Who is Hamish?

[jeremy j starche]

Please read this question, giving it the humble voice that I type it in.

'Who is Hamish Bicknell?"

While discussiong XMarks with a friend the other day, I made mention that having it frequented such people as Hamish gave me great comfort, knowing that people of taste and dignity gave their voice.

In response, I got a 'Hamish ... who?'

And I had no idea how to answer.

If I said he was an avid kilt collector, that made him sound a bit eccentric.

I know that he was a dancer, but my searches in Google only tell me that he was a dancer and that he collects kilts.

I searched for "Laird of Lochaber" and found it was a title that could be bought.[1]

So ... I ask those who are privileged to know him: "Who is Hamish Bicknell?"

Again, I ask this question in respect and humility. While I don't believe that we have ever even crossed posts here at XMarks, I have read a number of his posts and have the highest respect for this taste, and his character and his kollection.

[1]http://www.lochaberhighlandestates.com/

[ForresterModern]

A man, just a man.

But a man of grace, of honor, of style, of substance, of integrity, of courage of faith, of humor, and of friendship. And that is only about 3% of the descriptors that could be applied to the man, all positive. His fame is that he has one of the (if not THE) largest and most grand collection of kilts in the world. And he is a longstanding member here who no doubt will pop in to say hello when the time is right. I have never personally met the man but still consider him my friend and value his opinion.

Others will elaborate, I am sure, but I am glad to have the chance to be the first.

[ChubRock]

[Downunder Kilt]

A True Gentleman, in every sense of the word

[highland mafia]

he is the man that can pull off a kilt like a chef pulls off butter!!! And over all seems like a absoultley nice fella...

[Cygnus]

Q: "Who is Hamish?"
A: "The pride, envy, and first wonder of the kilted world."

[The Wizard of BC]

When Hamish was born he was very, very young.

And so was the world. The fingerprints of the creator could still be seen on the rocks and on the mountains.

Into this world, still tingling with the essence of creation there was born a singular being. So full of grace and poise, so endowed with wisdom that all who gazed upon him marveled.

There is only one true calling for such a being. Only one Art worthy. And Hamish took to the Highland Dance. Men were amazed at the height of his leaps and women fell faint at the swish of his pleats.

But the larger world needed Hamish. There were troubles woes and sorrows. So he traveled to the great city of London which bustled and churned with humanity. And as all know, where you have humanity which bustles and churns you have,,,,,well, to put it polity,,,,odoriferousness.

Hamish found his way to the small perfume shop of Floris. And while the Floris shop holds Royal Warrants from the Royal Houses of Europe it was, after all, only a shop selling bottles of smellum.

Under the gentle influence of the presence this man Europe soon found that wars could be ended when Diplomats could meet in small, closed rooms without offending. Great Alliances could be reached as young Princes and Princesses could court each other in confidence

For many years Hamish labored to bring the world to it's true potential of sweet smelling harmony. But there was still a great injustice pervading the world. Men were bound by the fashion of trousers.

So Hamish began a mission to single-handedly show the men of the world that there was a better way. To guide them out of the pinching, the binding and the blandness of trousers.

As the last strains of Disco faded from the world Hamish assigned all the trousers in his wardrobe to the rubbish heap and donned The Kilt.

In the millennia to come the History books, encyclopedia, and yes, even the wikipedia will mark this time as the beginning of the freedom of men.

Hamish guided, by his example, the generations to come of the men of the world. With his gentle manner, his impeccable fashion sense, and with his trusty sidekick "Tri" he gave the world of men a new way to dress in the morning

Today the Kilt Kollection of Hamish is approaching 100 Kilts. It covers the great and not so great kiltmakers of the world. It has been documented and presented to the world as a visual guide to the wear of the Kilt.

With wit and humor Hamish has shown the world that the Kilt need not be stuffy and staid. He has traveled to the corners of the world taking his mission to hundreds if not thousands of other men. And each has been changed by the meeting.

Who is Hamish? He is inspiration, guide, model, mentor, Gentleman, host, teacher, and above all he is a friend.

[artificer]

Gold, Steve. Pure, bloody gold.

And true, for a given value of true.

[Andy Proffitt]

Hamish has his own theme music that plays at appropriate moments in his day (waking, walking outside, getting in a fight with ninjas etc, etc).

Hamish has transcended grammatical tense and moved beyond being a noun/subject.
For Example "That is very Hamish, isn't it?" "He Hamished that one (I think I heard this one at the British Open)."

Hamish is to the Kilt what Chuck Norris is to....pretty much everything else. They are, in fact the original and greatest dynamic duo. You ought to see Hamish do a roundhouse kick to a bikers face when he's wearing his Buchanan Weathered.

[Richard]

I've never met him, but he only lives about an hour drive from me