This article focuses on two pieces close to my heart: the Epona Duster and the Danu Dress — both inspired by Celtic folklore and my deep love for the Scottish Highlands. I wanted to create designs that felt at home in the rugged landscapes of Scotland, yet carried a timeless nod to styles from days gone by.

Before I dive into the design details, it probably makes sense to explain the Scottish connection — and it all starts with my family name. The Clan MacRae is a Highland Scottish clan historically associated with Clan Mackenzie. When the MacRae’s were forced from their lands in Moray during the 13th century, they travelled west and settled in Kintail, in the northwest Highlands. There, they became trusted allies and warriors of the Mackenzies of Kintail, serving as hereditary keepers of Eilean Donan Castle — one of Scotland’s most iconic strongholds.

My grandfather lived in the Outer Hebrides on South Uist, tending the land from a small bothy before moving south to the north-east of England, where he met my grandmother. Fast forward a generation, and my dad’s work took us back north to Inverness — which is really where my own Scottish story begins. (Interesting fact: my son’s middle name is MacKenzie — a small way to keep him connected to that history.)

Moody highland skies and raw inspiration

I started school in Forres, where my first-ever school photo shows me proudly wearing a kilt (yes, that was still a thing back then!).

Years later, I bought my first home in Inverurie, in north-east Scotland, and from there my love affair with the Highlands really grew. My weekends were spent driving into the Cairngorms, exploring local towns, lochs, and endless stretches of wild scenery.

The colours in that part of the world are unforgettable — the deep golden gorse lining the roads, the patchwork of brown and terracotta fields, and those moody Highland skies that seem to shift by the minute. There’s a bleakness to it which may seem miserable to some people but not me, I for one love the openness and rawness of it all.

A quiet fantasy that builds in my mind 

There are certain places in Scotland that I feel deeply connected to — landscapes that seem to call me back time and again. They’re the kind of places where I can vividly imagine myself wearing the Danu Dress or the Epona Duster, braving the elements and blending into the wild beauty of it all.

Aviemore, Glenmore, and Tomintoul are just a few that hold a special place in my heart. They’re the perfect backdrop for the quiet fantasy I’ve built in my mind — a world where the Danu Dress truly belongs.

When I began designing the Danu Dress, I wanted to create something that felt both feminine and fierce — a piece that could easily be worn by a Scottish warrior woman, like the legendary Scáthach, with her flame-red hair and strength that matched any of her male counterparts.

The name Danu felt perfectly fitting. Its origins lie with the ancient Irish goddess of earth and wisdom, a figure who also weaves her way through Scottish folklore. She represents both power and grounding — exactly what I wanted this dress to embody.

The Danu Dress

The silhouette was designed to celebrate the female form: cinched just under the bust before flowing into a full, free-spirited maxi hem — roomy enough to move with purpose (or, in my imagination, to mount a horse and ride across the Highlands).

The cinch cord is made from hardy cotton and finished with wooden beads, a small nod to a time when natural materials were woven into everyday life. Each dress is made from kantha blankets — hand-stitched textiles with a mix of earthy hues and vibrant tones, and beading detail that gives every piece its own quiet story.

When you wear the Danu Dress, I hope you feel that same connection — to the earth, to your own inner strength, and to the timeless spirit of the Highlands. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll picture yourself high-tailing it across the Cairngorm Mountains too.

A utilitarian approach to design inspired by the Dragoons

Where the Danu Dress celebrates the feminine form, the Epona Duster is its counterpart — a hardy, utilitarian jacket with a touch of old-world romance. The design takes cues from the traditional Scottish Dragoons’ uniform, reimagined with a modern twist.

I wanted something structured and practical, a tailored piece that could be thrown on with jeans and walking boots — the kind of jacket that feels equally at home wandering through the Highlands. 

For those who haven’t visited this part of the world it’s a landscape of rugged, untamed beauty — white sands nestled next to pine forests and snow-capped mountains reflected in loch's. It’s a place that, if you catch it at the right time, feels almost deserted — mystical, moody, and steeped in atmosphere.         

That’s the feeling I wanted to capture with the duster. In my mind, I was transported back to the 18th century — to the kind of world where characters from Outlander might have roamed beneath the pines, searching for a sheltered spot to camp for the night. I seem to be channelling a theme here.

The Epona Duster

The duster’s cropped, double-breasted front and elongated back summon up a military style — practical, yet romantic in its own way. It’s easy to imagine drawing a sword or mounting a horse in it (not that I expect you’ll be doing either, but you get where my imagination wandered).

Design-wise, it features wooden buttons on the breast panel, so it can be worn fastened or open to show off the cropped front. Each jacket is made from kantha blankets — darker tones on the outer layer and lighter shades within — making it easy to transition from summer to winter. And of course, it has pockets on both sides (the inside one’s roomy enough for your phone), because practicality never goes out of style.

I called it Epona after the goddess who is said to take care of horses and their owners while they are travelling, keeping them safe across the rugged terrain. It seemed fitting. To me the duster jacket is the spirit of the Highlands in wearable form — rugged, timeless, and ready for adventure.

Indian folklore meets Scottish fantasy

Designing both these pieces has been cathartic in some ways, a nod to my heritage and the MacRae Clan roots. Whilst a lot of my designs focus on a globally inspired wardrobe, I feel that Scotland really does deserve a space in the closet – it’s a place of mystery and beauty and where India has its own mythology, so too does Scotland.

By making these designs out of a traditional Indian technique, which is commonly adorned with patterns linking back to nature and folklore, and then creating them into designs from a by gone era of Scottish style (whether fantasy or real) is kind of magical, like combining two worlds together even though they are an ocean apart.  

When you wear them, I hope you feel a sense of grounding, nature and rugged adventure — like you could step into the Highland mist and get lost in your own mythical world.

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