Days after showing his spring/summer ’24 collection in Paris, Julien Dossena is in a simple black T-shirt, brown hair lightly mussed up, on duty. Rabanne’s creative director is not soaking up the European sun in a secluded enclave after fashion week, like many of his colleagues, but still in Paris on call. Unfortunately, he is a little under the weather. Wrapping a mammoth year that included a couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier, chosen to be guest designer for the house’s ongoing roster of collaborations, it is understandable. Dossena is currently finalising preparations for Rabanne’s blockbuster pair-up with H&M, which, after we speak, sells out within days and is feted by the likes of Robyn and Cher who perform at a Paris party. He is allowing himself some rare down time. “I’m taking the weekend off,” he says with a grin.
It is refreshing, in a world of seemingly superhuman designer superstars, to see he, too, suffers from fashion flu. “It’s like school; you are sick with the other kids during fashion week.” Effusive in his reassurances that a good night’s sleep means he feels
