Julien Macdonald facts for kids

Julien Macdonald OBE (born 19 March 1971) is a well-known British fashion designer. He comes from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. You might know him from TV, as he was a judge on Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model. In 2001, he was named "British Fashion Designer of the Year". He also became the main designer at Givenchy, a famous fashion house, taking over from Alexander McQueen. His design studio is in Old Burlington Street, London.

The Early Years of a Designer

Julien Macdonald was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. He went to Cyfarthfa High School there. After high school, he studied art at The College Merthyr Tydfil. This is where he really started to develop his design skills.

His mother taught him how to knit, and he quickly became very interested in design. Julien also thought about becoming a dancer. However, he decided to study textiles at the Faculty of Arts and Architecture in Brighton. Later, he earned a master's degree from the Royal College of Art.

Julien Macdonald's Fashion Career

Right after finishing his studies, Julien Macdonald got a big break. He was hired by Karl Lagerfeld to work for Chanel. This job also included creating knitwear for designer Alexander McQueen.

In 2001, Julien Macdonald became the chief designer at Givenchy. This is a very famous fashion house in Paris. He took over this important role from Alexander McQueen. In the same year, he was named British Fashion Designer of the Year. He is part of a group of Welsh artists and designers known as Cool Cymru.

In 2001, British Airways chose him to redesign their cabin crew uniforms. This was a big project for a major airline. In 2014, Julien Macdonald also launched his own range of eyewear. He worked with Vision Express on this collection.

Views on Fur in Fashion

Julien Macdonald used a lot of fur in his early designs. This caused some people to criticize him. Once, he and Paris Hilton even had flour thrown on them. In 2006, he said that fur brought in most of his money. He felt his brand would fail without it. However, in 2017, Julien Macdonald changed his mind. He apologized for using fur in the past. He told Reuters, "You do not need to kill animals to wear nice clothes."

Dressing the Stars

Many famous people have worn Julien Macdonald's beautiful dresses. These include singers like Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez. In 2009, he was the main designer for the pop group Girls Aloud. He created all their costumes for their Out of Control Tour.

On Television

Julien Macdonald has appeared on several TV shows. He was a judge on the British version of Project Runway. This show was called Project Catwalk and aired on Sky One.

In February 2010, he became a new judge on Britain's Next Top Model. He joined the show alongside the famous supermodel, Elle Macpherson.

In September 2013, Macdonald was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. This is a popular TV show where celebrities learn to dance. His professional dance partner was Janette Manrara. He said that Janette really helped him stay on his toes! They were eliminated in the fourth week of the competition.

Awards and Recognition

In June 2006, Julien Macdonald received a special honor. He was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). This award was given to him for his great contributions to fashion.

In May 2016, he won another award. He received the GENLUX/BRITWEEK Designer of the Year Award.