Siobhan Mackenzie
‘I was naive to what I had done with the kilt. No one had really done it before’
Idecided I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was ten years old and I never once changed my mind. I saved up and bought my first sewing machine when I was 13 and my home economics teacher taught me to sew.
I was always more of an introverted kid, but I liked to sketch and always found myself sketching clothes. When I was younger my great granny would take a really plain sweater and sew the most beautiful sequin patterns on them and I used to feel quite inspired.
My graduate collection was inspired by my Highland roots in the Black Isle and the history behind the Clan Mackenzie. I undertook kilt making with Glenisla kilts in Motherwell, where I learned the traditional skills. I just put my artistic spin on the kilts and people asked about buying them.
Five days after I graduated with a first class honours degree in fashion design and production, I set up my own company. It was such a terrifying decision. I was naive to what I had done with the kilt. No one had really done things like contrasting pleats using plain block wool pleats and alternating tartan before. Designing Scotland’s Commonwealth Games uniform this year was so exciting, but I don’t think it really hit me until I was actually over in Australia and we were the first country out. The feeling when they all walked out together brought tears to my eyes and made the hairs on my arms stand on end. I thought: ‘I did that’.
I think reinventing the kilt in a contemporary way it puts more of a fashion perspective on it. It makes the kilt something people want to wear every day; rather than thinking of it as traditional wear for weddings I hope to make it a fashion piece they can incorporate into their wardrobe.