Runway Report: Libertine Spring 2018
Libertine Spring 2018 was fun, frivolous and very, very sparkly. Â Leave it to Johnson Hartig to create an all sequins tailored suit that made my jaw drop when it walked on the runway. No wonder why Karl Lagerfeld once bought an entire Libertine collection. It’s that damn good.
Naturally for spring, Hartig stuck to the psychedelic roots of his free-thinking brand. “Our philosophy doesn’t change much from season to season,†he said backstage. And why should it? That philosophy has turned Libertine into a cult brand with its pop-art influences and embellishments that only bring a smile onto one’s face. Plus, strutting on Madonna’s music is always, always a winner.
Hartig joyfully described his spring offerings as “all over the place.” Indeed, they were but it worked. We saw banana covered suits — particularly the Warhol Velvet Underground banana — plus,  the aforementioned sequins suit, French revolution hats, and of course the  signature silk-screened skulls  that the brand has been doing for 16 years now. Did I mention there were painted pugs and the all-seeing evil eye onto sweatshirts? And to top it all of, Libertine offered a series of tiered, ruffled slips with Pop Art roses which were pure perfection.
“This is a really joyful collection in a challenging time,†he said. Indeed.
