Julien Macdonald, the Welsh designer known for his high-octane glamour, is making a return to London Fashion Week after a hiatus. The 54-year-old, who once headed knitwear at Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld and succeeded Alexander McQueen at Givenchy, is aiming to reignite his brand and raise his profile in the fashion arena.
Macdonald's last show was in the early 2010s, and his career has included dressing celebrities like Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, and the Kardashians. Despite his past success, his business faced difficulties after the collapse of Debenhams, where his spin-off brand Star by Julien Macdonald had thrived for 17 years. In 2023, his company went into liquidation.
Now, Macdonald is focusing on ready-to-wear pieces, with crystal-strewn jersey party dresses priced between £2,000 and £2,500. He plans to sell through his website and Instagram, staggering drops throughout the year. He will also leverage his celebrity connections, selling dresses worn by stars on red carpets immediately after they appear.
His new collection is inspired by The Shard, where the London Fashion Week show will be held. Macdonald described walking along the Thames with his dog and falling in love with the colours of the building on a summer's night, calling it 'our Eiffel Tower'.
Macdonald also plans a trunk show tour to Saint-Tropez, Athens, Mykonos, and Ibiza, partnering with luxury hotels for poolside parties. Later in the year, he will head to Dubai, which he describes as home to the most affluent clients who dress up and wear his clothes when going out.
