Julian J Smith makes clothes for the East End gal who likes to “move in higher circles.” Applauded for his eye-catching aesthetic of geometry-inspired prints, striking silhouettes and splashes of colour, Julian is one of London’s designers-to-watch. “Design was in me from an early age,” explains the talented northerner, “I wanted to do something artistic and I’ve always been interested in colour.” After graduating from the Royal College of Art with an MA in womenswear, Julian spent a few years working for fashion forces like Roland Mouret, Jonathan Saunders and Erdem, before deciding to bite the bullet and start up his own label. Since then, the designer has wowed the crowd with a collection inspired by painters Picasso and Gaudi, and a graphic-meets-gothic show for autumn/winter 11. While the clothes themselves are sleek and very feminine, it’s his clashing colours and prints that have caught attention. “I really like naïve mark making,” explains Julian, “from tie-dye African fabrics to the graffiti you see on the streets.”
Text: Rose Poole
Photography: Billy Ballard
Styling: Jack Borkett
Hair: Bob Mari Osahi using Bumble and bumble
Make-up: Lucy Bridge using M.A.C Pro
Photography assistance: Jon Tasker and Liz Frank
Hair assistance: Tristan Waikong
Model: Liu Xu at Storm
Special thanks to Mark Loy director of Spring Studios, Verien, BarBar and Jean
Liu wears all clothing Julian J Smith. All Jewellery Dominic Jones.
