30 Apr 2024
A Highland Haven in Mayfair
Nestled in the heart of Mayfair, London sits the Mount St. Restaurant. Above the restaurant you can discover a collection of private rooms: four beautifully designed spaces each with its own story and available for private hire.
The Scottish Room transports guests to the rich history of the Highlands. Inspired by the legacy of the Jacobite’s and the esteemed Fife Arms, and the surrounding rugged Scottish landscape, this space exudes a sense of tradition and opulence. At its core lies an exquisite bespoke tartan design in three colourways by the talented weaver and designer, Araminta Campbell, infusing the room with Scottish authenticity and character.
Crafting Tradition: Araminta Campbell’s Bespoke Tartans
Crafted exclusively for The Scottish Room at Mount St. Restaurant, Araminta’s tartan designs pay homage to the Jacobite era, where tartan colours were derived from natural plant dyes, each hue a testament to the valued ancient skill. Through meticulous research and artistry, Araminta brings forth three distinct tartans, each with its own narrative and significance within the Scottish Room’s ambiance.
The Audley Tartan: One Tartan Three Colourways
The Audley Tartan in red serves as the main design, drawing inspiration from historical tartans of the Jacobite era. Cochineal, a precious dye extracted from beetles’ wings, creates the vibrant red tones, symbolising luxury and status. This tartan resonates with the legacy of Mount St. Restaurant, housed in a building registered as a pub in 1730, towards the twilight of the Jacobite era.
Complementing the Audley Tartan Red is its counterpart, the Audley Hunting Tartan in a rich green. Evoking the lush landscapes of the Highlands, with its green hues achieved through the intricate process of top-dying with indigo, a coveted imported dye during the Jacobite era. It is a nod to the founders of the restaurant’s love for Scotland’s rugged landscape, captured in threads of pure inspiration.
Adding a contemporary twist to tradition is the Audley Dress Tartan in bright green. Designed to be bold, this tartan incorporates terracotta tones reminiscent of the restaurant’s facade, crafted from the bark of Alder Buckthorn, a native UK plant. It is a vibrant tribute to the fusion of past and present, celebrating the enduring spirit of Scottish heritage. Within the Scottish Room, you’ll find each of the designs in diverse scales, reminiscent of the Jacobite tradition of combining different tartans.
Weaving Narratives: Tartans as Storytellers
Beyond its aesthetic appeal, Araminta’s tartans infuse the Scottish Room with depth and storytelling. Each thread weaves a narrative of history, culture, and craftsmanship, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the legacy of the Highlands. Paired with iconic elements like the dramatic antler chandelier and the portrait of ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie,’ the tartans become a vital tapestry in the room’s rich tapestry of Scottish tradition.
Preserving Heritage: The Art of Natural Dyes
Araminta’s use of natural plant dyes underscores her commitment to sustainability and heritage preservation. By reviving ancient dyeing techniques, she not only creates exquisite designs but also honours the age-old craftsmanship that defines Scottish weaving. With a reverence for heritage and a passion for innovation, Araminta is constantly breathing new life into age-old techniques and ensuring their legacy endures. Her commitment goes beyond craftsmanship – it is rooted in the very essence of our brand.
Legacy of Craftsmanship: Honouring Scottish Artisan’s
Alongside Araminta’s exclusive tartan design for the Scottish Room sits the work of other Scottish Artisans. Illuminating the space is an impressive antler chandelier, a collaborative masterpiece designed by Laplace and created by Gareth Guy of the McLean Horn Shop in Braemar. Below, a magnificent 9-meter Scottish oak table, embellished with 38 intricate Jacobite cockades as a poignant tribute to the Glen Coe Massacre of 1692, serves as the focal point. Crafted with meticulous care by joinery artisan Kelvin Murray at Character Joinery, the bespoke ensemble of table, chairs, and glass-fronted cabinet embodies the enduring legacy of fine craftsmanship.
Araminta Campbell’s bespoke tartans at Mount St. Restaurant stand as a testament to the enduring allure of Scottish heritage. Through her artistry, she brings history to life, infusing the Scottish Room with warmth, elegance, and a timeless sense of belonging. As guests gather around the hand-carved oak table adorned with Jacobite cockades, they are not just dining but embarking on a journey through the annals of Scottish lore.
Meet Araminta: London Craft Week
Witness firsthand the magic of Araminta’s craftsmanship. Hear her stories, feel her passion, and discover the beauty of Scotland woven into every exquisite creation at London Craft Week 2024. This is more than just a celebration of art—it’s a tribute to the enduring spirit of a land and its people, captured in threads of pure inspiration. Find out more about the event and secure your space here.
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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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