A Storied Collaboration Resurrects a Treasured Scottish Tweed

The finest creative endeavours often emerge from the most unlikely moments. Within the intimate setting of Campbell’s of Beauly, a conversation between longstanding patrons unfurled over a glass of whisky that would ultimately breathe new life into a treasured Scottish textile. When David Coggins spotted an archive herringbone tweed in the shop, woven generations ago in Shetland wool by the legendary Hunters of Brora, the seeds of something rather remarkable were sown.

Hunters of Brora stands as one of the great custodians of Scottish textile tradition, a mill that furnished estate tweeds across Scotland and the broader British landscape with uncompromising excellence. When the historic mill ceased production in 2003, Campbell’s of Beauly acquired precious portions of its original dead stock, preserving fragments of a golden era of Scottish craftsmanship. These textile remnants carried within them not merely cloth, but stories of generations past.

A New Chapter for Timeless Design

The whisky fuelled inspiration crystallised into a genuine collaboration. Working alongside David Coggins and his associate Michael Williams, Campbell’s embarked upon a thoughtful resurrection of the original grey herringbone pattern, whilst simultaneously developing an entirely new interpretation in a sophisticated green tonality. Rather than simply reproducing the original Shetland weave, the team made a deliberate and considered decision to commission both variations exclusively as Harris Tweed, thereby uniting two magnificent Scottish wool traditions in harmonious dialogue.

Harris Tweed, handwoven with meticulous care across the windswept isles of the Outer Hebrides, possesses an unmistakable textural richness and distinctive character entirely its own. The cloth’s relatively loose weave imparts a natural elasticity, conferring upon jackets crafted from these tweeds a remarkable comfort that defies the traditional perception of tweed as an unyielding fabric. This remarkable comfort, married to the cloth’s innate sophistication, renders these designs infinitely wearable.

Heritage Woven Into Every Thread

The narrative reaches its most graceful conclusion when one learns that David Coggins has since commissioned a jacket woven in this reclaimed and reimagined cloth, completing a circle that spans generations. The grey herringbone and its verdant companion are now available by the metre, permitting discerning patrons and tailors to participate in this celebration of Scottish textile excellence.

This profoundly meaningful collaboration exemplifies precisely why tweed endures as the fabric of choice for those who understand true luxury: its capacity to transcend fleeting fashions, its honest construction, and its deep connection to place and heritage. Campbell’s of Beauly, custodians of this refined tradition, offer not merely cloth but an opportunity to become part of an ongoing narrative of Scottish craftsmanship and excellence.

Imagery courtesy of Campbell's of Beauly (@campbellsofbeauly).