19 Oct 2023
We value our clients’ confidentiality so highly and consider ourselves to be guardians of people’s stories.
It is not often we can share these stories but we have had a few private CUSTOM clients recently who are happy to share with us.
From the moment we meet a client either at our castle-like atelier or remotely by video call, the magic begins. From learning about family traditions and taking inspiration from both sides of their cultural heritage we create a family tartan and a story to go with it which will last the test of time.
This wonderful private CUSTOM design case study we are at liberty to share is a lovely family from the USA who commissioned Araminta Campbell to design a tartan exclusively for their son on his third birthday. Their son is represented in the cloth by the soft purple check with his parents are either side. The simplistic style of the design was drawn from existing tartan’s that the family saw during their time spent travelling around Scotland in 2022.
The cloth was woven for them as cashmere wide scarves, a cashmere blanket wrap, cashmere throws and into a Geelong weight cloth too and made up into Baker boy hats, cashmere wide scarves, a cashmere serape so far. We were thrilled to hear the response when their tartan treats arrived through the post:
“The first round of scarves arrived yesterday and they are absolutely stunning. I am deeply in love with them and as soon as the most recent interminable heatwave is over I will be sporting it daily. Truly incredible. I told our son that I had something special for us to look at and I opened them with him. He was disappointed they weren’t a toy, but I told him he will appreciate them as he gets older.
Honestly, I have enjoyed this process from start to finish. It has been amazing from meeting Araminta in Scotland to our tour of the Atelier in Edinburgh to receiving the first designs to now the final product. I could not be happier with it all. As well, everyone has been a joy to work and communicate with.”
We are especially thrilled when clients have enjoyed the journey not just the end destination: “I enjoyed the process very much. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to sit with Araminta and discuss the aspects that were important to me. I feel like this was an essential part of the process. Indeed. In the end, I think the final product was even better than I could have anticipated in the beginning. It was a thrill to see our tartan in real life. It felt like a “coming home.” The quality also exceeded my expectations. “
Nothing makes us happier than these wonderful reactions from our clients. And when clients like this family give us a wonderful recommendation too:
“I would absolutely recommend working with Araminta. From start to finish I enjoyed the process so much. I would encourage anyone who was thinking about embarking on this journey to definitely set aside the time to travel to Scotland and meet with Araminta, as well as to visit the atelier.”
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We are guardians of people’s stories...
We ourselves are stories that weave and take shape through the thread, thanks to the gentle hands of the weavers.
The yarn, the loom, our and your stories, are the tools we have chosen to make what cannot be seen or touched, real and wearable. We give shape to the values in which we believe, we give voice to stories to be shared with those dearest to us, forever.
Not just exquisite works of art to wear, but ambassadors, ‘talking’ objects, timeless storytellers of meanings and values that we want to preserve and pass on.
Meet Isabelle, one of our talented handweavers!
Isabelle has long had an interest in textiles, ever since her grandmother taught her to sew.
She discovered weaving when visiting universities before applying to study. Immediately captivated by the woven textile displays at Loughborough University – the home of our George Wood looms – She became fascinated by how these complex woven structures could be created from just a few cones of yarn.
Isabelle enjoys the slow, hands-on process of weaving, appreciating how it demands your full and present focus, and is always excited to share the complexities of handweaving to our visitors.
Meet Helen, one of our talented handweavers!
As an advocate for sustainability and ethical production, handweaving appealed to Helen as the embodiment of slow, responsible craft.
She fell in love with the challenging yet meditative weave process during her textile degree at the Glasgow School of Art.
Helen adores that she can name the alpacas in the pieces that she weaves, as this level of provenance imbues the pieces with deeper meaning for both weaver and future owner.
We choose 100% undyed British alpaca fiber for our designs because it embodies the values we hold dear: sustainability, durability, and unparalleled luxury. Each fleece is sourced from carefully chosen UK farms where animal welfare is a top priority.
Our close relationships with breeders enable us to trace many of our yarns back to the individual alpacas, ensuring exceptional quality and transparency. The alpaca’s fleeces are left undyed, allowing the natural richness and unique tones of their coats to shine through in every piece.
In the UK, only 5–10% of alpacas produce fleece of the exceptional quality we require. Every fiber is meticulously selected for its fineness, crimp, luster, and colour, ensuring our pieces meet the highest standards of luxury and craftsmanship.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
It can take our handweavers anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks to complete one of our Signature pieces.
Each piece in our Heritage handwoven collection has been inspired by Araminta’s deep love for the natural beauty of the Scottish landscape.
From the golden glow of the beech woodlands surrounding her family home in the Royal Deeside Corridor during autumn, to the ethereal light of the Scottish Highlands at dawn and dusk, the landscape is a constant source of inspiration for Araminta. The shifting interplay of colours, textures, and natural rhythms informs each handwoven piece, translating fleeting moments into timeless design.
Any moment in time could become Araminta’s next creation.
Meet Lisa, one of our talented handweavers!
Lisa studied weaving at Heriot Watt University, in the borders of Scotland – an area renowned for its textile production.
She always enjoyed creating things and was recommended to study textiles by her art teacher. When first starting out in her weave degree, she found the slow process of setting up challenging, yet today it’s her favourite part.
She finds peace whilst threading the loom, enjoying and embracing the flow.
Each piece has been lovingly handwoven and finished in our Edinburgh Atelier by our team of handweavers on vintage George Wood looms.
Araminta Campbell is one of the largest employers of handweavers in Scotland, fostering employment for talented craftspeople in Scotland plays a vital role in preserving the rich legacy of Scottish textile craftsmanship. Every thread woven in the Atelier carries with it the heritage and passion of centuries-old traditions, brought vividly to life through contemporary designs, and the work of our talented weavers.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
When you choose one of our handwoven treasures, you’re not just owning a piece of Scotland’s rich textile heritage – you’re connecting with the hands that brought it to life.
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