BACKGROUND
According to the chess rule, checkmate is a situation in the game of chess where the player has been defeated or plan cannot develop or continuous. It has became the idea of this season, of what the situation of Highland regiments were faced against to the English Army in the Cullodenbattlefield. The tragedy failed ahead and with no choice. This season we obtained the inspiration from checkmate, to describe the mood and atmosphere of the fight of Jacobite Rebellion in the battlefield. Plus the stories of roots of their tradition clothing (the great kilt) and jacobite cause symbol (the white rose cockade) etc. To form a new chapter of this season.
INSPIRATION
In the Jacobite rising, many Jacobite rebels used great kilts with dark tartan pattern as a informal uniform. This garment is a large piece of wool fabric with gathered up into pleats and secured by a belt or drawstring, which the upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the shoulder or head. When it’s unpleased, it can be open entirely into a blanket, which the. functionally benefit for military use due the plaid served as a warm cloak by day to against the bad weather and bedding at night.
“The garb is certainly very loose, and fits men inured to it to go through great fatigues, to make very quick marches, to bear out against the inclemency of the weather, to wade through rivers, and shelter in huts, woods, and rocks upon occasion.” described by Forbes, Lord Culloden Duncan in Culloden Papers (1815). We obtained the idea of the great kilts into this collection, by pleated drapes the wool fabric into the silhouette of garments and experienced the tartan pattern with leather faded technique, knitting skill and print design etc.
The white rose of Scotland also named as scots rose or burnt rose. During the jacobite Rebellion, the Jacobite use the white rose as the cockade to identifying those who supported the cause secretly.The root of the white rose could refer to the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart, who was born on 10th June in 1688, said to be‘’ the longest day of the year in which the white flowers. We used the white rose as the initial idea pattern of the embroidery, form by mixed material of yarn, thread and ribbon etc.
The sporran plays the function as a pockets on the pocketless kilts. Which mainly made of leather or fur in the ancient time. We developed the sporran into a modern belt pouch , with horse leather and organza flowers.
FABRIC & DETAILS
We searched for different kind of checkered pattern fabrics throughout the whole collection.
Leather faded effect experienced by hand with brush.
Chess board print collage with the portrait of Donald Cameron, the Gentle Lochiel.
The Donald Cameron’s portrait chess board print sew with another layers of check pattern print with organza, which combines into a new double layers print.
In-house made, hand embroidery with mixed of yarn, organza and thread.
100% cashmere floral pattern hand-embroidered cardigan.
Screen printed angel & devil print with hand embroidery
2-tone colours of black and mud corduroy fabric, with composition of virgin wool and cotton.