The Scottish Fashion Council is missing the point on why things such as Tartan Day exist here in the U.S. The kilt, more than any other item is part of a shared heritage.

The Scottish Fashion Council is worried about the shallow world of fashion. It appears they are more interested in what fashion changes they can develop rather than the gifts Scotland has given the world. For starters, our Declaration of Independence is based on the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath. The first medical schools were founded in Scotland. Then there is Robert Fulton and his steam engine, or Bell and the telephone. Edison, while born in America, is of Scottish descent. The first Secretary of the Treasury was Alexander Hamilton.

There is no doubt in my mind that talented Scottish designers will be recognized for their work. However, let's keep our perspective. Fashion after all is something that changes with the seasons and does not have the effect on a person that an idea such as freedom does. Like it or not, the kilt and tartan they complain about are representative to the world of the ideas that Scotland has given to the world.