‘I want my collection to celebrate real women,’ says Julien MacDonald

Julien Macdonald has said his latest collection was created to celebrate “real women”,  who he would like to see better represented on the catwalk.

The 48-year-old designer whose London Fashion Week show is taking place tonight at Southwark Cathedral, told the Standard his collection was in “celebration of women, all women”.

He added: “I am bored of young girls on the runway. They look fabulous on the runway in my clothes but they are not the ones who buy the clothes. I want to produce a collection for real women, not just 16-year-olds. This collection is about celebrating being a woman.”

After several years working in fashion, including under Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Macdonald launched his own label in 1997. Since then, he has dressed stars including Kate Beckinsale, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. His latest collection, called Julien x Gabriela, marks a collaboration with socialite Gabriela Gonzalez. The pair teased their project at the Cannes Film Festival in May, with Alessandra Ambrosio and Mariah Carey wearing some of the designs. 

Macdonald said of Gonzalez: “She was one of my biggest clients and she told me she dreamed of being a fashion designer. So I said, well, let’s do a collaboration on a collection. The collection is therefore to suit the modern, glamorous working woman. She is every bit that.”

The award-winning designer said his brand had been trying to be more environmentally aware. He said: “It is really important to try and be sustainable. My clothes are made from as many organic fabrics as possible. I am trying my very best to do better … I think it is a good sign designers are taking it more seriously.”

Julien Macdonald presents Julien x Gabriela will take place at 8pm