Ripley couple create Derbyshire Tartan

A couple who moved from Scotland to Derbyshire have designed a new tartan to represent their new home’s countryside, moors and industrial heritage.

Fiona and Leslie Trotter have spent the majority of their working lives making garments for their own business, Tweeds with Style, from their home on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

But in 2012 they moved 550 miles south to Ripley in Derbyshire and were inspired to create a ‘Derbyshire’ Tartan which was the first textile design that they have created themselves.

Derbyshire Tartan was the culmination of months of hard work, researching the colours that could represent the county they have come to call home, designing the material, checking who had the rights to the name ‘Derbyshire’ and having it woven to their strict specifications.

They chose the colours and carried out the design using a computer programme so they had no idea what ‘Derbyshire’ Tartan would truly look like until it was delivered to their house.

Fiona said: “We had to have the green specially dyed because we couldn’t find the green we were looking for. We had 50 metres of it delivered. It was a big heavy roll and we just sat there saying do we open it or don’t we. When we saw it, it was amazing. It was just like we thought it would be, we were so relieved.”

The idea to create ‘Derbyshire’ Tartan was sparked by a chat with two ladies at Ripley Town Hall, where local businesses had been invited to a Peak District tourism event.

Fiona said: “We talked about how the colours for Harris Tweed were chosen by taking inspiration from the rugged landscape, the beaches, the sea and the sky. One of the ladies said there should be a Derbyshire version, although the comment was tongue in cheek.”

At the time the couple’s eldest son was part of a pipe band and Fiona had always wanted to make a kilt. She read a book called ‘The Art of Kiltmaking’ and it detailed how colours represented each family and that’s when the couple thought they could make a tartan for Derbyshire.

Leslie said: “We researched what Derbyshire was famous for and that’s where the colours came from, looking at the county’s history.

“We decided on green to represent the countryside, red to signify the industrial heritage including Midland Railway and Derwent Valley Mills, black is the coal and lead mining and purple was inspired by the Blue John minerals and heather, white is the limestone quarries and yellow is the Tudor rose emblem which has been the county badge since the 1470s.”

The couple have registered ‘Derbyshire’ Tartan and since it was produced, they have been spreading the word about the fabric.

They have linked up with Made in Derbyshire and are working with Derbyshire Community Foundation, for every metre of fabric that’s sold they donate a percentage to the foundation.

They also approached the University of Derby and donated material so that three final year Fashion students could make garments for their end of year show.

Leslie said everybody who has seen ‘Derbyshire’ Tartan loves it. He said: “We just want it to be accessible for everybody. There are lots of tartans out there, Canada has one, there are even corporate tartans, Asda has its own tartan.

“A lot of people think it’s a Scottish thing but it’s not. The very first type of tartan was not a clan tartan like everybody thinks, it was a district tartan that represents an area. There are lots of different categories.”

‘Derbyshire’ Tartan could be just the start for the Trotters as they have now designed a tartan specifically for the Peak District, which is in the process of being registered.

Fiona said: “We are very excited to be working on this new project with the Peak District National Park Authority and we are looking forward to seeing the tartan.”