Kilt Misrepresented

[weejock]

I am not sure where this thread belongs. I would like to know if anyone else has had the same experience, any advise on this or a heads up to others. I personally own 6 kilts. Over the years I have purchased through a couple of different places. I own Lochcarron kilts, Dagliesh kilts, sport kilts etc. Recently I decided to go for a 16oz kilt and take the plunge! I knew the Tartan I wanted was Lochcarron and found the price on www.scotyard.com was very good. 8 Yard 16oz kilt hand sewn by Lochcarron. I meet Mac with The Scotland Yard at a local Highland game and he knew what he was taking about, so I was very comfortable with the purchase. I saved up for a couple of months and made the purchase online. The kilt arrived in 6 weeks and I was very happy about that. The I looked at it. First it was a couple of inches to big in the waist and 2 inches too short. Then I noticed the real problem, the pleats(knife edge) were MACHINE STITCHED! If anyone else has ever seen a 160z kilt machine stitched, it is not pretty! So I emailed and got no response. Then I called and found out that The Scotland Yard. The person I talked too, Ben I think, did not know what he was talking about. I asked for Mac or his wife and found out that The Scotland Yard was was under new management/ownership and that the original staff was no longer there. So I asked for the owner and he said he was the owner! I asked he why if the advertisement on his website was for hand stitched kilt I got a machine stitched one for the price of a hand stitched one. He informed me that the company had recently gone under some restructuring and the new kilts were being made that way here in the USA. Well that is not what I signed up for a asked for a refund. He informed that it was a custom item and not returnable and that there was no real difference between a hand stitched kilt and a machined one!!!! He said I must of measured wrong and it was my fault. My other 6 kilts are the same measurements I gave them and they all fit perfectly! He was very rude about it and obviously after talking to him he has never worn a kilt a day in his life!! Also the Tartan was not even Lochcarron, it was House of Edgar! I know this because I own one of those too and the color difference is obvious! So right no I am challenging my charge with my credit card company. I have also found out through The Scottish Society here that Mac , his wife and the rest of the staff left the Scotland Yard over issues like this. So good for him!!I don't mind buying a machine stitched kilt made in the USA,( I have before) but that is not what I was told I was buying at a much higher cost. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had any experiences like this with this company or any other , just so I and others know for the future!

[12stones]

Wow. I haven't had anything close to this issue, kilts or not kilts. I hope it all works out for you.

[DTrain]

Wow. Sounds like a disaster. I have heard good things about them in the past but I have never ordered from them. Hope that they can turn this around, it sounds awful.

[ardchoille]

This has happened to me on two occasions, I've been a customer of theirs since 2001. This happens sometimes when a hand-made kilt order is accidentally sent to the folks who make their rental kilts. I recently contacted Ben Fay over this exact type of situation and he fixed it for me, including accepting the return of the errant kilt and forwarding a new order to fill the original order. I'd like to add that in all my dealings with The Scotland Yard, once they have all of the information, they have always been willing to resolve any problem.

[MacLannan]

This has happened to me on two occasions, I've been a customer of theirs since 2001. This happens sometimes when a hand-made kilt order is accidentally sent to the folks who make their rental kilts.. at least that's what I was told. I recently contacted Ben Fay over this exact type of situation and he fixed it for me.

That's really funny that you mention this. I ordered my 13 ounce kilt from this Ben guy and it was machine stitched. I called to complain and was told the exact same thing. My custom kilt got mixed in with their rental department. Mr. Fay wasn't helpful with me personally. I was a little miffed so I checked out their rental department. It's all Irish National, Dress Gordon, Black Watch, Royal Stewart and I think he rents Saltire too. How exactly did my MacPherson Modern get mixed up with those tartans??? Thats one of the main reasons I want to get my formal kilt from a reputable place. It's not a tartan that looks good with machine stitching. The owner said he was sorry and was willing to send me a free t-shirt. Uh. Thanks.

[Scotus]

Thats one of the main reasons I want to get my formal kilt from a reputable place.

I ordered a 16 oz, 8 yrd. through Matt Newsome's museum shop and had no problems, so that's always a possibilty for someone looking to get a Lochcarron traditional kilt.

[ardchoille]

That's really funny that you mention this. I ordered my 13 ounce kilt from this Ben guy and it was machine stitched. I called to complain and was told the exact same thing. My custom kilt got mixed in with their rental department. Mr. Fay wasn't helpful with me personally. I was a little miffed so I checked out their rental department. It's all Irish National, Dress Gordon, Black Watch, Royal Stewart and I think he rents Saltire too. How exactly did my MacPherson Modern get mixed up with those tartans??? Thats one of the main reasons I want to get my formal kilt from a reputable place. It's not a tartan that looks good with machine stitching. The owner said he was sorry and was willing to send me a free t-shirt. Uh. Thanks.

As I stated, "This happens sometimes when a hand-made kilt order is accidentally sent to the folks who make their rental kilts", I don't think your tartan "got mixed up with other tartans". A mistake was made and the best thing to do is take the mistake to the source. Additionally, I was merely stating my experiences.

[Riverkilt]

Sorry that insanity is happening to you. Gotta be a horrible helpless feeling.

Thank you for affirming for me the benefits of dealing directly with my kiltmakers.

Salesmen, middlemen, jobbers, importers, retailers just add the possibility of complications. No offense to those that make their living in the middle. I just choose to work direct with the craftsmen sewing up my kilts.

Ron

[Pleater]

Perhaps with the weight of the credit card company coming down on him the new owner might just start to realise the extent of your displeasure.

I hope that at least you can get your money back and look again for a 16oz Lochcarron hand sewn, and the right size.

[Scotus]

and that there was no real difference between a hand stitched kilt and a machined one!!!!

That statement by them, of course, was a lie, as we all know. I am so sorry that this happened to you. That would be so sickening!