Please recommend a shop

[Farmer Jones]

When my mother came over from the UK to visit, she was aghast at the poor state of my kilting and ordered (yes, ordered) me to do something about it. To back up that order, she has put up the money to ensure my future sartorial elegance. She has stipulated that all items be made in, and supplied from Scotland. She did eventually agree that I could have the kilt made here in Canada by my local kilt maker. However, everything else must be made in Scotland and be sent to her for forward to me. Please recommend one single Scottish store that will supply me with all items for formal wear, except the kilt itself, which is in process of being made for me. The store must be reliable and I must have all items before the end of the first week of July this year. Thank you for your kind assistance.

[McMurdo]

http://www.kinlochanderson.com/mens/highland-dress

Kinloch Anderson comes to mind.

Also there is Stuart Christie

http://www.stewart-christie.com/

[Father Bill]

Folks here know that I absolutely trust John Hart at Keltoi in Kitchener.

(Yay Mum!)

[Farmer Jones]

http://www.kinlochanderson.com/mens/highland-dress

Kinloch Anderson comes to mind.

Also there is Stuart Christie

http://www.stewart-christie.com/

Perfect, thanks. The Stuart Christie shop looks just like the kind of place my mother would approve.

[Farmer Jones]

Folks here know that I absolutely trust John Hart at Keltoi in Kitchener.

(Yay Mum!)

Not in Scotland. She is putting up several thousand dollars and so has the privilege of dictating terms.

[The Wizard of BC]

If the stipulation your mom has set is that the items be made in Scotland many shops in N. America order their stock direct from Scotland and have it shipped over.
I do this for my shop. There is nothing in my shop made in Pakistan, China etc.

There are some advantages to this for the N. American customer.
You save the wait time on shipping.
The shipping cost, and any excess import duty is already paid.
The customer may actually see, touch and look at the labels of the products. You are not buying blind.
You are getting the exact same item you could buy from a retail shop in Scotland. You are just not having to deal with one added middleman and the additional cost.


One shop quite close to you is Burnett's & Struth in Barrie, ON. They are an advertiser here so you know that they are reputable. See their logo on the top banner of every page.
For example Burnett's & Struth are Lochcarron, Canada. The fabric is woven by Lochcarron in Selkirk Scotland and shipped direct to Barrie.
The same is true for 99% of their other items. If there is a question about where the item is actually made just ask. They will tell you.

If the stipulation your mom set is that the items be shipped to her with a Scotland return address you may get the exact same item but must deal with the shipping and duty yourself.

[Farmer Jones]

If the stipulation your mom has set is that the items be made in Scotland many shops in N. America order their stock direct from Scotland and have it shipped over.
I do this for my shop. There is nothing in my shop made in Pakistan, China etc.
<snip>

If the stipulation your mom set is that the items be shipped to her with a Scotland return address you may get the exact same item but must deal with the shipping and duty yourself.

Steve, you would have been my first choice if my mother were not mildly eccentric, determined and set in her ways. It took me half an hour of vigourous debate to get her to agree to having the kilt itself made by Margaret The Kilt Maker in Kingston.

[The Wizard of BC]

Not to worry Farmer Jones. I was not touting my own shop.

I was just trying to explain that a shop in Scotland and a shop in Canada both order their stuff from the same manufacturer and have it shipped direct to their retail locations.
You are getting the exact same Scottish made item. The only difference would be the return address on the box.

And in many cases you would perhaps get a better kilt from a N. American kiltmaker.
For Scottish made items you would perhaps get a better final price from a N. American shop. For example if you want a jacket - I have mine shipped in direct from the manufacturer. You are getting the exact same jacket carried in most Scottish shops. But because I order direct from the maker I can sell that same jacket and vest you will see all over the Scottish website for £350.00 British Pounds I sell for $386.50 Canadian Dollars. Go to XE.com and do the currency conversion.

It's OK though I hear this same thing from customers in my shop on a daily basis.

[Chas]

In my experience Kinloch Anderson are over priced - vastly over priced! They get away with it because they hold three royal warrants.

I have been staring at my screen for 15 minutes, debating with myself as to whether I should include the following. In the end, I think it only fair to the membership at large.

I am quite sure that Kinloch Anderson will not knowingly break the law. Any of their garments which has a label that states "Made in Scotland", can be guaranteed 100% to be made in Scotland. The problem is that the vast majority of garments carry a label which states "Tailored in Scotland". Not the same thing. Not the same thing at all.

I am not saying that they buy in garments from outwith Scotland and then alter them to fit the customer - as in tailored. But I am saying that if you want a kilt made by them and ask to speak to the kilt maker, the answers you get will be - 'Sorry, not company policy'. Just like I was told. Would that ring alarm bells with you? It did with me.

There is more to this story, but all I will say is "caveat emptor" - buyer beware.

[Farmer Jones]

Not to worry Farmer Jones. I was not touting my own shop.

I was just trying to explain that a shop in Scotland and a shop in Canada both order their stuff from the same manufacturer and have it shipped direct to their retail locations.
You are getting the exact same Scottish made item. The only difference would be the return address on the box.

And in many cases you would perhaps get a better kilt from a N. American kiltmaker.
For Scottish made items you would perhaps get a better final price from a N. American shop. For example if you want a jacket - I have mine shipped in direct from the manufacturer. You are getting the exact same jacket carried in most Scottish shops. But because I order direct from the maker I can sell that same jacket and vest you will see all over the Scottish website for £350.00 British Pounds I sell for $386.50 Canadian Dollars. Go to XE.com and do the currency conversion.

It's OK though I hear this same thing from customers in my shop on a daily basis.

Steve, I do understand this. I have received items directly from Scotland before and the currency conversion and duties have not escaped me. I realize that for the money I could also get a more casual Argyle jacket as well, if I buy in Canada. I will telephone my brother and ask him to politely speak of this to my Ma.