LIBERTINE
SPRING/SUMMER 2021
Libertine Turns 20!!!
20 Years! If I’ve learned anything at all over the last 20 years since I founded Libertine, it would be: the power of manifesting your dreams and to be careful what you wish for. Through having a great idea, drive, a non-stop creative mind, lots of work, and some very committed people beside me, we have created something very powerful. Libertine remains small for a fashion line, but HUGE in its impact, and the energy it provides. People swear by the energy they feel when wearing their Libertine. They tell me that it attracts people to them, and they never receive more compliments than when they wear it. If that isn’t enough, what is? – All of the beautiful friends we’ve met through Libertine over the last 20 years? The good we’ve done for the planet by recycling cast aside clothing? The rescue dogs we’ve helped find homes? The underserved kids that leave wide eyed with excitement with creative energy flowing after
20 Years! If you had asked me 20 years ago if I thought I would still be doing Libertine 20 years from now I would have thought I’d sooner fly to the moon. But that’s the thing about Libertine, it has a life of its own. It has twisted and turned and re-created itself along the way, keeping it fresh and invigorating. Always ahead of the times, always provoking, and always an inspira- tion to those within the fashion industry and beyond. I’m so proud that we created something that hadn’t been done before, we forged our own path, never following the rules. We learned as we went and made a few mistakes, but for the most part have come out unscathed. Turns out authenticity cannot be duplicated and has true staying power.
Now we come to our 20th year anniversary during the worst pandemic in a hundred years. We’re living through history now, and this time will be talked about for eternity. Hundreds of thousands of lives lost. Millions sick…millions of small businesses like Libertine closed per- manently. The feeling of uncertainty can be overwhelming some days…but we will press on, and the gods willing, we will come out stronger. Thank you for being here now. Thank you for being a part of Libertine’s genesis and thank you for supporting our labor of love.
About the new collection! I’m particularly excited about this one. We took things back to our roots using some of our original silk-screen images, frayed seams and vintage French red, white and blue ribbon from Libertine’s first season. I pulled out the 1950’s Singer sewing machine that belonged to my mom that all early Libertine was sewn on. Sewing bits and pieces of fabric together, I created the patches and award ribbons that you’ll see throughout the collection. The focal point of the collection is our Libertine Toiles de Nantes print that was collaged together from scraps of 18th century toile that I bought at the Paris flea market almost 20 years ago. To make it distinctively Libertine, we hid tiny haunting skeletons through- out the print that are so subtle you would miss them if you weren’t really looking. Another favorite is our homage to our Target collaboration where we reinterpreted our whales and skull and crossbones in crystal on pants, jackets, and sweaters. I really love the home spun DIY feeling that the fabric patches, silk-screening, and frayed edges create. You’ll be reminded of early days of Libertine for certain…and don’t get me started on the crystal Wisteria motif- it’s absolutely ravishing. You’ll notice as well that we concentrated more heavily on casual sepa- rates in this collection with our current reality in mind.
As Libertine enters its 20th anniversary we embark on a year long celebration. Our goal was to have a celebratory show and party to commemorate our 20th year and fingers crossed by the end of 2021 we can.
Xx Johnson
