THE United States Consulate General is asking the Scottish public to help choose its official tartan.
The consulate, which opened its doors 224 years ago, has launched an online poll asking Scots to vote on their favourite of three designs, which incorporate colours and patterns influenced by the shared history between Scotland and the United States.
One winner will be chosen, and the design will be registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans, where it will be publicly accessible among thousands of other tartans.
Officials at the Consulate General partnered with acclaimed tartan designer Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle, based in Evanton, north of Inverness, to develop the three options.
Prickly Thistle has an acclaimed history of creating bespoke tartans, including those used at the 25th Annual New York City Tartan Day Parade in April 2022.
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She also designed “Aliam” commemorating Alan Cumming and Miriam Margoyles’ 2021 “Lost in Scotland” TV special and “Sassenach” for Outlander actor Sam Heughan.
Clare Campbell, from Prickly Thistle, said:“I was delighted to work with the US Consulate General on their tartan project.
“Tartan is an expression of history, geography, and self-expression.
“These designs are instantly recognizable 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.”
The winning tartan is hoped to form a “distinctive part” of the US diplomatic presence in Edinburgh, symbolising the “deep connections” between the US and Scotland.
US 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 are representative of the deep historic and contemporary ties between the United States and Scotland. I hope our tartan will come to symbolise the continued growth of our relationship.”
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US Consul General Jack Hillmeyer added: “The ties between our nations have grown wide and deep.
“Americans harbor a deep love of Scotland, and the United States boasts more than 1000 Scottish associations and clubs.
“This tartan aims to celebrate all we have in common with each other.”
The poll will close on Monday, November 21, with the winning design announced on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30.
It can be accessed via the Consulate’s @USAinScotland Twitter page or by visiting HERE.
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