Libertine SS26: A Love Revolution in Elizabeth Street Garden
On Wednesday, September 10th at 5 PM, Libertine staged one of New York Fashion Week’s most poetic moments in the lush setting of Elizabeth Street Garden. With an audience that included Martha Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, Thom Browne, Theodora Richards, and Christina Hendricks, designer Johnson Hartig unveiled the Spring/Summer 2026 collection: a manifesto on the radical necessity of beauty.
A Call to Beauty
Hartig framed the collection around John Keats’ immortal words — “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” In an era defined by division and unrest, he argued that beauty is not frivolous but vital, a unifying force and an act of resistance. “Creating beauty is a quiet protest,” Hartig declared through his designs, offering fashion as a reminder of what is good, true, and worth preserving.
Surrealism and Nature in Dialogue
The collection drew inspiration from the poetic surrealism of René Magritte, most strikingly in the dreamy Magritte Cloud print that drifted across key looks with buoyant optimism. Equally present was a reverence for nature, expressed through a delicate hollyhock print inspired by botanical drawings of the 15th and 16th centuries. The towering flower, symbolizing admiration and aspiration, became a motif for beauty that feels elusive yet endlessly inspiring.
Gardening — one of Hartig’s personal passions — wove through the narrative as both metaphor and design language. Like a garden, the collection emphasized patience, care, and the nurturing of beauty against all odds.
Essential Pieces with Emotional Weight
Hand-printed linens and effortless separates underscored Hartig’s belief in practicality imbued with grace. The silhouettes carried strength in their softness, inviting the wearer to embrace living beautifully in everyday life.
The collection also nodded to history, specifically the elegance of 19th-century North African Zouave soldiers. Their ornate uniforms served as reminders that even in times of struggle, style can offer moments of splendor.
A House Driven by Art
Libertine’s SS26 collection reaffirmed the brand’s position as an art-driven house, where clothes become vessels of truth and carriers of beauty. “Fashion is not frivolous — it is foundational,” Hartig’s show seemed to say. In this moment, to create beauty is not only relevant but revolutionary.
Show Credits
Creative direction came from Johnson Hartig, with styling by B. Akerlund and casting by Dante + Onell. Matthew Curtis for Uberliss led hair, while Dina Hisham handled makeup, and nails were designed by Pattie Yankee and her PYP team. Footwear was provided by Helena Mar in collaboration with APICCAPS, while Eyesight Group managed show production. Visual documentation came courtesy of Dan Lecca on runway photography, Sonny Vandevelde on house photography, and Paolo Pucci for videography. Public relations were overseen by Purple PR.
A Revolutionary Return
At Elizabeth Street Garden, Libertine didn’t just show clothes — it staged a reminder that beauty, in its many forms, remains our most vital inheritance. SS26 is a love revolution, a return to humanity, and a testament to the belief that in fashion, beauty is not an indulgence but a necessity.
Runway Image: Dan Lecca