Highland designer Siobhan Mackenzie pays tribute to 'Queen of Tartan' heroine Vivienne Westwood as fashion icon dies at age of 81
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
AN award-winning Black Isle designer who has established a name for herself around the world has paid tribute to a "heroine" who inspired her.
Siobhan Mackenzie made her remarks in the wake of the death of Vivienne Westwood who she described as "Queen of Tartan".
Ms Mackenzie has made her own name using the patterned cloth synonymous with Scotland and earlier this year watched proudly as Team Scotland walked out in her design for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Ms Westwood, who was 81, famously outfitted The Sex Pistols and became a leading fashion figure in the punk rock explosion of the late 1970s.
Ms Mackenzie tweeted: "She fearlessly designed outside of the box and so fiercely followed her own path. Thank you for being my heroine."
RELATED: Pictures of Scottish athletes in Siobhan Mackenzie's designs: 'I will probably cry'
Ms Mackenzie launched her self-named label in 2014, a year which included a stint for her as an alteration technician at Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games.
She was named best new Scottish designer 2016 and, after co-creating outfits worn by athletes at the Gold Coast in 2018, led the design of this year’s ensemble.
Ms Mackenzie’s designer kilts have already taken New York fashion circles by storm, featuring alongside famous labels like Prada, Jimmy Choo and Gucci in one of the Big Apple’s swankiest department stores, the luxury outlet Bergdorf Goodman.
The cast of the reality TV show, the Real Housewives of New York, previously wore her kilts for a charity fashion event, while her kilts have also been worn on-stage by pop star Justin Bieber.
Former Miss Scotland Lucy Kerr wore a tartan dress designed by Miss Mackenzie at Miss World 2016 in the United States.
Her work has also been showcased in Elle US, Forbes, WWD and Harper’s Bazaar.
