An antidote to the staid, traditional books on tartan, this volume is for anyone interested in pattern, fabric and fashion who is looking beyond Scotland, clans and kilts. The most complete and stylish book ever written on tartan, the volume features more than 300 images of tartan, beginning with the earliest examples from centuries ago through the 19th century (when it gained favour with the royal family, who set off a tartan craze), to its use now on the runways of our most provocative and important designers, including: Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, among others. A dynamic, fastpaced and fun approach to the beloved fabric, the book includes a wide range of images: from official portraits of the impossibly fashionable Duke and Duchess of Windsor, to more casual pictures the couple enjoying a festive party donned in tartan; backstage photos of rock icons from the 70s, including Malcolm Maclaren, Johnny Rotten, and Rod Stewart all fitted in tartan garb; and an intimate shot of Scottish actor Ewan Macgregor getting measured for his kilt at the august English purveyor of tartan Lochcarron, to name just a few. Divided into 3 chapters--Tradition, Fashion, and Living--the authors reveal the reasons behinds its enduring appeal and how it has been used on everything from furniture and curtains to keepsake boxes and umbrellas