ALEXANDER JULIAN: COLORING OUR WORLD

“I’ve always been captivated by the complexity of colors in Nature,” designer Alex Julian tells me. He’s wearing a digitally printed linen shirt featuring beautiful fish that utilizes 123 shades. “I’m a self-taught textile designer; I’m sure that tying my own fishing flies as a kid had a huge influence on me. Studying Claude Monet’s paintings was another early inspiration; I counted 50 colors in one small area of one of his haystack paintings! He understood so long ago! My goal is to bring the beauty of nature indoors with timeless, wearable clothes that make you look great and feel special”.

Another of his goals, I soon learn, is to bring production back to America. “ I started my career in 1974 to prove that we can create and produce the best menswear in the world right here in America! One great piece is worth 20 cheap ones.” Alex maintains, noting that the sport coat he’s showing me is an exclusive custom woven linen/silk/wool blend from Huddersfield at $50 a yard. The next is an exclusive linen/silk/bamboo field jacket with sartorial details and comfort features. In fact, many of his styles are designed in a soft construction but with sport coat lapels, the lightest possible way to dress up and dress down at the same time. Clever details include signature multi-color stitching on shirt buttonholes: “Life is too short for dull buttonholes,” Alex insists. Also acknowledging what’s old is new, the collection includes fuller trousers (but slimmer than the ‘70s versions) with double reverse pleats.

Most importantly, all tailoring is now crafted at Rochester Tailored Clothing in upstate New York, the 100 year old factory that produced Hickey Freeman suits for almost all our country’s presidents. “Top-level American-made clothing is as well-made as top Italian brands but a much better value, and it’s homemade,” Alex reminds me. His wholesale prices average about $500 for a sport coat that can retail at $1250; a suit would cost $675, and soft jackets begin at $275. Shirts are sewn in the old Brooks Brothers factory in North Carolina, $97.50-$115, 100% original designs in luxury cotton or linen fabrics.

Planning in-store appearances with key specialty accounts, Alex is clearly excited about this next phase of an already illustrious career. (Six time American Menswear Designer of the Year, Fashion Hall of Fame). Asked about retirement, Alex looks surprised by the question. “Why would I retire? I’m having too much fun! Plus, my wife would murder me if I didn’t work…”

See Alex’s Spring ’25 collection, Alexander Julian American Made, at the Chicago Collective, booth 2105.