McDonald, Julien

(1972- )

   Born in Merthyr Tydfyl, Wales, he was originally interested in becoming a dancer but became fascinated in college with knitwear design. McDonald furthered that desire by attending the master's program at London's Royal College of Art. He began designing knitwear for Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld but he ultimately created his own line and presented it during London Fashion Week, 1997. In 2000, he was named head designer at Givenchy and stayed there until 2004. McDonald continued after that with his own collection, known for its razzle-dazzle vibe and appeal to the celebrities and stars of the film and music industry.