Portraits of our Creative Scottish Legends

Stewart Christie's costumes for the 'Creative Legends' event were created using traditional tailoring techniques, looking back for inspiration and looking forward with modern detailing. A wide crossection of characters from across the centuries were brought to life at Edinburgh's National Portrait Gallery. For one evening only, a chance to celebrate achievement and tailoring, in a show of fashions from across the ages. The event also raised £16,850 for Maggie's Trust.

Creative Legend - William Wallace - Modelled by Kyle Jamieson

Sir William Wallace, Named Guardian of Scotland sporting the Wallace clan Tartan in a hand made full kilt with matching fly plaid with Cairngorm broach. The evolution of the kilt from the 13th century has changed from a rough and functional blanket, to something well tailored and extremely precise.

Creative Legend - Mary Queen of Scots - Modelled by Tabitha Stephens

Mary Queen of Scots is wearing a modern interpretation of Tudor dress. In true period style, she is dressed in black on black bias cut tartan, created in our own workrooms by Jodi McCann at Stewart Christie. The fitted dress has been matched with a cape train lined with contrast Amythest lining giving it a truly regal look.

Creative Legend - Flora MacDonald -Modelled by Julia MacDonald

Flora MacDonald was a truly romantic Scottish Legend. She wears a period costume, matching a flowing oversized shirt with a laced bodice top, full length skirt and petti-coat. She is wearing a MacDonald tartan sash, which was outlawed for a time after the Jacobite uprisings of 1715-1745. A special thanks to the Lyceum theatre for loaning us this outfit which we then fitted and customised to suit the character of Flora.

Creative Legend - Rabbie Burns - Modelled by Michael Maclean

Robert Burns, a poet's poet. A well educated son of a poor farmer, he started to write songs to woo young maidens and his wooing is world renowned to this day. He is wearing a shawl collared two piece silk velvet suit of the period from the Stewart Christie archive, matched with a textured pastel blue waistcoat and white cotton poplin neck scarf.

Creative Legend -Sir Walter Scott - Modelled by James Marchant - Wink

Sir Walter Scott, possibly Scotland’s best ever PR guru. Here, he is wearing an archive piece from Stewart Christie, a black doeskin wool tail coat with silk inset lapels. The buff felt waistcoat was a typical style of the day twinned with his trademark Tartan Trews, which are now a fashionable choice for those not wanting to sport the full kilt.

Creative Legend - Tam O' Shanter - Modelled by James McCallum

Straight out of the pages of literary history comes one of Burns' world famous creations, Tam O'Shanter. Here, he is donned his best blue breeches and the bonnet to which he has leant his name. Matched with his long handmade doublet and Melton top coat. As a farmer, he is a particularly fashionably dressed.

Creative Legend - Andrew Carnegie - Modelled by Angus Richardson

Andrew Carnegie is one of Scotlands best known Philanthropists, Industrialists and Business Magnates. An arbiter of style, here he sports a four piece Harris tweed Suit. Crafted by Stewart Christie the cloth comes from Carloway mill on the Isle of Lewis. His high waisted fish tail backed breeches, balance well with the slightly shorter length waistcoat.

Creative Legend - William Grant - Modelled by Douglas Candlish

Born in 1849 in Dufftown, being a direct descendant from the Clan Grant, William Grant is one of Scotland’s best know distillers and entrepreneurs. He is wearing the clan Grant tartan trews, cloth by Lochcarron of Scotland and formal black barathea waistcoat from Stewart Christie, matched with a satin waist sash giving a regal finish to his formal outfit.

Creative Legend - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Modelled by Charles Maclean

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle best known for his dectective fiction and the creation of the characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Sporting the garments synonymous with his character creation, the Inverness cape is unquestionable. In tweed, was historically a garment originated from the workrooms of Stewart Christie, replacing the oilskin version with something more luxuriant. Topped off with his flapped deerstalker, the cape covers a matching soft tailored suit and contrasting tweed waistcoat.

Creative Legend - Elsie Inglis - Modelled by Tracy Clarkson

Wearing the height of early Edwardian fashion Elsie Inglis was one of Scotland's most innovative doctors and an avid suffragette. She wears a full length tweed panel skirt and tailored frock jacket by Stewart Christie made from Irish Donegal herringbone tweed contrasted with goat suede.

Creative Legend - Charles Rennie Mackintosh - Modelled by Cameron Barnett

Glasgow's favourite son, architect, artist and romantic, Charles Rennie Mackintosh is now renowned as one of the most important designers of the Art Nouveau movement. Wearing a lovat blue tweed two piece suit with exaggerated detail and soft structure. This was a departure from the formal morning wear of the period, giving him a really modern look at that time.

Creative Legend - Maggie Keswick Jencks - Modelled by Robyn Anne Dawson

The spirit of Maggies, with styling from the eighties when its founder was designing and writing. The outfit is of a hand crafted tweed circle skirt and square cut jacket that has been made from a puppy tooth grey and black flannel finished worsted cloth giving both depth and texture.

Photography by Laura Meek

- Thanks to all of our creative legends -