Andrea Chappell

Acme Atelier

Traditional dressmaker

©Acme Atelier

©Gareth Edward

©Acme Atelier

Kilts of Scotland and the world

Andrea is a Moray-based bespoke kiltmaker
She combines heritage approaches with contemporary techniques
She experiments with fabrics, colours and surprising combinations

Andrea Chappell’s passion for craftsmanship started with graphic design and letterpress printing. She obtained a design degree from Central Saint Martins in the late 1990s with a particular focus on environmental design. However, it was the kilt that called her name. This traditional Scottish garment became the centrepiece of Andrea’s artistic practice. She learned kiltmaking from Linda Ghillies at Keith Kilt School and started her own practice in 2018. Today, Andrea's bespoke kilts are known for traditional textile printing inside and out, for using a much broader range of pleating styles, and for incorporating historical methods of the craft. All of her objects are handstitched. They each tell a cultural story and forge a connection that continues through generations.

Interview

©Acme Atelier

©Acme Atelier

How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: The kilt is a garment steeped in tradition, but also one that is often misunderstood. I draw on the international history that lies outside of Scotland to offer a more inclusive approach to a very politicised garment. Yet I still use heritage approaches to make the kilts.
Why did you choose kiltmaking as your craft?: I chose kiltmaking because it is about the beauty of working with textile, structure, form, pattern, colour, and texture to create a functional garment that embodies its wearer. The kilt is an heirloom to be treasured and passed down through generations of the family.
What are your specialisations?: I specialise in handstitched kiltmaking, using materials of different types and weights other than the traditional tartan. My styles of pleating offer an alternative style that still respects and upholds the historic method of making. I am an experimenter.
In what way is your craft linked to the territory?: The kilt is one of the most recognisable symbols of the Scottish Highlands where I live. It is a garment that has always connected its wearer to a place or clan. It was also classified as Endangered in 2021 by UNESCO and remains so.

Andrea Chappell is a rising star: she began her career in 2019 and she started teaching in 2023