Benvenuto from Benjamin Johnston
After years of travel restrictions and delayed get-aways, celebrated Houston designer Benjamin Johnston couldn’t stop daydreaming about Italy. His tours of the countryside, the coastline, and the cities bubbled up from his memories, and he began to see the rich colors and decadent textures of the art, architecture, and landscapes everywhere. He had to admit: The Italian art of living had taken hold of his imagination.
“Exploring the Italian coastline, countryside and cityscape has always inspired a sense of awe and adventure,” Johnston said. “My goal was to capture that sensation.”
- Benjamin Johnston
This collection revels in the pageantry of Italian culture. It plays on the contrasts for which Italy is known and loved, with its ancient monuments and modern architecture set like jewels into a shared, rugged landscape.
Strong, neo-classical forms like the Greek Key and dentil molding are set against soft surfaces reminiscent of vintage denim and Chanel-inspired tweed, plus silky jacquards and sumptuous cut velvets. Some of the fabrics, like Libera (a satin jacquard emblazoned with a diagonal stripe), recall glamorous Italian fashion; others, such as the epingle cut velvet Olivetti, pay homage to the olive trees dotting the dusty countryside.
Midcentury influences wink out from both pattern and color, true to Johnston’s classic, curated, cool approach.
