Scot McKay Ghillie Brogues?

[OC Richard]

I just picked up a new pair of Ghillie Brogues on Ebay for around $50.

It's not a maker/menswear shop/Highland outfitter I'm familiar with, Scot McKay.

The end of the box says

STYLE SPEY
COLOUR BLACK
SIZE 12 (overwritten to make the 2 into a 3)

The inside of the shoe has printed SCOT MCKAY and SPEY 13





I Googled Scot McKay Shoes, Scot McKay Menswear, and Scot McKay Highland and the only thing I come up with are a few old pairs of Ghillie Brogues for sale on Ebay, Amazon, etc.

Does anyone know if Scot McKay was a shoe maker or a shop? Either way it doesn't seem as if they still exist.

[Dirk95]

Hi Richard, I bought a pair Scot Mckays from Geoffrey Tailors in Edinburgh a good many years ago, and they have been fine don't know if they are stll going, perhaps someone up in Scotland knows

[Dirk95]

Like I said I got mine from Geoffrey Tailor in Edinburgh which I would think they are not rubbish, also I have had them for a few years and I know it says Scot McKay of Scotland inside

[OC Richard]

Thanks for the information about the Geoffrey Tailor purchase, and the question about the country of origin, something that I always question myself, when things aren't clearly marked.

As it happens these shoes have no markings stating where they were made, either on the shoes or on the box.

There was a tag attached that simply said "real leather" and as you can see below a tiny sticker on the bottom of one shoe explaining the materials used for the different parts of the shoes.

In spite of the lack stamps saying "made in Scotland" etc I am positive that these are UK-made shoes of high quality. The shoes themselves attest to that.

There's something else, which jumps out to me (as a person working in the art business) and that's the Scot McKay logo. It screams of the sort of logo popular with UK firms in the 1970s (or maybe 1980s) and suggests to me a general Menswear shop rather than a specialist Highland Outfitter. (I don't think a Pakistani firm would have a hip logo like that.)

A 1970s book cover with similar graphic design https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-19...-85318721.html

A 1970s album cover https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-...-cover/6879232

The shoes look very similar in cut to my ghillie brogues by Thistle Shoes (Scotland) and I'm going to guess that these shoes were made by Thistle or another Scottish maker and stamped Scot McKay and sold out of a Scot McKay shop.

In a way the lack of being stamped Made In Scotland/Britain/UK suggests that they were made in a time before Scotland was swamped with Pakistani imports.

That's my little theory anyhow! Soon to be disproven, in all likelihood.

[neloon]

Was this the ebay link? Mentions Scott McKay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-price...-/182060723619
The selling address is that of Kilts4less
https://www.kilts4less.com/about-us/

Alan

[neloon]

Yes, but that's just a private seller. Might be worth contacting Kilts4less to get more info about origins.

Alan

[Bruce Scott]

They certainly appear to be well made. This photo is from the Tim Christie site at the link, which includes this statement:

"I've been fortunate to work on a number of overseas footwear brands, in particular for the Ghille Brogue market in Scotland. Also take a look at Thistle Shoes."

https://www.timchristie.co.nz/design-work/scot-mckay

[Dirk95]

That logo on the sole is the same as what's inside my ghillies, Richard your shoe style are Spey, mine are Clyde style but look the same. But I would say getting them from Geoffrey tailor a very reputable highland dress supplier, and who is determined that all his products are scottish

[AbernethyCameron]

Sorry for the late input to this thread - just spotted it - these are made for the retail market by Jamie Alexander Highlandwear in Glenrothes, Fife:

http://www.jamiealexanderhighlandwea...ghillie-brogue

They're made in Scotland, not imported.

[OC Richard]

just spotted it - these are made for the retail market by Jamie Alexander Highlandwear in Glenrothes, Fife:

http://www.jamiealexanderhighlandwea...ghillie-brogue

They're made in Scotland, not imported.

Good eye! Thanks!

Mine are just like those, except mine lack the steel quarter heel. The heel is stacked leather with the last layer some sort of rubber, covering the entire heel.

I wore mine all weekend at a Games and they're comfortable.

I had looked at the Jamie Alexander site a while back when looking for high-quality Ghillie Brogues. I would like to get their #129 pebble grain brogues

http://www.jamiealexanderhighlandwea...ghillie-brogue

but I've yet to find anyone that sells them. The site lists Geoffrey Tailor as a seller, but when I checked their site there were no shoes listed. I contacted the single North American seller and he only sells the lower-level Jamie Alexander brogues.

So now we know- we can get Jamie Alexander brogues under the Scot McKay label.