Julien Macdonald
“I would tell myself to never give up. People are very judgemental in life, and you should always praise people. Whatever you do make sure you enjoy it. I think everybody in life is born with a gift but not everybody finds that gift. I was lucky to find my gift in fashion.”
Who Am I?
Julien was born in Merthyr Tydfil in Wales and grew up to become an internationally known fashion designer. His mother was a swimwear model, and his father worked on farms around the South of Wales. Growing up, his mum taught him knitting, and this increased his interest in design. He studied fashion knitwear at the University of Brighton and has an MA from the Royal College of Art in London.
In 1997, he launched his own fashion label. Karl Lagerfeld quickly spotted his success and talent and invited him to work as Head Designer of knitwear at Chanel. Later, he replaced Alexander McQueen as the chief designer at Givenchy. By 2004, Julien decided to refocus on his own label.
What Am I Known For?
Julien has worked with celebrities such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Spice Girl – Geri Halliwell, and fellow Welsh performers Dame Shirley Bassey, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Katherine Jenkins. He is also a judge on Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model.
He wanted to stay true to his roots, and whilst still designing for the stars, he joined the high street shop Debenhams to make clothes that most women could afford. This move also helped him become part of Cool Cymru, a group of famous musicians and film stars dedicated to promoting Welsh culture.
His creativity continues, mainly through the inspiration he gets from travelling to different parts of the world. When he’s in a new place, he spends time exploring local art and the people. He takes lots of pictures to build ideas for future fabrics and designs he might make.
When he was younger, Julien enjoyed working with fur but realised his mistake and apologised, saying, “It was my mistake. I was young. I am sorry…You do not need to kill animals to wear nice clothes.”
How About You?
Spark your creativity by creating a mood board of many different fashion and design images that appeal to you. Try to create something original based on these ideas.
Can the fashion industry be a force for good? Discuss.
Other Amazing People (you can find them on the website)
If you have been interested in this story of one designer, why not explore that of Coco Chanel? She was born in humble beginnings in France and rose to become one of the most enduring names in fashion.
Other Useful Resources (available on the website)
If you want to explore creativity more, please check out our Teacher Guide to Creativity.
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