I started my business at 21, teachers said I’d flop it but Shania Twain’s a fan

AWARD-winning Scots fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie always dreamed of making it big in the fashion world. 

At 13, she saved her pocket money to buy her very first sewing machine and, despite her teachers telling her she wouldn’t make it, Siobhan defied the odds and is now one of the country’s top designers. 

Today, her looks have been worn by global superstars such as pop star Justin Bieber, musician and actor Jared Leto and most recently, the Queen of Country Pop herself, Shania Twain.

The iconic country singer donned one of Siobhan’s designs as she performed at the inaugural Stirling Summer Sessions festival, which took place in front of the city’s historic Stirling Castle at the end of last month.

The designer, who originally hails from The Black Isle in the Highlands, knew she wanted to dress the icon after spotting some stunning leopard print fabric. She reached out to the singer’s manager, who turned out to be a fellow Scot.

She said: “I managed to make contact with him and then when he phoned me, it turned out he’s Scottish.

“So right away there was a great Scottish affinity, you know, we like to help each other Scots. He put my work forward to her and she wanted to wear it.

“Then I added some Swarovski crystals to it as well so that when the stage lights hit, it was all sparkling. It was amazing to see her in it.”

Trendsetter Siobhan had designed a whole ensemble including a sparkly corset and tulle cape sleeves to go with the half-tartan half-leopard print mini skirt but in classic Scottish fashion, the weather at the outdoor event took a chilly turn and the country singer had to bundle up in a chic black turtleneck jumper instead.

The 31-year-old designer explained how special it was to attend the the gig with her mum and see such a huge star, who she grew up listening to, wearing one of her garments.

She said: “It was my mum’s birthday present, so we already had tickets. It was just really the cherry on top to see Shania in my brand and get to experience that with my mum.

“My mum started crying when she came out, she was so proud. It was really nice, a really special moment to share with her.”

She continued: “I feel like I grew up with her songs playing at every family party.

“I’m from a really big family, my aunt used to have New Year parties and I just feel like that the soundtrack was Shania Twain songs. So I feel like it’s really nostalgic.”

The country hit-maker took to Instagram and praised the “talented” designer to her 2.5 million followers.

Shania posted the snap of her rocking the contemporary kilt on stage captioned: “Scotland, that was incredible!

“Playing in front of the 800+ year old Stirling Castle felt very magical and I had to mark the occasion of course – an iconic kilt for an iconic setting!! Tartan meets leopard print. Made by the talented @siobhan_mackenzie.”

Skilled stylist Siobhan, said while it’s incredible seeing mega stars like Twain and Bieber wearing her signature contemporary tartan designs, inspired by Clan Mackenzie, she would love to see Scotland come to the fore in the fashion industry.

She commented: “My thought process is that all of the biggest brands of the world buy their textiles from Scotland.

“Chanel, Burberry, Hermes. We supply Scottish textiles to world leading brands. My ethos has always been, well, why can’t we create them from Scotland?”

Growing up in the Highlands, Siobhan tells how she was always really introverted, rarely being seen without her sketchpad in hand.

She said: “I was always sketching, I was more of an introverted child. I was just always happy sketching in a corner somewhere, and it was always clothes that I was drawing.”

At the age of ten she set her sights on becoming a fashion designer, by 13 she had saved up to buy her very first sewing machine and was receiving extra help learning how to sew by a supportive home economics teacher.

I was really desperate to pursue my dream of being a fashion designer and I knew what I needed to get into uni or college and I really wasn’t going to let anything stand in my way.

Siobhan Mackenzie

The stylist said: “It wasn’t something that was in the curriculum. She just wanted to support my dreams.

“She was probably the only teacher that really supported me in school as well because I was actually quite unwell throughout my exam years.”

Due to illness, Siobhan spent time in hospital and missed school. Teachers told her she would never achieve her dream of becoming a fashion designer or even get into college or university, but the support from her home economics teacher made all the difference.

She continued: “She was really there for me. I probably would have left school without her support.

“I would go to her classroom and cry when people and other teachers were horrible to me.

“I was really desperate to pursue my dream of being a fashion designer and I knew what I needed to get into uni or college and I really wasn’t going to let anything stand in my way.”

Despite being told she would never achieve her dream career, Siobhan studied from home and in hospital so she wouldn’t fall behind and fail her exams.

In 2014 Mackenzie proved those who doubted her wrong, as only five days after graduating with a First Class BA Honours degree in Fashion Design & Production she launched her own self-made brand – at just 21-years-old.

In the ten years since she launched her brand she has worked with Caorunn Gin, LVMH group and even designed over 400 outfits for Team Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

Kitting out her home nations athletes for the games and being named the best dressed country of the opening ceremony was one of the highlights of her career she tells The Scottish Sun.

She said: “When I had seen them walk into the stadium, that moment stood still in time and the hairs on my arms were up. It was incredible. It’s really hard to put into words.

“People ask me about celebrities I’ve dressed but that for me is just the proudest moment. To have the honour to design for your whole country, I don’t think there’s a word for it.

“It’s just really spectacular and a real privilege to be able to do that and to have that trust put in you as a designer.”

The sky’s the limit for the Scots designer and she’s set her styling sights on another famous country singer.

She said: “I really want to dress Taylor Swift. I think she would look really cute and something tartan and sparkly.”