The colors garnet and black have been a tradition at USC since a football contest against Furman University on Christmas Eve 1892.
But now the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management has started a new tradition: an official tartan.
The design was officially unveiled on March 26 on the Horseshoe, where guests were serenaded by bagpipes and rewarded with free tartan products.
“We knew we were doing something historic,” said Marianne Bickle, professor and chairman of the Department of Retailing. “Forty years from now, we will be telling our grandchildren we were involved in creating this tartan.”
The tartan, a traditional Scottish plaid pattern called “Old Cocky,” is primarily garnet and black with white accents and has been officially registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans.
“This is an historic time at the University of South Carolina. The tartan — in garnet, black and white — will further represent the positive values of the university, its students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community,” Bickle said in a press release prior to the unveiling. “The tartan products bring spirit to the community.”
The idea was originally conceived four years ago, and after two years of consideration, the work began to make the concept a reality. Bickle led the efforts for USC to be one of the few universities that boasts a registered tartan. USC joins 40 colleges that already have registered tartans, including six from the SEC.
In spring 2013, Bickle and her students collaborated with the university to have students and alumni select the final design from three options created by Collegiate Tartan Apparel. Over 2,000 people voted through the social media campaign, and the winning design was officially registered this winter.
Two retail classes participated in the process of creating the tartan and moving it through production as a supplemental experience to class work.
“The College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management continues to be a campus leader in providing academic opportunities that enhance the experience of students by integrating learning within and beyond the classroom,” Brian Mihalik, dean of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, said in a release.
Bickle went into the project hoping to get four product options approved, but 12 products were ultimately given approval. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of tartan merchandise will go back to the retailing department in the form of student scholarships, a philanthropic effort that Mihalik called a “win-win for all.”
Products ranging from apparel and accessories to tailgating items are available through the university bookstore and Addams University Bookstore. The complete line of products includes shirts, sweatshirts, belts, duffel bags, tote bags, ties, cups, tumblers and blankets.