Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 9:08AM By: Cynthia Anderson Libertine makes a triumphant return to Fashion Week
image: S. Whittle for Style Wylde
For designer Johnson Hartig bringing his label Libertine back to Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, after several seasons absence is a big event, and one he has worked hard to achieve. "It’s the first time I have ever shown anything alone, so I am really excited” he told Style Wylde backstage at Exit Art just before the show. "I am on my own now” he explained getting noticeably emotional. “I’ve had a lot of fear about doing this, but working through that fear to put this collection together, even if we didn’t have a show, it would still be a big personal victory.”
image: S. Whittle for Style Wylde
Personal victories aside, the Fall 2011 Libertine collection was a clear fashion victory for its designer who found inspiration in WWI British ships and created a vibrant, dazzling, texturally rich, technicolor dream show of men's and women's pieces.
image: S. Whittle for Style WyldeThe continual play on optical illusions, which were created in hand painted suits, overcoats, dresses, skirts (and pants for the boys) gave the collection an energy that seemed to vibrate off the walls of the gallery as each look made its way down the runway.
Libertine Shoes / Image: S. Whitle for Style Wylde
Not a detail was missing from the painted to match (or in some cases clash) tights and gloves to the to-die-for Libertine shoes, the collection was a rollicking, hyper-chromatic feast, and yes a smashing success.
image: S. Whittle for Style Wylde
For more information on Libertine, and Johnson Hartig visit the label's official website; and check out the Style Wylde Galleries for more images from the Fall 2011 collection.
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