Mark Keighery with his sons Jack and Harry

One week ago Australia lost fashion designer and entrepreneur Mark Keighery to a decade long battle with cancer. What’s What would like to pay tribute to this generous and vibrant man of vision, who made such an impact on the Australian fashion industry, and who will be greatly missed.

Mark started the MARCS label out of one store in Chatswood 1980 after realising there was a lack of both well made and colourful shirts in Australia for the male and female markets. The label proved extremely popular with it quickly growing to it's current fourteen store locations as well as being available in the majority of Myer and David Jones locations nationally.

In addition to creating the MARCS label, Mark was the first to import brands including Diesel Helmut Lang, Issey Miyake, Yoji, Pucci, Dries Van Noten, Erto, Malandrino and Juicy Couture into Australia. Diesel was the label he was most involved with, helping to wholesale the brand after originally meeting Renzo Rosso (the founder of Diesel) while waiting for a taxi in Paris and exchanging business cards.

Mark was a devoted husband and father of two lovely sons. His funeral is to be held in Rose Bay tomorrow.