Arevolution is afoot at one of Scotland's most venerable kilt-makers: Among traditional tartans there are hip versions in denim, leather and, even, see-through pink plastic.
Howie Nicholsby has dressed Madonna and British pop sensation Robbie Williams, as well as hipsters who wear his creations to Edinburgh's nightclubs.
At his basement workshop on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Nicholsby explains his philosophy.
"I'm not so much a designer as a radical evolutionist," he said. "I've taken the kilt back to its origins, to its roots and made it an everyday piece of clothing."
Only one man stands in the 28-year-old's path to world domination in the line of hip kilts: his father, Geoffrey, who heads the family business, Geoffrey (Tailor).
Nicholsby explains his father's reaction to his first fashion kilt and doublet jacket, in silver snakeskin pattern PVC, which he hand-stitched 10 years ago.
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"He hated it, and my mum, Morna, was not impressed either. Both of them thought, 'There is nothing in this.' "
That first kilt now hangs in Nicholsby's office. In the shop there are rows of extravagantly designed kilts and jackets, from blue camouflage and orange silk to more conservative outfits in pinstripe and gray tweed.
Nicholsby's next innovation was to make his kilts more comfortable. His epiphany came while climbing Masada in Israel.
"I was wearing my camouflage kilt up the hill and I became incredibly hot," said Nicholsby. "Traditionally, kilts are worn high on the waist in a military style, but it was too much. So I pushed it down to my hips. When I got down the hill, I just raised the hem and the hipster kilt was born."
Prices start at $450 for a denim kilt, with the custom range going up to $2,500 for a black leather number complete with a thunderbolt kilt pin — as worn by film star Vin Diesel at the MTV Europe music awards in 2003.
"It's taken quite an effort to make the kilt cool again," he said. "Even in the early 1980s there weren't many young Scotsmen who were prepared to wear a kilt. Now that's all changed and we are enjoying a renaissance."
