Julien Macdonald OBE studied Fashion Knitwear at The University of Brighton and received his MA at Royal College of Art, London. Soon after the success of his RCA graduation show in June 1996, his unique talent caught the attention of Karl Lagerfeld and he was appointed Head Designer of Knitwear for Chanel, as well as for the iconic designer’s eponymous label Lagerfeld, from 1996 to 1998. Following on from his position at Chanel and Lagerfeld, Julien started his own label and began to build his reputation as a leading British fashion designer. International stars including Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Naomi Campbell and Cheryl Cole have worn his designs and a discerning following of glamorous and beautiful women across the globe eagerly await his collection every season. In 2001, he was named British Fashion Designer of the Year and was appointed as successor to Alexander McQueen as Creative Director of the renowned French fashion house Givenchy, where he designed six collections a year from Haute Couture to Prèt-a-Porter. In 2004, Julien returned to London to concentrate on his own label, which has grown from strength to strength. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire for his services to the fashion industry in November 2006. Julien Macdonald’s career has since extended beyond the catwalk and into broadcast media, including the top rated show ‘Britain’s Next Top Model’ and he is regularly called upon to communicate his definitive perspective on fashion and culture through both radio and television. The luxury fashion house Julien Macdonald is manufactured in Italy and is available in Selfridges and Net-A-Porter, amongst other prestigious boutiques worldwide
