AN Edinburgh-based kiltmaker has won both the inaugural Heritage Crafts Scotland award, and the UK Maker of the Year Award 2024.
Nicola Laird, co-founder of The Kiltmakery, took home both prizes last week, which were also accompanied by £1,000 each.
The prizes celebrate a heritage craftsperson in Scotland and the UK who has made an outstanding contribution to the craft within the previous year.
Nicola, having been in the kilt industry for 32 years, was acknowledged for her skill and achievements in traditional kiltmaking, which is known as an “endangered craft” as so few people practice it.
The three other finalists for the award were typefounder and printer Nick Gill (England Maker of the Year), silversmith Cara Murphy (Northern Ireland Maker of the Year) and maille maker Phil Parkes (Wales Maker of the Year).
Nicola is also co-founder of the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy, which offers courses for anyone looking to learn the craft or hone their skills and teaches those on their way to becoming qualified handmade kiltmakers.
As well as teaching at the ScotClans studio in Leith, Nicola is also currently completing a book on traditional kiltmaking, delving into the history of kilts and tartan and detailing how to make a traditional hand sewn kilt.
In a post on social media, she said: “It is an absolute honour to be awarded not just one but both.
“This is not just a win for me, this is a win for all those traditional kiltmakers both old and new.
“Thanks to the support of Heritage Crafts we now have a chance to save this precious craft from dying out.”
Traditional kiltmaking is done entirely by hand, out of yards of woollen cloth which is usually patterned with tartan that reflects an individual’s family name, beliefs, or hometown.
The Kiltmakery, part of Scotclans, provides a supportive place for self-employed kiltmakers to grow, in a community that places emphasis on the value of the traditional skill.
Many in the industry argue that kilt makers suffer from lack of recognition since retailers take a large proportion of stock and leave them underpaid for the skills they are providing.
With the help of organisations such as The Kiltmakery, young people can become trained in the traditional methods of kiltmaking and keep the craft alive for future generations.
Speaking to Deadline News, Nicola said: To be honest I’m still in shock, I was so happy to be a finalist for the Scotland maker of the year.
“Then to win both this and then the UK maker of the year I am so grateful and honoured.
“There’s still a long way to go for traditional kiltmaking and hopefully this will help shine a light on the survival of the craft.”
