Hi, thanks for taking the time to speak to us today, can you introduce yourself and the brand Fidir.

I’m Eddy Downpatrick; outdoors lover, adventurer, and founder of Highlands-and-Islands-inspired menswear brand FIDIR.  

Was there a moment for you that led to the beginning of Fidir?

Hiking Beinn Deargh above Ullapool in the embers of a day, I realised I wanted to create products that could in some way express what I felt about this part of the world – the rarefied light, the brooding gloom, all of it. Having brought the initial idea to my now business partner a couple of years ago, FIDIR has evolved into what it is now and is evolving into what it’ll be in (hopefully) years to come.

What’s on your gear list for a multi-night backpacking adventure in Scotland?

Tent, tarp, Rab Summit 400 sleeping bag, gas-stove, Coffeebrewer bags, ice axe (even if not used, looks badass), Mountain Rescue-prescribed safety equipment (imagining Mountain Rescue were to inspect), Salomon Fellcross trail shoes (close call with the Inov8 X-Talons), neoprene hat and booties for any particularly-icy loch swimming, one more pair of socks (like the Hilly ultra-marathons) than total number of days backpacking, headtorch + thematically-relevant book (e.g., One Man’s Wilderness by Sam Keith, Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez, Wild Island by Jane Smith), peanut butter Cliff bars, and… several tins of anchovies.

What inspired you to design clothing?

When I was in single digits, I drew a bizarre mixture of naval battles and sports kits. These days it’s invariably a stint in the outdoors that inspires new design ideas.

Is there a story behind the name, Fidir?

We wanted a name that connected the brand to its source of inspiration and Scottish Gaelic presented us with some beautiful words from which to choose. ‘Heilan’ crossed the bows, but there were restrictions I won’t bore your readers with here. Also, it didn’t quite get across what we wanted our brand name to achieve, namely what it is to feel, experience, and explore a part of the world with which you feel such a strong connection, and Fidir’s tri-partite meaning does just that.

If you could describe Fidir in one word what would it be?

Invigoration.

How did exploration of the highlands inspire your clothing designs?

Whether our materials, colours, cuts, or linings, the idea has been to evoke the Highlands’ ruggedness and beauty, both of which only truly sink in if you get yourself good and lost in them. To take two examples, we cut our T-Shirts and Henleys (and soon-to-be-released Sweaters) with unfinished, flat-lock hems silhouetted to ape a particular ridge atop the very same Beinn Dearg. All our bags and accessories, save the Foldable Rucksack and Card Holder, are lined with magic-realist paintings of the Highlands and Islands – the artist herself, a very old friend and Highlands-born-and-raised, takes all her inspiration from actually being in amongst those land-, loch-, and seascapes.

What piece of clothing are you most proud of?

Hard as it is to choose, I’d say the Ts. I dislike lazily-constructed, unflattering tops. With our unfinished hems we’ve managed to create Ts which hug the arms without being gym-bunny-ish and with the silhouetted cut at the waist, that finish more naturally on the hips too. We feel this design very nicely, and perhaps unexpectedly, complements a male upper body.

What future products do you have on the drawing board?

On the drawing board, a photographer’s dream backpack for the outdoors, complete with quick-draw holster (mandatory) and puppy pouch (optional but encouraged). We’ve got a Sweater to join the T and Henley family, a packable Mac for those unexpected showers (indoors and out), and a more technical Rucksack than our current foldable offering on their way very soon. In a not distant future we’ll be releasing a piece we’ve been working on with a highly-regarded Scottish designer, but exact details to remain a secret for now…

Do you have a favourite area in Scotland?

Hard as it is to choose one place, it’d have to be North Fearns on the Isle of Raasay. Looking back towards the Cuillin Ridge across the Scalpay Straits in a place that has no electricity and from which rarely ever a soul can be glimpsed fills me with untold joy. Have a look at my personal Instagram @donderlust for examples of just how different and yet unfailingly stunning that view looks in different lights.

What hidden gems in Scotland have you stumbled across?

Aside from Raasay, a smattering of other gems I’ll leave you with.. The Applecross Peninsular, Knoydart Peninsular, Beinn Alligin x Loch Torridon, and the craters of and around Lochnagar, All wondrously wild and rugged with absurdly beautiful views.

 

Thanks for your time! Before we let you go, what other social platforms are you active on besides Instagram? I’m sure our readers would love to know where else they can connect with you on the web.

Our website is www.fidirstore.com

Social Media-wise, we’re most active on Facebook (FIDIR @FidirStore) and Instagram (@fidirstore).

Thanks for your time! Before we let you go, what other social platforms are you active on besides Instagram? I’m sure our readers would love to know where else they can connect with you on the web.

Our website is www.fidirstore.com

Social Media-wise, we’re most active on Facebook (FIDIR @FidirStore) and Instagram (@fidirstore).

Find out more from Fidir below