Designer Howie Nicholsby puts a 21st century spin on kilts. (Comstock Complete)

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- At a ball, wedding or funeral, a parade, clan "gathering" or even a ceilidh, Scotsmen are often dressed to kilt.

During a recent return visit to my ancestor's homeland, I couldn't resist dropping into the best-known kiltmaker in the capital.

Near stone walls embedded with cannonballs left by Oliver Cromwell's gunners during the capture in 1650, Howie Nicholsby's 21st Century Kilts (TFCK) carries on a three-generation tradition -- with an added difference.

The first hint is a poster of action film star Vin Diesel wearing a leather one.

Inside, Tom Johansmeyer, a travel-writing companion from New York, donned an army camouflage kilt.

Off-kilter, perhaps, but the owner has fans for such "man-skirts" of many colours and styles.

Working at his dad's Geoffrey (Tailor) Highland Crafts Ltd., Nicholsby, 30, became bored with tradition and whipped up a silver-coloured PVC-snakeskin kilt in 1996.

"When I first started wearing it, people thought it was a medieval outfit," he said. "They thought it was made of metal."

Celebrities began calling after his mod designs were a hit at London Men's Fashion Week 1999.

Nicholsby says they project younger, funkier images of Scotland, not tied to traditional family or clan tartans.

The shorter kilts also exude manly sexuality, he said, adding his fashion-designer girlfriend and customers including Sir Elton John, Madonna and David Beckham, agree.

Mod versions may draw taunts, but Nicholsby says "people will respect a man who has individual style."

Brought to Scotland by Vikings, he says kilts were never for women.

Nicholsby and other craftsmen are lobbying the government to prevent cheap imports -- widely displayed in tourist areas priced as low as $60 -- from being called "kilts," saying they sully the good centuries-old name.

With at least three metres of material, Nicholsby's kilts range from $550 -- Johansmeyer's "Desert Storm" included -- to $850, leather $2,500. Deep front pockets and car seatbelt buckles are extra.

Hand-sewing takes about six weeks, but Nicholsby said "if somebody was visiting from Canada or the States for about two weeks, we could probably get one finished before they leave. A jacket or doublet takes longer.

So did Johansmeyer dress traditionally "commando" style? Or did he wear briefs under his kilt?

"You could call me a true Scot," he said, grinning.

And what was beneath Nicholsby's kilt?

"Shoes and socks."

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MORE INFO

TFCK is at 61 The High St., Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1SR. For information about ordering kilts, check the website: 21stcenturykilts.com. For tourism information, check visitscotland.com.