THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
After opening its doors 224 years ago, the United States Consulate General in Edinburgh has launched an online poll and is asking the Scottish public to help choose its official tartan, though anyone from any nationality can take part. One winner will be chosen among three designs, which incorporate colors and patterns influenced by the shared history between Scotland and the United States. The poll closes Monday, November 21, with the winning design announced on St. Andrew's Day, November 30. See the end of the article for links.
Officials at the Consulate General partnered with acclaimed tartan designer Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle, based in Evanton, north of Inverness, to develop the three options. Prickly Thistle has a strong history creating innovative, bespoke tartan including those used at the 25th Annual New York City Tartan Day Parade in April 2022. She also designed "Aliam" commemorating Alan Cumming and Miriam Margoyles' 2021 "Lost in Scotland" TV special and "Sassenach" for Outlander actor Sam Heughan. The Consulate General's winning design will be registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans, where it will be publicly accessible among thousands of other tartans. There are plans to make items like ties and scarves made up in the new tartan first.
The tartan poll can be accessed via the Consulate's @USAinScotland Twitter page or by visiting https://poll.app.do/form/u-s-consulate-official-tartan. The Consulate General's team will seek to engage online audiences throughout the competition. The winning tartan will form a distinctive part of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Edinburgh, symbolizing the deep connections between the United States and Scotland and boosting awareness of the Consulate General's activities.
