Julian's, founded in 1942 by Alexander Julian's father, Maurice Julian, is an intriguing mix of past and present. Here you can experience the classic personal service and custom tailoring that has made loyalists of thousands of University of North Carolina alumni, while discovering the very latest in men's fashion from Alexander Julian and other innovative designers. There is a certain style that is Chapel Hill, a self expression, a confidence that comes from a relaxed tradition that looks as good on Madison Avenue as it does on Franklin Street. Julian's offers an outstanding mix of American and European clothes from a pair of khakis to a designer suit, in a range of prices and styles.

Julian's is a legend not only in Chapel Hill but throughout the Southeast and beyond. Since 1942, wherever Carolina alumni have settled, word has spread of this outstanding men's clothing store and its founder, Maurice Julian.

Still a family business, the shop has been owned and operated by the children, Alex and Missy, since Maurice's death in 1993. Says Missy, "We are successful only as we maintain the level of quality, fashion, attention to detail and service to our customers that our parents built this store upon. We are committed to carrying on the family tradition! Please join us!"

By birth a New Englander, Maurice Julian was the first to bring the best of Ivy League to the Southeast. A master in style and innovation, his groundbreaking designs helped to create "preppy." Julian distinguished his shop by his peerless taste and unending quest for only the finest, using the highest quality fabrics and custom tailoring. Maurice and his wife Mary sustained a rare, unique, genuine specialty store. Although the business was created to fulfill the needs of the Officer Training School (which came to UNC in 1942) Maurice quickly expanded his clientele to include the whole University community.

In 1990 GQ magazine described the gem of a store this way:  "Julian's is a place where you can spend an afternoon looking at fabrics and buttons—some stock, some one of a kind—ordering a suit you won't see on every other guy on the street and talking about tweed and twill and Scottish mills and what all the rain lately will do for the magnolias."

Maurice and Mary Julian’s children, Alexander and Missy, grew up in the store, learning the business working alongside their parents throughout their childhood. Today, Missy Julian is there in her father’s place running the Chapel Hill store along with her husband Michael, and her famous partner and brother, Alex. From his headquarters in Connecticut (affectionately known as Chapel Hill North), Alex designs exclusive collections for Julians, and buys for the store on his travels throughout the world.

Alex says:  "When I was 12, I tore the collar of one of my 200 blue oxford, button-down shirts while playing football. I went down to the store to have the collar fixed, but decided instead to switch collars with one of my yellow oxford button-down shirts. They say necessity is the mother of invention, but whoever would have suspected that sandlot football would launch a fashion career?"