The book was published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to accompany its breathtaking 2011 exhibition on the late designer. I’m writing about it now — almost 15 years later — because my husband surprised me with a copy of the book for my birthday last month. I audibly gasped when I opened the box: the holographic lenticular cover shifts between a gleaming silver skull and McQueen’s solemn face as you tilt it. Over the next few days, I re-educated myself on the virtuosic designer through Andrew Bolton’s text, which kicks off the book. The imagery, needless to say, is stunning. As I pored over McQueen’s dark, defiant brilliance, I landed on the pages devoted to his tartan collections. 

McQueen, who was of Scottish descent, designed his own signature tartan — dubbed the “MacQueen” tartan — returning to it throughout his work, most memorably in “Widows of Culloden.” Spending time with those collections sent my thinking (and my research) further back. Derived from the French word “tiretaine,” tartan was used to describe any strong, coarse wool-linen fabric, and later a cloth woven of many colors used in Scottish plaids. In Scots Gaelic, the word “plaid” originally meant “blanket,” and referred to the forerunner of the modern kilt. Essentially, it functioned as an all-purpose garment; about six yards long, it was wrapped around the body, belted into tucks at the waist, and thrown over the shoulder by day. By night, it was used for warmth as a makeshift blanket (hence the name).  

By the 18th century, the plaid evolved into the modern kilt, with loose fabric stitched into permanent pleats. It became strongly linked with Scottish clans, with each family or region having its own unique design, known as a “set” or “plaid.” In fact, these plaids became such an integral part of Scottish culture that the British Parliament banned everyone (except the military) from wearing them. In the 19th century, however, tartan became popularized worldwide, thanks in large part to the influence of Queen Victoria, who embraced it as part of Scotland’s national identity. 

This romanticized image then moved into global fashion, adopted by couturiers like Schiaparelli and Dior in the 20th century, and later embraced by the likes of Vivienne Westwood in her punk collections of the 1980s. And now, it’s back again. According to the fashion press, tartan has returned at least half a dozen times over the past twenty years — proof that the industry remains deeply infatuated by checks in all their forms. Case in point: Burberry showed it in psychedelic colors; Thom Browne wove checks out of silk chiffon; Anrealage cast it onto undulating garments with dramatically curved hems. Then there’s Dior, which used tartan as a throughline for its Scottish-inspired resort show, unveiled in the gardens of Drummond Castle.

Tartan — and plaid in all its iterations — were also seen on the streets during fashion weeks throughout the year. In fact, I was personally recently featured in British Vogue for the tartan-inspired look I wore during Paris Fashion Week. And that’s one of the outfits I’ll be dissecting today. First things first: I always start every outfit with an “anchor” piece, which I build everything around. In this case, it was this plaid wool skirt by Marie Adam-Leenaerdt. The Brussels-born designer cut her teeth working under Demna at Balenciaga before launching her namesake brand. Since making its debut at Paris Fashion Week in 2023, the brand’s been getting a lot of attention, mainly due to its cool, off-kilter designs and deconstructed tailoring. For those exact reasons, I count myself amongst her biggest fans.

Every Marie Adam-Leenaerdt piece has some element of surprise — and this skirt is no exception. The piece is actually quite oversized, but there are button fastenings at the waistband that allows it to sit slightly asymmetrically on the body. I wanted to make sure that whatever top I wore wouldn’t pull attention away from this funky little detail, so I decided to go with a crisp button-up by Jean Paul Gaultier (one of my best archive sale finds). The shirt is actually a bodysuit, which made for a sleek, tucked-in base that didn’t bunch or create any sort of bulk around the waistline. 

In keeping with the brown color scheme, I accessorized with a pair of Saint Laurent aviator-style tortoiseshell sunnies. (Oversized, face-swallowing shapes have become the style du jour.) As for the bag, I pulled out one of my favorites by Seoul-based label, Osoi. The oversized front buckle is just statement-y enough without being too distracting. The size, too, is perfect — it fits everything I need it to fit, and that’s my phone, wallet, make-up, and even a baby bottle of hand sanitizer. And of course, to finish off the look, I wore my trusty Maison Margiela tabis, which I’ve been teaming up with all of my outfits since September. But I wasn’t done with tartan just yet. 

For another look, I wanted to do something a little more, well, festive ahead of the holiday season. This Jean Paul Gaultier tartan blazer felt like a no-brainer. The designer, who is often referred to as an “enfant terrible” of the fashion industry, has prominently featured tartan in many collections throughout the years. (In the 80s, he famously made skirts gender-neutral; tartan kilts in particular became a signature of the brand.) The blazer’s back lacing detail went nicely with the more feminine lace (of a different kind) hem of a tomato-red Stella McCartney skirt. On the accessories front, a binder-inspired Coperni clutch completed the all-red look. Oh, and the final touch: tabis. Looking to recreate these fits for cold-weather season? Here’s where to shop every item — with some worthy swaps for sold-out items.