Photo credit: Courtesy of Libertine
Inspired by his global travels, Johnson Hartig produced Libertine and stylishly defined eco-friendly fashion. We caught up with the designer to discuss inspiration, dream collaborations and his first fashion memory.
What is your best all time fashion moment?
One would be at the Rolling Stones concert at Madison Square Garden. We were invited by Mick Jagger. Both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wore Libertine on stage. It was pretty awesome!
What inspires you?
That's always the most difficult question for me because I feel like I'm always inspired a thousand times a day. This morning, I just walked my dog and saw a crow chasing a squirrel to a sycamore tree. And I thought it was the most fascinating thing I've seen all day. I keep my eyes and my ears open and I am inspired by the littlest things all the time.
What is your first fashion memory?
I remember watching my mother get dressed for a cocktail party when I was a kid. And she had this quilted, brightly patterned skirt, kind of like a granny skirt, that she wore with a black turtleneck. I thought it was so super chic back then. It must have been the early 70s.
Person you would most like to collaborate with...
Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel
If you weren't a designer, what would you do?
I'd probably own a little antique shop in the country, New Hampshire or Vermont or something, I'd imagine.
Who is your style icon?
Pat Buckley
What is the best piece of fashion advice you've ever been given?
Just pile it on and take it off.
When you aren't designing, what do you like to do?
I like to garden, I like to go to museums and galleries. I like to read. I like to cook. I like to spend time with my dog, hiking in the hills.
Name three things you can't live without.
Animals, plants and love.
Fashion should be more...
I think fashion should be more loving and forgiving.