very north of the Highlands to the poshest postcode in London, its journey reflects its formidable power and reveals how a fabric can be rebranded entirely depending on who tells its story. Tartan has been recast over and over from subculture to luxury, varying from the anti-establishment provocations of Vivienne Westwood to the curated heritage narratives of luxury houses like Burberry.
To understand Tartan today is to understand how fashion transforms history into symbol. Let’s walk through Tartan’s historical evolution to its modern day symbolism through the lens of fashion.
Source: Historic UK From Top Left to Right: Clan Baird, Clan Elliot, Clan Hay. From Bottom Left to Right: Clan Bruce, Clan Cockburn, Clan Napier
An Origin of Belonging and Resistance
For several centuries, Tartan was a ubiquitous part of a Scot’s everyday attire. The specific pattern and colours worn traditionally linked to one’s clan1, their hues reflecting the plants, berries and trees local to their geographic area.
Tartan functioned as a visual code not only for personal identity, but collective belonging as well. Certain Tartans signaled alliance, while others signaled rivalry. It meant immediate recognition at gatherings, distinguishing kin from stranger. Most importantly, it served as a public declaration of one’s place within the social fabric of the Highlands.
Yet, its ability to make identity visible became its greatest threat.
When the English enacted the Dress Act of 1746, parts of Scottish identity would be erased forever. Following the Battle of Culloden, where Scotland would lose its fight for independence, Tartan was legally banned from being worn. Its removal was a deliberate attempt to dismantle clan culture by erasing its most visible symbols.
Despite its ban, it became a clandestine symbol of Scottish nationhood, rebellion and a rally cry for suppressed identity.
Scots continued to wear it, in secret. The very act of having it enabled its cultural survival, transforming it into a powerful symbol of defiance.
Source: V&A Collection
Victorian Revival and Romanticisation
Even after the repeal of the Dress Act of 1746, Tartan had become a nostalgic part of the past, only surfacing from closets for special events like parades and the Highland Games.
It wasn’t until Queen Victoria stepped into Scotland for the first time in 1842 that Tartan would acquire a new layer of meaning.
Following her initial visit, Queen Victoria quickly developed a deep affinity with Scottish culture. She romanticized its lochs, rugged hills and, most importantly: its Tartan, which she came to see as the quintessential symbol of Scottish identity.
She and Prince Albert loved it so much so, they commissioned their very own royal Tartan. What once was a defiant outlawed fabric was now perceived and treated as a royal adornment.
Tartan was back. And now, it was fashionable.
Inspired by its royal endorsement, the fashion elite flocked to Scotland to buy Tartan they could call their own. Companies began manufacturing it, the beginning of its commercialization. New Tartans were created and consumed for their romantic appeal rather than their actual authenticity.
Tartan was no longer defined by its lived Scottish communities. It was re-authored by the British elite as heritage and fantasy.
Source: Burberry / David Sims
Institutionalized and Reclaimed
As Tartan entered 20th century fashion, its meaning became even more shaped by the interpretation brands and designers had of it.
On one hand, luxury houses like Burberry drew directly on the Victorian’s interpretation of Tartan. After creating a signature Tartan of its own in the 1920’s, Burberry positioned Tartan not as disruption, but as a symbol rooted in British traditionalism and heritage.
By contrast, Vivienne Westwood’s use of Tartan stemmed from a very different impulse. Rooted in her admiration for Scottish rebellion and craftsmanship, Westwood’s use of Tartan aligned more with its original function as a symbol of resistance.
Through punk aesthetics and anti-establishment attitude, Tartan became a tool of counterculture rather than reassurance.
Notably, her 1993 Anglomania collection blended British tradition and historical rupture, where she layered up to a dozen Tartans in a single look and introduced her very own MacAndreas Tartan. Tartan returned to its earliest role:
A declaration of dissent, rebellion and refusal of the status quo.
Vivienne Westwood’s 1993 Fall/Winter “Anglomania” Collection
Yet, Burberry’s Tartan also shows how even institutionalized symbols can evolve over time. Their iconic Tartan has expanded beyond elite heritage into popular culture, shaped by class, subculture and global visibility.
This shift towards Tartan embracing a diversity of meanings became especially visible during Riccardo Tisci’s tenure at Burberry from 2018-2022 when the house collaborated with Vivienne Westwood. Rather than treating heritage and rebellion as opposing forces, it acknowledged Tartan’s ability to hold multiple meanings at once.
Burberry x Vivienne Westwood Collection 2018, Source: British Vogue/ David Sim
Tartan’s Modern Reinterpretations
In contemporary fashion, Tartan no longer carries a single narrative.
For example, Chopova Lowena harnesses Tartan through the whimsically grunge lens of Eastern European folklore and gritty girly subculture. The brand treats Tartan less as fixed heritage and more as a material to be experimented with - clipped, layered and worn with playful intent.
Chopova Lowena A/W 2025 Source: ShowStudio
Beyond the runway, as second-hand fashion surges, Tartan is resurfacing at the forefront of interest. The rise in wearing second-hand affirms a growing preference for garments that carry inherited history, rather than the blank storylessness of the new.
With interest in Tartan expected to build through 2026, we’ll likely see it surface across brands and wardrobes not as a singular symbol, but as an adaptable one.
What began as clan identity, then royal romanticism, then luxury branding and punk rebellion, now exists in a fashion landscape where the wearer becomes the storyteller.
With this context, Tartan’s next meaning is yours to interpret and create.
Brianna Price is a brand writer and cultural commentator wielding words in London. If you enjoyed this piece, you can follow her for more cultural deep-dives on fashion.
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