We walked by
Libertine designer
Johnson Hartig’s L.A. home three times before we even noticed it. You see, the bungalow was encased in sky-high hedges and floral vines and surrounded by wildflower bushes (and the butterflies they attracted!) to conceal Hartig’s “little magical piece of property in the middle of hectic Los Angeles.” And by walking inside, it was very clear this was Hartig’s world.
Acid-trip colors soaked every single room—one step in, and you’re staring at an oversized leopard-print sofa, stacks of rainbow-colored books teetering in the corners and base of seemingly every piece of furniture, his collection of antique ceramic Staffordshire dogs and sailboat dioramas, and the original
Damien Hirsts (yes, multiple!) hanging on the wall. It’s almost like Hartig gave the Libertine treatment to every surface of his home—and it was wild! Maybe the wildest we’ve ever seen.
As for Hartig himself, well, he’s just like his 15-year-old brand: fun, unexpected, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. Between pulling out pieces from his wardrobe for us to hang—he mostly wears his own designs, which are a glittering mishmash of embroidery and appliqués, and the occasional CHANEL—and Boomeranging a particularly fringy shirt by the pool, he told us hilarious stories of taking a bath in Karl Lagerfeld’s tub (he left with a Kaiser Karl robe as a memento) and why having a day in San Francisco (Nov 13th) coined as Johnson Hartig Day may be one of his newest career highlights.
Read on and click through below to see why Libertine has found fans in Anna Wintour, Cher, and P. Diddy (to name a few), why Hartig has mixed feelings about other brands taking inspiration from him, and how Stephen Hawking is his dream Libertine man.