Take A Walk On The Wild Side With Libertine x Schumacher’s Vibrant Collab

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johnson hartig libertine schumacher collaboration

Johnson Hartig, founder of the fashion label Libertine, believes clothing should showcase one’s personality and that the same goes for interior design. “The psychology of interiors fascinates me,” he observes. Hartig brings that passion to his new line with Schumacher—a 40-piece collection of wallpaper, fabric and trim showcasing a mix of bold colors and patterns, but with classical influences. “The collection encapsulates him perfectly,” remarks Dara Caponigro, Schumacher’s creative director. “If you were to use it all together, it makes quite the statement. But if you were to pick out separate pieces, they still translate individually.”

Caponigro is a longtime fan of Hartig and she saw him as the perfect collaborator with Schumacher. The brand has a history of working with fashion designers, beginning with Paul Poiret in 1930 and later Elsa Schiaparelli and Karl Lagerfeld under the Waverly brand. The Libertine collection is an example of what Caponigro calls the “yin and yang” of the company. “We have beautiful classics,” she says. “But we’re always pushing forward in terms of fashion and fun.”

Bringing his own personality to every detail, many of the pieces, like the Punk Rock Mix Tape trim, were inspired by Hartig’s childhood or his everyday life. “Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, I’ve always been inspired by punk culture,” he says. And the hand-drawn artwork of the Magical Ming Dragon fabric and wallcovering was influenced by Hartig’s own prized Tibetan rug. While his newest designs embody a sharp boldness, they maintain an underlying classic style. For example, the Modern Toile fabric and wallcovering features a contemporary twist on the traditional design using large-scale patterns, and the Java Seas fabric finds its inspiration in Indian batiks from the 16th and 17th centuries. “I can’t wait to see how people use them—even if they use a couple pillows or pieces throughout a room,” Hartig says. “It will be reflective of their personalities, as they are of mine.”

PHOTO: PAUL COSTELLO