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05-16-2007, 09:54 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Francisco, California or there abouts
Posts: 2,057
| | | FK in the Victoria News
Quote:
Uncovering Victoria’s kiltmaker
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
 Steve Ashton folds pleats in his Freedom Kilts store on Gladstone Avenue offering custom contemporary kilts for everyday wear. He has forged a modest retirement business, despite a lack of significant Celtic ancestry.
By Andrea Lavigne
News staff
May 16 2007
Kilts can be year-round clothing
Any man who’s ever donned a kilt has heard “the question.”
But Steve Ashton, owner of Freedom Kilts and a self-confessed “kiltaholic,” has probably heard it more often than most.
“Probably once a week, but when I’m away from my shop, it’s more like twice a day,” he said.
After three years in the business, Ashton has learned a comeback or two.
His favourite? “Why, shoes and socks, of course.”
Ashton, who’s got about as much Scottish blood in him as a mosquito, calls his foray into kiltmaking a “fluke.”
While he’d always wanted a kilt, he didn’t feel his ancestry qualified him to wear a Scottish tartan.
But one day he said “to heck with it” and commandeered his wife’s sewing machine to make his own kilt.
Ashton admits he felt a little apprehensive heading into work that first time. But the response was so enthusiastic that he had three orders by the end of the day.
Freedom Kilts started as a little retirement project in his house and has since grown into a full-time operation with several employees and a shop on Gladstone Avenue.
The secret to Ashton’s success could be his innovative designs. His kilts are made from a polyester/cotton blend (as opposed to the traditional imported wool) and are available in a range of colours and prints, including camouflage. They also have pockets, are washable and are completely custom-made.
Ashton says his kilts have been worn on every continent in the world – including Antarctica.
As for the idea that skirts are for women....
“It’s a big double standard. It’s the only anatomically correct thing a man should wear. In every single culture, men are in unbifurcated garments.”
But more men are forgoing the tyranny of trousers, he added.
“Ninety-nine per cent of the men I meet say, ‘That’s so cool,’” he said.
For more information, go to www.freedomkilts.com.
The questions
Kiltmaker Steve Ashton’s comebacks to “the question” (that you’d never ask a woman).
1.) Why is nothing is worn under my kilt? Because everything under there is in perfect working order.
2.) If you were a lady, you wouldn’t ask. If you’re not a lady, you’ll find out for yourself.
3.) Lipstick.
| Nicely done!
Best regards,
Jake
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(|):=' Less talk, more monkey! ,=:(|) |
05-16-2007, 09:57 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,020
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How the heck did you find that? I just saw it today myself when a customer brought me a copy of the paper.
__________________ Steve Ashton
www.Freedomkilts.com
2nd Laird of Lochaber
Skype (webcam enabled) thewizardofbc
I wear the kilt because: Swish + Swagger = Swoon. |
05-16-2007, 10:11 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coeur d Alene, ID
Posts: 4,435
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Very cool Steve - congratulations!
__________________ Phil in Idaho "Walk Tall, Walk Straight, and Look the World Right in the Eye."
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05-16-2007, 10:16 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Aurora, Colorado, USA
Posts: 999
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Nice one Steve!
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05-16-2007, 10:17 PM
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Posts: 3,801
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Jake must have his webcrawlers on overtime. He brings up articles from all over the place.
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05-16-2007, 10:57 PM
| | | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Francisco, California or there abouts
Posts: 2,057
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What can I say, I'm a one-man clipping service. Got it from my Mom. She never wrote letters, just sent envelopes full of articles cut out from the newspaper. By the way here's the link I forgot to include it before.
Best regards,
Jake
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(|):=' Less talk, more monkey! ,=:(|) |
05-17-2007, 12:46 PM
|  | Retired House Chairman | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Reston, Virginia, USA (Suburban Washington, DC)
Posts: 4,233
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Very nice. Congratulations Steve! 
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Ferret ad astra virtus
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05-17-2007, 12:57 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hawick, Scotland
Posts: 8,843
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A well balance article, congratulations, Steve.
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05-17-2007, 01:05 PM
|  | Retired Forum Moderator | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 12,178
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Good bit of press congratulations Steve.
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05-17-2007, 03:52 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,045
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Did I read that right? Steve Ashton wears lipstick?
Way to go Steve. Did you tell the reporter that I wear a FK? Did she care?
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