About Us
History
Houston Kiltmakers are a fourth generation family run business with over 110 years experience as a gentleman’s outfitters, Highlandwear & Tartan Specialists. Houston Kiltmakers are founding members of the Scottish Dress Hire Association which was founded in 1994 to ensure customer satisfaction and peace of mind. Let us create the perfect look for your wedding by offering you the largest and best range of Highland wear in Scotland.
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View our exclusive Highlandwear range and you will see that little something different for your special day, at very competitive prices, with no hidden extras. We have the facility to match any name to a tartan with our Tartan directory and can offer a Tartan Swatch for most tartans to help co-ordinate with the bridal dress.
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Hire with confidence from Houston's with a choice of 100 Tartans, 20 styles and 12 colours of jackets and full customisation of your hire outfit. Using only the best materials, every kilt is handmade and tailored specifically for you by craftsmen and women ensuring the best quality materials are guaranteed with all out super light weight jackets.
Why hire from us?
With 110 years of experience in the Highlandwear and menswear industry, we are able to provide you with quality service due to our highly trained and knowledgeable staff.
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We offer the largest, best quality and most exclusive kilt hire range in Scotland
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We offer super lightweight prince Charlie & Argyll/Braemar jackets which we have spent over 30 years refining.
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Our Exclusive Bute Heather range has been designed by our own Ken Macdonald with you, the customer, in mind as it coordinates beautifully with today’s wedding colour themes.
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We also offer Tartans from outside supplies which mean that, including our own exclusive Bute Heather range, you have over 70 tartans to choose from for your special occasion.
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We have 130 options of Ruche ties and 40 straight ties in plain colours.
Ken Macdonald
Ken MacDonald is the owner of Houston Kiltmakers, the 3rd generation of the family to run the business.
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The shop was founded in 1909 by Ken’s grandfather, William Houston, as a gentlemen’s outfitters. Over time it developed to supplying Highlandwear and now that’s what we focus on. Houston Kiltmakers is now a 4th Generation family run business, with Ken’s son Ewan now following him into the business.
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Ken has been involved in the Highland Wear and Menswear Industry for over 40 years and this has led him into the positions of Vice-Chairman of The Scottish Tartans Authority and Deacon of the Incorporation of Weavers of Glasgow (Est. 1514). He is passionate about Tartan & Highland Wear, taking a keen interest in preserving this historic industry in Scotland.
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Ken also designed the Bute Heather Tartan collection which was registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans and is a popular, modern and contemporary wedding hire. The collection includes variations on Bute Heather, Autumn, Black, Grey, Midnight, Modern and Weathered.
