When whisky and fashion collide for an exciting blend

A Speyside distillery renowned for its experimental approach has teamed up with a Scottish menswear designer.

The partnership which will celebrate the creative approaches to whisky distilling and clothing design.

To mark the collaboration, Kestin Hare’s 2019 Spring Collection will feature five different garments inspired by the whisky, landscape and architecture of the BenRiach distillery in Speyside.

Hare has teamed up with Scottish mill, Halley Stevenson, to develop traditional peat dyed and garment dyed products, representing the unique colours of aged BenRiach Speyside Whisky.

Dundee-based Halley Stevenson has garment dyed the Shop Coat to colour reference two BenRiach expressions, the 10 year old peated Curiositas and four cask matured 21 year old non-peated whisky.

Kestin Hare (left) and Stewart Buchanan, BenRiach global brand ambassador, at the Kestin Hare store in Leith, Edinburgh

Hare also took inspiration from the BenRiach whisky casks and created a digital cask print in a lightweight ripstop nylon featuring on the Torness Parka, Traveller Jacket, Fatigue Short and Storr Pant.

BenRiach global brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan said: ‘At BenRiach we have been exploring the creative possibilities of our Speyside malt for decades.

‘Driven by a creative approach to whisky distilling, cask maturation and blending, all in the pursuit of flavour, we are delighted to join forces with Kestin Hare menswear to create experimental, hand-crafted, whisky inspired products for 2019.

‘The garments are inspired by our eclectic mix of cask types and two of our distinct styles of Scottish whisky, heavily peated 10 year old Curiositas and four cask matured 21 year old non-peated.’

Whisky and fashion come together in the 2019 Kestin Hare collection

Founder of Scottish Menswear Brand, Kestin Hare said: ‘I’m a big fan of weaving in Scottish heritage into my collections, and when I went to visit the BenRiach distillery I was so charmed by the process, the whisky, the people and the location, it gave me lots to play with.

‘I think we have developed a high impact capsule collection with real depth and meaning to the story. The colours and textures are beautiful and the garment dyed element ensures that every garment has a unique finish which I think is a nice touch.’

The brand was launched in 2014 by Kestin Hare when he returned to his hometown of Edinburgh. Kestin grew up watching his grandad who had a distinct style, took great pride in his appearanceand ran pubs in Leith. This inspired his degree in Fashion Design BA Hons and Marketing, which then led him directly to the industry where he instantly felt at home.