Victoria MacKenzie-Childs, the founder of iconic home decor brand MacKenzie-Childs, passed away at the age of 77, her family confirmed.
“I’m sad and sorry to see you, Victoria, my Sister go! Victoria passed yesterday morning,” Victoria’s brother, Donnie MacKenzie shared via Facebook on Thursday, March 5. “I say sad for all of us whom loved Victoria so much, but we know she continues to live life with so much vigor, creativity and enthusiasm! I already miss you so much, but am so grateful for the impressions you left on me on how to design life with unlimited freedom; without limits or boundaries! Richard stay strong, we love you! When Victoria knew something was morally right within her heart, she went forward and didn’t care about numbers of opposing opinions…that is leadership with moral fiber and that was and still is Victoria MacKenzie-Childs.”
He added, “And I would love to give my huge gratitude and big love to Veronica for being the best friend to Victoria that anyone could ever wish for!”
Victoria MacKenzie-Childs Had a Storied Career
Victoria MacKenzie-Childs was a ceramics artist who founded the luxury home goods company MacKenzie-Childs alongside her husband Richard MacKenzie-Childs in 1983.
The company was known for its whimsical hand-painted ceramics and signature “Courtly Check” pattern. After falling into significant debt in 2001, the couple was forced to file for bankruptcy, according to Syracuse.com.
While the brand lived on under new ownership, Victoria and Richard launched a new company, Victoria and Richard Emprise.
For more than two decades, the couple has been living on an Ellis Island ferryboat, which they converted into a home and studio.
“We lost our company to an unfair, powerful situation. There was nowhere for us to go…we couldn’t afford to live in Manhattan but we needed a studio space,” Victoria said in a viral YouTube documentary released in September 2025. “We were just going to use it as a studio space… but we were working there day and night. So you roll over on a bench or whatever and go to sleep … and we thought, we don’t have to live in a cramped little space on the Lower East Side – we can just stay here.”
Tributes Poured In for the Beloved Artist
Fans flooded Victoria’s social media profile with words of love and appreciation.
“Rest in peace, Victoria,” one fan began. “You will never know how much of an inspiration you are to not only me, but many artists and designers all across the world. Your legacy will live on forever in our art, homes, and hearts.”
“Oh you beautiful soul, I am devastated by your passing. You were truly…Artless,” another commented.
