A former Ayrshire construction worker who designed the first tartan to journey into the cosmos is preparing to illuminate the catwalks of New York City. Graeme Bone, from Auchinleck, has designed and produced five outfits for the Dressed To Kilt fashion show, a highlight of New York's Tartan Week celebrations next month. Commissioned by Dressed To Kilt organiser Dr Geoffrey Scott Carroll, the designs will grace the runway on stars including Ayrshire singer and 2011 Britain's Got Talent winner, Jai McDowall.
Mr Bone said the show could be a “pivotal” point in a career that has already established him as one of Scotland’s foremost tailors of Highland wear. “Geoffrey had seen my work through online presence and from past articles and said he thought it was fantastic and really cool,” he said. “That blew me away.
It is an astounding chance for me and hopefully it could be a pivotal point in my career. “The feeling of pride is literally inexplicable and I’m looking forward to representing myself, my brand and The King’s Foundation at Tartan Week.” The 39-year-old worked in construction for 11 years before retraining in fashion, initially via a college course and later through courses run by the King’s Foundation at Dumfries House.
The kiltmaker now receives private commissions from international clients and is known to the King, and in 2022 he designed a tartan that became the first to go into space. However for McDowall the forthcoming show will be a celebra.
