Juliet Johnstone graduated with a fine art degree in 2017 and only started painting on clothes when she ran out of canvas. Her bold design and original style gained her an early celebrity following.
That shortage of art materials was a stroke of luck. She used her work trousers to paint on and when she wore them, people asked where they could get a pair. As her Instagram fame spread, she began to create a stir.
Her hand-painted clothes and accessories are certainly eye catching with bright colours, patterns and bold letters – they bagged the attention of supermodel Bella Hadid and singer Dua Lipa, both of whom have been spotted in her trousers. She sources old Dickies and Carhartt trousers from vintage shops and upcycles.
Just three years after graduating, Juliet is well on the way to becoming one of the hottest designers around. She likes to experiment with different pigments and finds inspirations everywhere, from 1950’s gardening books and botanical drawings to 1960’s concert posters, splattered with a dash of the 70’s flower power and bohemian psychedelia.
Her latest piece is a handmade lambskin handbag featuring the word ‘Love’, a lily and a butterfly. The orange leather comes from deadstock from the Giannetti factory in Italy and it comes with a shoulder strap and a cross body strap.
Orange Leather Lambskin Purse made with dead stock leather leftover from Giannetti Factory
Leather fits well with Juliet’s fashion philosophy. She thinks people should think long-term about what they buy and she is passionate about responsible sourcing. She says: “Everything that I make is anti-fast fashion. I started this journey with no intention of pushing products into the world.” She also adds that she often sells one style of clothes at a time to avoid accumulating stock and creating waste.
Sherpa Fleece #01
Everything has happened so fast for Juliet that sometimes she is surprised at what her art has become. She concludes saying: “I don’t plan on stopping any time soon, so I guess I better get used to calling it a brand”.
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