That is what Marton Mills sells as MacMillan; it's simply a fashion variation. I don't know if they designed it themselves, or not, but apparantly whoever did so concieved of it without the cheif's blessing.

This happens all the time, really. A tartan is popular, and so a mill will introduce some variation of it with a new twist. No big deal, so long as no one attempts to pass it off as a "clan tartan" when the cheif says otherwise.

For instance, my co-worker at the museum wears a tartan we had custom woven for him called "Black MacGregor." It's based on the approved MacGregor clan tartan, with the main color changed to black. It is by no means a "clan tartan" -- it is a personal tartan he had woven for himself because he liked it. And he's never tried to push it as a clan tartan.

That's all I read into the chief's statement above. It's not a clan tartan, and he doesn't want people misled into believing it is a clan tartan. As the clan chief, that is his perogative.

Aye,
Matt