Guests arriving to Julien David’s show may have noticed the three models chilling in the center of the runway, perhaps observing nothing remarkable about their dress. On the flip side, they may not have noticed the couple caressing each other beside the runway entrance, dressed in what looked to be platinum pajamas. David confirmed backstage that he wanted to re-examine his own notions of ordinary. Naturally, this led him to developing the regular-fit jeans that opened the show, as well as the jean shirting, workwear jacket, and a roomy indigo dress with everyday appeal. Of course, the custom-washed denim is Japanese—no surprise given David’s base in Tokyo; and at 11 oz. with a light stretch, it is considered lightweight. Hardly ordinary. Same goes for other details: The material of a backpack was heat-molded nylon taffeta; David’s classic sneakers were vegetable-tanned cowhide; the denim lab coat was partially stone-bleached.
But being true to himself also meant not abandoning visibly special fabrics, which is how David arrived at the synthetic chiffon which he treated to be waterproof, windproof, and super-shimmery. “I thought, if I use materials that cheap and I alter them, then it becomes my version,” he said. “It looks amazing but the base is totally normal.” And so ensued a collection that drew attention to itself by attempting to blend in. Near the end, a model stood up from his front row seat and walked the runway; he had been there in his nylon taffeta coat and knitted georgette Post-it yellow top all along. David found the process illuminating: “You know, these are things that you don’t question; it’s like they’ve always been there. That’s the feeling I was interested in.”
This is where some might be inclined to point out similar exercises elsewhere. David noted, however, that his realization was personal, referencing the ordinary aspects he’s picked up from living in Japan, the U.S., and France. Certainly the way these looks were styled—active, pseudo-future sunglasses included—gave them curb appeal in a way that actual ordinary falls short of. But even as David delivered on the premise, one got the sense he won’t hang around here for too long. For him, normal seems like a novelty.
