A lady called Mary Buchanan set up Slioch back in 1982. Based at Poolewe in the North West Highlands of Scotland, it was a small, bespoke business that specialised in tailor made clothing for the outdoor person.

Though still in very good condition, the jacket we have here in the collection seems to be one of Mary’s earlier versions. The ‘waterproof outer’ came from the British Millerain Co. who specialise in such materials. Mary would have cut and sewn the material herself and ironed on the waterproof seams, a lengthy and time consuming process. She stuck to the task for several years, with many new innovations along the way, before selling the business to Tes and Catherine Urquart Taylor around 1998/9. Tes and Catherine kept going for a few years but ran out of luck and the business around 2006. Slioch, the mountain, remains tall and proud at the southern end of Loch Maree though the other Slioch is no more.

We seem to have lost her surname but a lovely lady called Alison kindly donated the jacket, her and her jacket having crept into retirement.