Veronica MacIsaac

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Veronica MacIsaac is a Canadian fashion designer who specialises in contemporary womenswear made from traditional Scottish tartan fabrics and with Celtic motifs.

Biography

MacIsaac was raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, and is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. [1] Her parents are traditional kiltmakers [1] [2] and MacIsaac began sewing when she was aged 4.[ citation needed ] Her brother Matt MacIsaac is a bagpiper and Celtic musician. [1] [3]

MacIsaac founded Veronica MacIsaac Apparel and specialises in contemporary womenswear made from traditional Scottish tartan fabrics and with Celtic motifs. [4] [5] Her designs have featured in international fashion publications including British Vogue and Vogue Italia . [5]

In 2008, MacIsaac showed in the "Emerging Designer Showcase" of Amsterdam Fashion Week in the Netherlands. [4]

In 2016, MacIsaac held a show at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax. [5] She designed a tartan for the 75th anniversary of the group Les Cercle des Fermières Varennes du Québec. [6]

In 2019, MacIsaac designed a green, red, black, gold, white and tan tartan in honour of the Nova Scotia Legislature's 200th anniversary, [7] [8] which was unveiled by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kevin Murphy, and Gaelic Affairs Minister, Randy Delorey. [9] This was the first time in Canada that a Legislative Assembly had its own tartan. [10]

Also in 2019, MacIsaac held her first fashion show on Cape Breton Island at the Bras d'Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter's, [11] and was part of "The Fabric of our DNA" fashion show alongside Donn Sabean, tREv Clothing, Michelle Rober Fashion, Fervente Canada and African Apparel. [12]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MacIsaac created Nova Scotia and Cape Breton tartan face masks and donated the proceeds to charity. [13]

In 2021, MacIsaac was featured as a clue in a New Yorker crossword. [14] She created a couture gown made out of toilet paper for a cancer society fundraiser. [15] [16] She has also participated in events for the Fredericton Society of St Andrew Pipe Band. [17]

In 2022, MacIsaac designed a tartan for the Halifax Gay Men's Chorus (HGMC). [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Simmins, Marjorie. "Licensed to Kilt". Saltscapes Magazine. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  2. Elliott, Bonnie (Fall 2010). "INTERVIEW WITH VERONICA MACISAAC OF VERONICA MACISAAC APPAREL" (PDF). COSTUME SOCIETY OF NOVA SCOTIA, THE CLOTHES PRESS. 100: 6.
  3. "CUAN: Matt MacIsaac & Veronica MacIsaac | St. Andrew's United - Halifax, NS | March 20, 2025". Happeningnext.com. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  4. 1 2 LaRoche, Nadine (9 December 2008). "Halifax: A tartan tryst". FASHION Magazine. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Not your grandfather's kilt: Halifax designer brings modern twist to tartan fashion". CTVNews. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  6. "Tartan Details - Cercle de Fermières Varennes". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  7. "Tartan Details - Nova Scotia House of Assembly". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  8. Doucette, Keith (5 April 2019). "Nova Scotia Legislature gets new tartan for its 200th anniversary". CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  9. Lau, Rebecca (5 April 2019). "Nova Scotia House of Assembly tartan unveiled - Halifax". Global News. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  10. Doucette, Keith (5 April 2019). "Halifax designer creates first registered tartan for Nova Scotia legislature". Toronto Star. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  11. King, Nancy (12 November 2019). "Designer to hold first Cape Breton fashion show". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  12. Thomson, Aly (5 March 2020). "Fashion show to flaunt collaboration, diversity in Halifax industry". CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  13. King, Nancy (22 May 2020). "Halifax-based designer crafts tartan face masks". PNI Atlantic News. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  14. Haley, Ryan (24 November 2021). "How 15 across in a New Yorker crossword inked an amazing moment for a Halifax designer". CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  15. Thomson, Aly (10 October 2021). "TP couture: How a Halifax designer created a gown from toilet paper". CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  16. Yorke, Ann Marie (13 October 2021). "Scottish roots featured". PNI Atlantic News. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  17. "tARTan Expressions". Celtic Life International. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  18. "Tartan Details - Halifax Gay Men's Chorus". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 5 September 2025.