It is something of a rarity to come across a brand which is directly inspired by the Scottish highlands, a place that for me is very much close to home. FIDIR is the name of one such clothing company. Designed to “capture our love for this special corner of the world” it is a brand I couldn’t wait to explore further and try on some of their key pieces.
Depending on how good your Scottish Gaelic is, FIDIR means to feel, experience or explore, something which I feel resonates very well through their clothing items, accessories and also when you visit the website. Tones of green and grey, hints of brown and the odd flash of blue, alludes to that of the Scottish highlands, its landscape and the blue sky peaking through the atmospheric, dark clouds. FIDIR is the creation of Eddy Downpatrick, a passionate outdoor enthusiast along with some other folks who share his love for exploring and producing great, stylish clothing.
My first port of call was to visit the FIDIR website and select a couple of pieces which caught my eye. Straight away I was drawn to the lovely, simple t-shirt in green and their sporty, comfortable grey marl sweatshirt. I based my choices on the fact these are two pieces that can be worn together with the t-shirt nicely layered underneath and also that they are items which I would wear regularly.
FIDIR t-shirts are made from thick, 100% cotton so the softness is evident the moment you put it on. Straight away I was also impressed by the t-shirts fit. Although they are designed to be relaxed and comfortable on, I would still go true to your size. My shoulders are fairly broad and at 5ft 11″ a medium worked perfectly for me. FIDIR t-shirts also have some great little features and detail. The flat lock stitching at the hem and cuff give a rugged appearance and finish to the garment, in which all pieces are also decorated with the lovely little FIDIR feather, a reference to one of Scotland’s most legendary animals the Golden Eagle. This feather is also a Native American symbol, seen as one of the most treasured gifts given by one Native American to another. The FIDIR thinking is that you will take this feather with you wherever you go and given how comfortable and cool this t-shirt looks on, this is something I certainly will do.
Sweatshirts are something that I wear often and given we are in that transitional period of the year between cold and fairly warm weather, it is a great layering piece. I went for the grey marl number, a highly versatile item that looked excellent on. Much like the t-shirt it features a relaxed fit, made from 100% cotton so it is both comfortable and ideal for wearing a t-shirt underneath without being tight and constricting. You also find the afore mentioned flatlock hem stitching on the sweatshirt, a feature I actually really like because the norm for sweatshirts is to have that ribbing at the hem to match the cuffs. Its quite refreshing to see FIDIR buck the trend. To the bottom of the sweatshirt we also see the symbolic little feather and along with a nicely fitting crew neck, this sweatshirt is a cracking piece to have in your wardrobe.
Having tried a couple of FIDIR pieces and wearing them on a daily basis I was hugely impressed. The t-shirt and sweatshirt were both extremely comfortable to wear and paired together perfectly. For me it is also very exciting to see a clothing brand directly inspired by the Scottish highlands, certainly a first for me here at The Gentleman Select. The website offers up a strong variety of items, great looking leather accessories and snug beanie hats. I love how they continually reference the highlands with their earthy colour palate of browns and greens. FIDIR is a clothing brand well worth exploring and I would highly recommend adding a few bits to your wardrobe. Head over to their site here and check it out for yourself.
