Scotland Saves the Union Jack, a True Design Masterpiece

Scotland’s referendum on independence has failed, and for design aficionados, it’s a reprieve. If Scotland had voted to leave the United Kingdom, this monstrosity was a serious candidate to replace the iconic Union Jack: \n//www.youtube.com/v/zTptETOJIsM In addition to decorating Mini Coopers and Paul Smith’s menswear, the Union Flag is quietly one of the most brilliant […]
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Scotland's referendum on independence has failed, and for design aficionados, it's a reprieve. If Scotland had voted to leave the United Kingdom, this monstrosity was a serious candidate to replace the iconic Union Jack:

\n//www.youtube.com/v/zTptETOJIsM

In addition to decorating Mini Coopers and Paul Smith's menswear, the Union Flag is quietly one of the most brilliant works in the history of graphic design. The Union Jack, as it's popularly known, cleverly combines the flags of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in a way that respects the constituents while creating a greater whole. It's a brilliantly executed design, and though many don't even notice the layers at first, like the invisible arrow in the FedEx logo, it's impossible not to see once discovered.

The story of this design masterwork is equal parts accident of history and a genius for overlapping geometry that starts in the 9th century.

The Saltire of Saint Andrew
Wikipedia

Scotland's flag, called the Saltire of Saint Andrew, is a white X-shaped cross on a blue field. Legend states that in the year 832 AD king Óengus mac Fergusa, who presided over the land that would become Scotland, was outnumbered by a horde of invading Angles. Mac Fergusa prayed to patron Saint Andrew and when he awoke the next day he found white clouds arranged in an "X" on the blue sky, which proved a good omen, as his army won the day.

The Cross of Saint George
Wikipedia

In 1188 England's King Henry II mounted a crusade and dictated that his army would wear white crosses on fields of red. For reasons unknown, perhaps a run on red dye, his army ended up wearing red crosses on fields of white. For the next several hundred years the flag fell in and out of favor and in 1606 it was combined with Scotland's standard creating the first Union Flag.

The Addition of the Saltire of Saint Patrick
Wikipedia

Scotland's saltire is said to be divinely inspired, but Ireland's addition is more prosaic. Earlier attempts at adding a reference to the Emerald Isle in the Union Flag, like dropping a harp in the center of the design, were hamfisted and didn't strike the English monarch's fancy. In 1801 when the union was formally expanded to include Ireland, a smart-looking crimson saltire was created, literally from whole cloth, based loosely on a symbol used by some Irish families and religious orders, but mostly because it fit in the whitespace of Scotland's flag.

Happy Accidents and Pre-Industrial Revolution Manufacturing

England is the birthplace of engineering geniuses Richard Arkwright, Ada Lovelace, and James Dyson, so it's tempting to chalk up the clever construction of this elegant emblem to an innate national sense of design. The reality is that this stunning symbol grew partially from material privation.

Medieval archers and pikemen needed to be able to distinguish friend from foe on the battlefield which necessitated some kind of wearable symbol. In an age without blueprints, color swatch books, or CNC embroiderers it was critical that the symbols be easy to fabricate within the humble confines of thatched roof cottages. Widespread Christianity made simple crosses a popular and practical motif which laid the groundwork for future combinations.

Disaster Averted, For Now

Wales is part of the UK, but not currently represented on the Union Flag. In the weeks running up to the election, Welsh subjects have been teased with design concepts that add the striking black and yellow Flag of Saint David or the bright green Welsh national flag to the Union Jack. Will brigades of loyal Welsh petitioners push Parliament to make these design atrocities a reality? For a kingdom known for its class, as demonstrated by Austin Powers' Shaguar and Captain Britain's unitard, we hope not. It's a jolly-good logo and there's no bloody reason to bugger with it. Long live the Union Jack!