The Story Behind Kiltyco’s Men in Kilts Calendar
Updated: Sep 21
I’m Kerri Cuthbert, the founder of Kiltyco and the photographer and designer behind our Men in Kilts calendars.
My journey with Kilted Photography began in 2014, bringing together a love of photography, an interest in Scottish heritage and a cheeky appreciation of men in kilts. That business has since grown into Kiltyco, home to our calendar collection and a wider range of Scottish-inspired gifts.
Behind the finished calendars are real people, original model photography and plenty of creative work. Here’s how the idea began and a look at the people and pictures behind it.
Where it began: photography and a curiosity about the past
My interest in photography took hold in 2011, when I began photographing historic landmarks and landscapes around the UK.
History hadn’t particularly captured my imagination at school. Standing in front of an old building with a camera felt completely different. I found myself wondering who had stood in the same spot hundreds of years earlier, what their lives had been like and how much the world around them had changed.
Photography gave me a reason to explore those places more closely. What started as an interest in capturing a view became a fascination with the atmosphere and stories surrounding it.
That combination of photography, place and imagination would eventually help shape the calendar collection.
Scottish heritage and a little television inspiration
My curiosity also led me to explore my family history and the stories associated with my own ancestry. Discovering connections between names, tartans and Scottish traditions encouraged me to learn more.
If you’re exploring a similar interest, the Scottish Register of Tartans is a useful place to look up registered designs. A tartan associated with a surname can be an interesting discovery, although tracing your own ancestry requires separate family-history research.
Television provided another spark. Game of Thrones fed my fascination with dramatic settings, castles and storytelling. Outlander added Scottish landscapes, Highland dress and romance to the mix.
And yes, Sam Heughan in a kilt certainly helped hold my attention.
Those programmes became part of my creative inspiration. I wanted to bring my own interests together through photography, with tartan, personality and a playful sense of adventure at the heart of it.
Turning an idea into the Men in Kilts Calendar
The idea was to create a calendar combining my photography with the character and appeal of men in kilts.
Making it happen meant working through the practical details: finding suitable clothing, arranging models and bringing everyone together to create the photographs.
During those early preparations, I contacted Eight Yards, the Scottish Highland dress retailer, about kilts for the project. Bringing the clothing and models together helped turn the idea into something tangible.
For me, the appeal was in the combination. The tartan and Highland dress gave the photographs their identity, while the models brought their own expressions and personalities.
Then came the cheekiness. A calendar is something you return to throughout the year, and I wanted the images to give people a reason to smile each time they turned the page.
That playful spirit remains part of Kiltyco today.
Behind the scenes: the people behind the photographs
The finished calendar shows the image we’ve chosen. Behind-the-scenes photographs reveal a little more of what goes into making it.
In the woodland photograph below, you can see me working with a model beside a tree while another member of the team holds the lighting equipment. It captures the collaboration behind a photograph: the person in front of the camera, the person taking the picture and the help that brings the setup together.
The group photograph offers another glimpse of the people involved. Away from the finished calendar pages, there are cameras, coats, equipment and the team gathered in one place.
I love being able to share that side of the collection. These photographs connect the finished product with the people who helped create it, and they form part of the history of Kilted Photography and Kiltyco.
From photographs to finished calendar artwork
My work continues after the photographs have been taken.
Alongside photography, I work on the creative direction, graphic design and digital editing that bring the calendar collection together. Original model photographs provide the starting point; selecting, editing and arranging the images helps shape the finished pages.
The calendar artwork combines photography with design and digital editing, so a finished page should be understood as a creative image rather than a documentary record of a location.
Looking through the older editions, you can see different approaches to cover design, image selection and presentation. Those details are part of developing a collection that still feels recognisable while giving each edition its own character.
I also oversee Kiltyco’s product design, website and customer experience. The calendars are one part of a much wider creative process, from the initial photographs to the collection you browse online.
The Men in Kilts calendars through the years
The archive below brings together selected earlier editions from the Kilted Photography years.
It’s a chance to look back at the covers, revisit photographs from previous collections and see how the presentation has developed. If you’ve followed the calendars for a while, you might recognise an edition you’ve owned or a favourite image.
You’ll also notice the earlier Kilted Photography name and website address. They belong to that chapter of the business and help tell the story of how the collection grew.
These are archive editions. To see what’s available now, visit the current Men in Kilts Calendar collection.
From Kilted Photography to Kiltyco
If you first discovered the calendars through Kilted Photography, Kiltyco is the next chapter of the same business.
As the range expanded, I wanted a name that could comfortably include calendars, photography-led products and a broader collection of Scottish-inspired gifts.
Kiltyco gives the business that room to grow while keeping the Scottish inspiration and playful character that started it all.
Today, the Men in Kilts collection sits alongside a wider range of Scottish-inspired gifts. The calendars remain at the heart of the story, with more ways to find a present, choose a keepsake or treat yourself.
Whether you’ve been following since the Kilted Photography days or have only just found us, thank you for taking an interest in the work behind the collection.
Choose your Men in Kilts Calendar
Our 2027 Men in Kilts collection includes A3 and A4 wall calendars and an A6 desk calendar.
The different formats give you a choice of how and where to enjoy the photographs, whether you’re looking for a wall calendar or something for your desk.
If you’re unsure which to choose, our A3, A4 and desk calendar comparison explains the options.
Whether you’re here for the photography, the tartan or a well-turned pair of legs, I hope you find something that makes you smile.
Questions about Kiltyco and the calendars
Who creates Kiltyco’s Men in Kilts calendars?
Kerri Cuthbert is the founder of Kiltyco and the creator of its Men in Kilts Calendar collection. Her work includes original model photography, creative direction, graphic design and digital editing.
When did Kilted Photography begin?
Kerri’s journey with Kilted Photography began in 2014, following an interest in photography that developed in 2011. The business later evolved into Kiltyco.
Is Kiltyco the same business as Kilted Photography?
Yes. Kiltyco grew from Kilted Photography, with the new name reflecting a wider range of Scottish-inspired gifts alongside the calendar collection.
Do the calendars use original photography?
Original model photography forms the basis of the calendar artwork. The finished pages also involve graphic design and digital editing as part of the creative process.
Where can I buy the latest calendars?
Visit the Kiltyco calendar shop to browse the current collection. Individual product pages explain the available formats and product details.
About the author: Kerri Cuthbert is the founder of Kiltyco, a photographer and calendar designer. She oversees the brand’s creative direction, product design and online store.
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