“I don’t see myself as just a designer. I want to be a couturier.”
At only 23, Julius Wiemann Raffeiner is already shaping a distinct voice in contemporary fashion. Italian by birth, bilingual by upbringing, and trained in Germany, Julius works between craftsmanship and emotion, structure and intuition. Today, he is the Head of Design at O. FILES, while also working as a freelance designer and pattern maker for several clients.
He designs womenswear and menswear, but his heart will always belong to womenswear. For him, clothing is not about trends or ego, but about the person wearing it.
“The garment is only the accessory. The person is the center. My job is to make them feel confident, beautiful, and strong.”
“The garment is only the accessory. The person is the center. My job is to make them feel confident, beautiful, and strong.”
What defines his approach is his need to control the full creative process. He doesn’t stop at sketching. He constructs, drapes, sews, fits, and reworks each piece himself.
“To me, it’s essential to execute everything from the first idea to the final garment. Only then does a design feel real.”
“To me, it’s essential to execute everything from the first idea to the final garment. Only then does a design feel real.”
Finding Fashion
Julius never wanted a job that felt like work. He wanted a passion — something he could do for twelve hours without noticing time passing. After school, he only knew that he wanted something creative, something built with his hands. Fashion was a spontaneous decision, but one that felt immediately right.
“I also thought about architecture, but it felt too distant and too serious. I wanted something where I could execute the entire idea myself and work closely with other creatives.”
His childhood played a quiet but powerful role. His mother and grandmother both had inspiring wardrobes. His mother, a jewelry designer, passed on a strong North Italian sense of style. Art, music, and design were always present.
“Sometimes when I design, I ask myself if my mother would like it.”
“Sometimes when I design, I ask myself if my mother would like it.”
At school, philosophy, physics, and politics helped him understand society and the spirit of the time — something that later became central to his design philosophy.
From Student to Head of Design
Julius began studying fashion design in Berlin in 2020, later completing his degree in Munich in 2025. After a short break experimenting with computer science, he realized fashion was the only path that truly made sense.
His first internship took him to Italy, where he learned traditional tailoring at Dimitri. His second internship, in 2023, was at O. FILES — a turning point. Shortly after, founder Oscar Jardorf offered him a design position. While still finishing university, Julius designed two collections for the brand. Today, he works as Head of Design and as a self-employed creative.
The biggest challenge? Consistency and trust in the process.
“My fear of mediocrity and my perfectionism slowed me down. Now I just give 100% and accept that most good ideas come during the process, not before.”
“My fear of mediocrity and my perfectionism slowed me down. Now I just give 100% and accept that most good ideas come during the process, not before.”
One comment changed everything: a professor once told him his designs felt old-fashioned.
“It forced me to rethink everything. Since then, my work is always connected to the present — or to what is coming next.”
“It forced me to rethink everything. Since then, my work is always connected to the present — or to what is coming next.”
Credits: Alba Rosalie, Lina Maria Baatz, Naomi de Oliveira, Andera Hinterberger, Shana Walczuch, @bennygriese
Credits: @pawlysemose
The First Personal Collection
In 2025, Julius presented his first personal collection — a raw and honest expression of his identity as a designer. For the first time, he worked with leather, fringe, and more experimental techniques. The collection was also more commercial and wearable than his earlier work.
The emotional core of the collection was inspired by existentialism — the idea that life has no predetermined meaning, and that each person must create their own.
“It’s about pain, struggle, freedom, and the relief of choosing your own path.”
“It’s about pain, struggle, freedom, and the relief of choosing your own path.”
The most personal piece was the closing look: a black leather fringed dress, created just four days before the deadline.
“It was the most challenging and most magical piece on the runway.”
“It was the most challenging and most magical piece on the runway.”
Unlike O. FILES, his own collection had no limits — and that freedom created pressure.
“Endless possibilities can be overwhelming. Limitations can actually enrich creativity.”
“Endless possibilities can be overwhelming. Limitations can actually enrich creativity.”
Designing for O. FILES
O. FILES blends Italian tailoring, Japanese playfulness, and Danish minimalism. Everything is built around tailoring, but enhanced through three-dimensional pattern making that creates the illusion of layering. The pieces are timeless, yet vibrant and modern.
His process is fluid. It begins with an idea, a feeling, or a suggestion from Oscar. Then come sketches, research, prototypes, fittings, and constant refinement.
“My taste always flows into the brand. That’s why I’m here. Designing something that doesn’t reflect me would feel like a betrayal of my own judgment.”
Inspiration & Emotion
Music is his main source of inspiration, especially Sergei Rachmaninoff. He plays the piano, walks, watches films, and absorbs emotion wherever he can find it.
“A collection is like a child. It grows. It changes. You can’t define everything at the beginning.”
His balance between wearability and concept is simple:
“Reduce as much as possible. Keep as much as needed.”
“Reduce as much as possible. Keep as much as needed.”
Fashion, Culture & Responsibility
Julius sees fashion as emotional, political, and aesthetic all at once. Designers shape culture, but they must remain humble.
“We are designers, not philosophers. At the end of the day, we make people happy with beautiful products.”
“We are designers, not philosophers. At the end of the day, we make people happy with beautiful products.”
On sustainability, he is honest: awareness is growing, but so is consumption. His vision is fewer, better products — and a future based on true circular systems.
Looking Ahead
His goal is to grow O. FILES beyond its current bubble and one day present a runway show. Personally, he dreams of exploring technical fabrics and corsetry.
Success, for him, is simple:
“Seeing people on the street who truly love wearing what I created for them.”
“Seeing people on the street who truly love wearing what I created for them.”
Credits: @the.laura.elizabeth
Final Words
To young designers:
“Learn the craft. Every part of it. Don’t rely on schools. Give 100%.”
“Learn the craft. Every part of it. Don’t rely on schools. Give 100%.”
To his younger self:
“Start social media immediately.”
“Start social media immediately.”
And to everyone who wears his work:
“My clothes should feel like beautiful makeup or a great haircut. They should make you feel good, underline your beauty, and express your mind.”
“My clothes should feel like beautiful makeup or a great haircut. They should make you feel good, underline your beauty, and express your mind.”