LIBERTINE, the cult luxury fashion house from Los Angeles, has brought their characteristic verve and vision to the Hamptons with a custom-curated Summer Pop-Up at Sage & Madison in Sag Harbor Village.
More than anything, I appreciate how Hamptons-focused and intentionally local approach LIBERTINE brought to this Sag Harbor Pop-Up. Even their bags are hand silk-screened, paying homage to Sag Harbor. That attention to detail and appreciation for context make this summer pop-up stand out for all the right reasons, like LIBERTINE. The amount of custom designs just for this Sag Harbor Pop-Up is staggering, but the number is quickly diminishing as these threads are in high demand.
First impression: Impressed.
Everything inside the space is curated and composed to encapsulate LIBERTINE’s unique expression of luxury fashion in the Hamptons. It’s a breath of fresh air from a sea of “earth tones” and “neutral,” yet also draws inspiration from the Hamptons aesthetic for a custom collection for the Sag Harbor Pop-Up.
The clothes are more installation than inventory; that is, they are artfully designed, masterfully crafted, and visually arresting.
Beautiful and eloquent, the Libertine Team is extremely informed, and their energy was as electric as the pieces in their collection. Their encyclopedic knowledge, limitless pride in the collection, and visionary Johnson Hartig are refreshingly sincere. It is a joy to hear an expert share their passion.
If you or anyone you know are interested in fashion or design, at any level, the LIBERTINE pop-up will be a field trip filled with piqued curiosities and inspiration answered If you’re lucky, a hand-beaded, one-of-a-kind bucket hat (but, maybe not that one because I’m going back to get it).
For a sample of the style and substance behind the LIBERTINE brand, you 100% should pick up a copy of their book “LIBERTINE: The Creative Beauty, Humor, and Inspiration Behind the Cult Label.”
A VISIONARY EXPERIENCE
“We couldn’t get setup fast enough,” a team member tells me about their initial launch this week. Their success was so instant that they sold out of many of their items. When you’re talking about high fashion garments that can command hundreds of hours of labor to create – it’s not like they can just order more.
“We’re thrilled to be part of the Sag Harbor community this Summer, and can’t wait to introduce LIBERTINE to the Hamptons. Our studio in LA is appointment only, so this is a really unique, bespoke glimpse into our world,” says Lindsey Foreman, who speaks with the eloquence and excitement of a Gallerist.
The visionary heart and brain of LIBERTINE is its founder, Johnson Hartig, a real Renaissance man and artist in every sense of the word and in every sense of the body. From him flows a limitless torrent of creativity, playfully off-the-cuff and timeless in appeal.
Asking where the artist “finds” inspiration can be an uninspired question; instead, how do they channel that inspiration? At LIBERTINE, the HOW is Herculean in scope and unmistakably meticulous. Everything is hand-designed, beyond bespoke.
LIBERTINE started as a one-of-a-kind vintage luxury brand, arguably the initial innovator in that now crowded space. Hartig’s move away from the limits of one-of-a-kind vintage garments evolved into a full luxury fashion house with runway collections and ready-to-wear lines. The vintage legacy is still alive in their French Military Jackets, which they create each season (including an exclusive design for the Sag Harbor Pop-Up).
“We always say you have to know all the rules in order to break them, and Johnson is an expert at that,” Lindsey notes eloquently.
GO BOLDLY
At the core of the collection is the confidence to go boldly. At times, that requires restraint, at others, unfiltered. To be surrounded by so much art, each piece is a tireless and kinetic expression and the collection as a whole, composing a fractal-like interplay where the art and artist are woven into each stitch.
Almost always playful and never stuffy, LIBERTINE’s collection remains decidedly seasonless, highlighted by the classic silhouettes of the female form. Eclectic but never directionless; LIBERTINE is not self-serious. To me I can think of more than a few Hamptons wardrobes that could use a breath of fresh air.
Does your kid only wear hoodies? Do you only wear hoodies? Well, level it up a little bit with a hand-embroidered butterfly hoodie (I’m not going to keep mentioning this, but they are literally handmade at every level).
CAUGHT MY ATTENTION
LIBERTINE is eye-catching, an ever-evocative exploration of function and form, texture, and imagery. Their screen-printed designs are in every kind of medium: denim, silk, cotton, and beyond.
To name a few: The ‘Bloomsbury Collage’ line is always on trend, as is the ‘Lover’s Eye’, now being reissued due to demand. The ‘Button Town’ pieces are so much fun. Inviting your own accessorizing and touch the ‘Black Diamond Pins’ that inspire you to include your own jewelry on the jacket – (how many hundreds of hours went into this??) Of course, I was drawn to the fun names for the clothing lines; the ‘10 S N E 1’ was a highlight). ‘Mother’s Little Helper,’ if you get the joke, you should get the jacket.
It’s not all artistic flair. Their Solid Silk line of 4-ply super-saturated silk is the perfect base for their more accented items, and also sells out quickly. They are a fantastic addition to a Hamptons wardrobe without stepping too far out of your comfort zone. Similarly, the hand-sewn slacks and chinos are a fan favorite and perfect for the Hamptons with custom-printed seasonal screen prints and embroidery.
Not to bury the lead or anything, but LIBERTINE are animal lovers, so you know they’ll be right at home in the Hamptons.
SAGE & MADISON: A SAG HARBOR JEWEL-BOX
Sage & Madison is unimaginably charming, the essential Sag Harbor aesthetic. The venue is exactly what makes summertime in the Village so special, and I’m grateful to the owner for making it available to invite brands like LIBERTINE into the Hamptons. The manicured grounds and gardens invite a stroll but beware – you will likely be magnetically drawn to their impeccably curated selection of designer decor.
