When it comes to Renaissance men few can compete with Johnson Hartig the driving force behind the kaleidoscopic cult American label Libertine. His inspirations are manifold and his creative genius has powered his Los Angeles based brand, through two decades since its launch in 2021. I caught up with Johnson to talk about his passion for portraits, eclectic interiors and life beyond fashion.
Where is home and what does home mean to you? Home is in an area of Los Angeles called Windsor Square. I choose this area because of its preservation, and its lush verdant canopy of old growth trees.
How would you describe your interior style ? I’d describe my interior style as a great mish mash of things I like. It’s constantly evolving as new things come in, and far less occasionally things go out. I find it extremely comfortable, and visually stimulating which is something I’ve come to understand I require.
Libertine Fall 2022 RTW. Image Liberine.
When, where, and how did your passion for art begin, and how might this have informed your work? My earliest memories are of drawing and painting and went on to study painting and drawing in school. Art and design through the ages is what keeps me interested in traveling the world and when I’m home I spend hours on my large iPad studying and collecting images .
It’s clear that you find inspiration everywhere, but which people and what places have sparked your creativity recently? The more exotic and off the beaten track the better. people and places.
Le Grand Tour Stripe Wall Covering. LIbertine for Schumacher.
I would love to see you do a home collection, might this happen? Nick… it is happening! My second collection of home fabrics and wallpapers for Schumacher is launching next month, and we’re working on more licensing deals. I want to do everything home, and eventually go from fashion into home as it’s a far less grueling schedule!
How important is your garden as a source of inspiration? Gardens are a great and vast inspiration for me. Nature is the ultimate- it has everything- Color, texture, rhythm, layers, sound, magic and mystery. To watch a tree that I’ve planted in my yard go from a sapling to producing vast amounts of fruit in a matter of years is enormously gratifying. I love growing everything from flowers I decorate with to vegetables I eat.
What are the greatest challenges that you face professionally? Not feeling my own power enough. I’m my own worst critic and often get in my own way emotionally. Anyway it’s a process, just like the rest of life, isn’t it?
Your home (basket case) is heavily populated with painted portraits, why do they appeal to you? I suppose everything I collect holds a certain amount of mystery, beauty, history and romance for me. I love to look at the pictures, imagine the person sitting for it. Who they were, what they were like, and then the fact that they’ve been gone for 300 or so years and that I may have one of the only remembrances of them. I am their temporary steward, and I take that responsibility very seriously.
Do you think that there has been a resurgence of interest in this art form? I don’t see it happening amongst my peers, but I think they all think that 18th century portraits are much more expensive than they really are. I like that they're more rarified. Anybody with enough money can have a Stanley Whitney, but there is only one portrait of the Irish Dignitary from the 18th century that hangs in my living room!
At home with Hartig! The sofa and slipper chair are in Jokhang Tiger Velvet by Johnson Hartig/Libertine for Schumacher. Image Paul Costello.
You are a keen collector.. from staffordshire dogs to ship dioramas, which contemporary artists have made it into the mix? For many years we traded art for clothing with Damien Hirst . That’s what started my collection. From there I began collecting other artists, but I am much more into collecting period art now than contemporary art. Theres something about the contemporary art market now that repels me. Its become more a matter of whom has the most money wins and less any chance of luck or discovery. There are no undiscovered anymore, everybody knows everything. Less people are interested in owning a 18th century masterpiece than in a contemporary artist that has good resale value, that always kills me.
Interior of La Villa Tatouee - Jean Cocteau
You are known for your creative partnerships, often with artists, who would be your dream collaborator ? Fantasy talk - Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Christian Lacroix , and myself - a dream.
What does luxury mean to you today? Being small, unique, and incredibly special.
Is it possible to describe the world of Libertine in five words or less? Small, unique, and incredibly special.
Libertine Fall 2022 RTW. Image Liberine.
View the Libertine Collection here.
Shop the Johnson Hartig For Libertine designer collection at Schumacher.
Nick Cox/Period Portraits October 2022