Tartan is a cultural icon of Scotland. Traditionally it is a patterned woven cloth, typically wool, that consists of criss-crossed bands of color both vertically and horizontally creating a distinctive pattern of squares and lines. Today tartan is no longer limited to textiles – the term has come to mean the pattern itself as much as a cloth and one Glasgow artistan is proving this by creating dazzling tartan inspired designs using fused glass.

A tailor made tartan outfit is as timeless a classic as Bonnie Prince Charlie and today’s ScotlandShop can deliver fashion, gifts, interior design accessories and even fabric in over 500 tartans. The company was founded by Anna White who gre up on a farm in the Borders and now presides over a company with two storefront locations and an international online presence.

Nothing says “Scotland” as universally around the world as tartan. Yet despite the significance of tartan in Scottish culture and history, there is no national tartan visitor center in all of Scotland. To find such a place you have to travel to Franklin, North Carolina, USA - home to the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center.

The legacy of literary super sleuth Sherlock Holmes has been updated with a newly designed tartan that honors the Irish and Scottish roots of his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A conversation with Brian Wilton, MBE, one of the world's leading experts on tartan, its origins, history, design, and social popularity.