If the key to wisdom is not to be deluded, we could define Julius Juul as a wise person. «We need to show that the fashion industry isn’t just like a costume party but that we can also tell relevant stories about how we connect with other humans, about how do we interact with each other, how do we improve as a species», says the creative director of Heliot Emil outside the Parisian location where he presented, during fashion week, his collaboration with Alpinestars. «This is trying to reach beyond the traditional realms of fashion and shine some light on some people who are really doing some amazing innovations within textile, within the garment industry. Their innovations are literally saving lives», he explains. «I think that something that's still very important to me is not to be just associated with what fashion is, but also trying to integrate other industries and, and other communities into the fashion industry». Something the brand has done by collaborating, for example, with the Brazilian chain THE COFFEE on a collection of coffee accessories and working on a furniture line. But the real universe that Heliot Emil expands is that of technical innovation: «At Heliot Emil we are always looking at how we can use innovation from other industries in our collection», Julius explains. «This season we worked with a company called Shield X. They make materials that are both antibacterial, super lightweight and breathable. They're combined with different types of metal so that they also shield for radiation. They use it in the aerospace industry, NASA, SpaceX, that kind of stuff… to shield for radiation, but it also works by shielding from 5G and like phone signaling. We created a pocket inside a jacket where you can put your phone and then it's completely off the grid».

The entire FW24 collection that Julius and his brother Victor presented for Heliot Emil is called Shelter and revolves around the idea of protection. The inspiration for the concept comes from Ryoji Ikeda's audiovisual installation, named Invisible Guardians, seen by Julius: «The artist was trying to convey a feeling more than a specific image and it's the feeling that people take away from this audio-visual experience. What I took away was this question about protection: What does protection mean? Because some people find protection in something which is very soft, very comfortable. They like the idea of being, let's say nurtured. And some people find protection in something which is hard to the outside world. So something which is more shielded, created with harder materials», Julius recounts. Explaining that it was precisely from this initial question that the idea of a collaboration with Alpinestars came about, or as the designer says, «another way of understanding protection. We also made another material where we combined leather with an aluminum material so that you can shape and bend and create the shapes in the piece. It’s a very unique material, a very interesting exploration and all started with this idea of protection».

But the interesting part of their work, beyond the mere wearability of the garments, also lies in how they apply innovation not so much to the final product but to the production itself. In the past, this innovation was done by 3D printing shoes and boots, to avoid industrial waste, while now the new problem that Juul is thinking about is AI. For the previous collection, the designer had experimented with AI but now he is convinced that its true utility lies behind the scenes: «AI is an amazing tool but within the fashion industry, it still needs some time before it's fully usable for certain functions. I would like to see how it develops and if there is a way to integrate AI into some of our processes to make them smarter, faster, and more efficient. The production process, for example, or even perhaps more technical aspects. How do you optimize production? How do you optimize pattern-making? How to improve the transparency of the production process? There are many opportunities».

At this point, a spontaneous question arises about the creative process: do they start with a technical innovation that is translated into a collection or do they look for an innovation that fits with the collection? Basically, both things. «I think if we were just doing it one way, it would be too limiting and you would never explore different paths», says Juul. «Sometimes the process can be an exploration in fabric and others it can be something that we explore for multiple seasons». The process, as Juul calls it, is actually something very open: «It’s not about seeing problems but different opportunities that the world is standing in front of and then trying to see how we can integrate that into fashion context. I think right now there's a huge boom and advancement in wearable technology. You see like the Apple Vision Pro becoming like a thing that people would want to try and integrate into their everyday life. How do we see it in a fashion context?» The idea of bringing the innovation present in the world back to fashion, translating it without unnecessary or gratuitous stretches, is also reflected in the broader ideas that Juul has about his own field of work – an area in which, undoubtedly, he loves to pontificate and promise as if the fate of the universe were truly at stake. «I don't think that the fashion industry is here to solve the world's issues», says the designer. «It would be naive to think so. But I think we have an important role in telling the stories and communicating the stories that are happening around the world in an interesting way, in an exciting way and in an intelligent way as well. And not by just dressing up for each other, but maybe telling more important stories about connectivity or the appreciation for good quality – fashion has to tell about all of this. I don't know if that's very cool to say», he concludes bursting into laughter.

Vision, recognition, and originality, in short, seem to be there – it's inevitable to ask Juul if he would be interested in becoming the creative director of a historic brand. «Do you have a connection or an offer?», he quickly jokes. But then he gets serious: «I obviously want to continue on my own path as well and I want to be able to have the freedom to create without having too many people dictate what I need to do. But with that said, if there's an opportunity to do what I love to do, which is create and innovate within another fashion house, or someone who maybe has more financial opportunities than we might have, that could be an exciting way of continuing my story as well. So I don't want to say “never”, but it's not something for which I’d sacrifice everything else – I don’t know if that makes sense». It does, a lot: at this point in fashion, credibility is the first and only selling point that a brand or a designer can possess – selling out means wasting it. But nowadays is there a real difference between mainstream and niche when it comes to fashion? «I don't think it's one or the other, you know? We are in an interesting state of the world where more and more things are mixing. It's more normal that you can appreciate something very traditional or very commercial, but also have a niche passion. I don't think there's a definitive path anymore where you have very, very defined audiences and groups», explains Juul, recounting how many young customers, not yet fully immersed in the luxury brand panorama, show up in the store without preconceptions and without really perceiving this huge difference between what marketers define as the "positioning" of different brands. «Within the industry, people know who is bigger than whom, but I think since now people compare through social media and websites, it's hard to make comparisons or to see which is the more established or bigger brand out of all of them», Juul concludes. «And I think it's obviously important that the big fashion houses also realize that this is happening and, and that people are mixing as much as possible and that we're transcending boundaries that were set before. And that goes for everything in fashion. The stereotypical way of looking at fashion is out».

CREDITS:
Photographer: Fabio Caldera

Interview: Lorenzo Salamone