Touch of tartan for all occasions

THERE is something about the colours of Scottish tartan that make the pattern popular, especially at Christmas.

Tartan can be homely and comforting, or stylish and trendy, depending on the mood, but few people fail to respond to its traditional appeal.

The woven wool fabric has, for hundreds of years, been made into kilts with each clan having its own distinctive design.

Scots still wear kilts, of course, even in Hong Kong on festive occasions such as St Andrew's Day.

But tartan is just as likely to crop up on a nightshirt or biscuit box in Marks & Spencer, or a classic fashion item in Ralph Lauren, Gucci or Christian Dior.

'You don't have to be Scottish to like tartan and the accessories that go with it make great Christmas gifts,' said tailor Johnny Yuen, who has specialised in traditional Scottish kit for 25 years. Customers are drawn to his shop in Escalator Link Alley, off Des Voeux Road, Central, by the colourful array.

Orders can be placed at his shop for any of the 1,000 varieties of tartan available.

For a novel Christmas gift idea, he and his brother, Bonny, can make-to-order bow-ties for $200 and cummerbunds for $280 in the tartan of your choice. These are just the thing to brighten up a festive tuxedo.

He stocks tartan ties and genuine sporrans - made of seal or horse-hair and selling for between $880 and $5,000.

More practical for Hong Kong are the hose ($150), the stout woolly knee-length socks which Scotsmen wear with their kilts. These are ideal for hiking.

Kilts are high fashion for women, so a real kilt pin can add the finishing touch to an outfit. They come in several styles and cost between $300 and $3,000.

'Sometimes they get lost after all the happy hours around Christmas so it's a good idea to wear a low-priced pin for parties,' Johnny said.

Most common are the Black Watch and Royal Stewart tartans.

Polo Ralph Lauren, in The Landmark, carries a wide range of cotton-covered bags, handbags and rucksacks in the Black Watch tartan, from $130-$530.

The store's canvas-covered tote bags and luggage costs between $2,000 and $3,000 in the same pattern. Ralph Lauren sells cushions at $500 in a Royal Stewart tartan.

Marks & Spencer has bright red tartan dressing gowns for $550, woolly scarves for $110, women's mini briefs at $130 for five, make-up bags for $55 and tartan tins of Scottish shortbread for $79.90.