Tartan is one of the most dependable patterns of the cold-weather season, and in India it is moving from shirting into outerwear. The pattern was originally woven only in wool but now comes in every yarn, from cotton and flannel to velvet and synthetics, and it works as a unisex design. That range suits Indian retail, where winter dressing leans on layering rather than heavy coats.
Internationally, the pattern is having another moment, though it returns every autumn, which is why a tartan jacket is treated as a considered purchase rather than a passing buy.The British high-street label Nobody’s Child has a strong season of jackets, with tartan appearing in many forms, from a single cuff detail to a full coat. The feature’s pick was a swing jacket in a neutral tartan, chosen because the pattern works across a whole wardrobe while the generous cut keeps it contemporary. Its advice was to size down for a neater fit, or keep the volume and balance it with slimmer trousers and a fine-knit polo.
That balance of volume on top and a slim line below translates easily to the Indian market. Tartan checks are already well established in menswear, with Ketch, Highlander, Powerlook and Fubar listing tartan checked shirts on Myntra. Formalwear names have followed, with Arrow Sports carrying a men’s tartan checked outdoor shirt on Nykaa Fashion. The jacket extends the same pattern into outerwear, and shoppers who already own a tartan shirt are a ready audience for it.
In women’s wear, the relaxed overshirt is a natural carrier for the pattern. The Label Bar lists a Women’s Tartan Checked Overshirt Jacket on Myntra, categorised under shackets. The format sits between a shirt and a jacket, which suits the mild winters of much of the country and the cooler evenings of the south. It also styles easily over denim, trousers or dresses, in the same relaxed-over-slim proportion the swing jacket recommends.
Tailoring is the other route. AD by Arvind, a label that positions itself for the urban man, sells a Men’s Black Tartan Check Twill Weave Blazer on Nykaa Fashion. A dark colourway and a twill weave keep the pattern within office-appropriate territory, giving menswear buyers a way into the trend without a dramatic departure from solid tailoring.
For the Indian market, tartan has an established footprint in shirting and a growing presence in jackets, spanning casual, workwear and occasion use. For brands, it offers a route from existing shirt volumes into outerwear, and for retailers a winter assortment that can be styled several ways. Its tolerance of different fibres also leaves room for mills and manufacturers to position it across wool, blends and cotton.
