THE ART OF MAKING THE

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH BRETT JOHNSON

Set to debut his namesake menswear label in the region at The Dubai Mall, Global Citizen chats with acclaimed American menswear designer, Brett Johnson, whose multi-faceted spirit is a reflection of his own pursuit in redefining the American Dream.

When did you first start designing? I first began ‘designing’ when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I would have my father take me to a cobbler in New York City, where I would take material swatches that I found in the garment district and have them applied to my all-white Nike Air Force One sneakers. For me that was my first canvas to start “painting.”

Who or what inspired you to become a designer? I certainly believe my mom was a heavy influence on me from a creative perspective. She has always been curious to learn and master new skills that, I believe, is a character trait that I picked up from her, growing up. She plays the piano and violin and during the crux of the pandemic lockdown, when most people were at the brink of losing hope, she decided to use this time to learn a new skill — the cello. I admire her drive and passion for music, art, and creativity. She also owns and manages a chain of resorts and plays a key role in the interior, design and décor of the space — I believe that her taste is truly immaculate.

Where do you find inspiration for your creations? Moments in time and travel — My preference is to combine the two. For instance, if I’m travelling with my wife to a new place and I plan a romantic dinner together, I try to capture the colours, textures, and mood to develop a collection.

Who are your favourite designers and why? Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Loro Piana (as a company). The reason for Giorgio and Ralph is they have literally created a universe around their brands, and it is not a singular component — it is a vast array of different businesses that harmoniously speak with each other. Regarding Loro Piana, I truly admire its development of materials and the fact that as a brand, it does not take shortcuts when developing a product. Men do not always pay attention to the way they dress. Could you give some advice to men on how they should dress to be stylish? Each man has his own unique style: while some may choose to be loud and flamboyant, others may prefer an understated but timeless wardrobe of investment pieces. These are of course only two extremes of the spectrum, and it could take some amount of trial and error to find one’s individual ‘balance’ that best suits their taste. There is no fool-proof guide to ‘style.’ In my opinion, ‘style’ as a concept is simply how one perceives it – my advice would be to find your styling voice and always try to represent yourself through the outfits you choose.

What do you think makes one a successful fashion designer? My idea of a successful fashion designer is a person who knows themself and has immense confidence in their abilities to create and grow as a human and designer. These characteristics will trickle down from them across their team and partners, to create a cohesive brand and work environment, with all individuals aligned to one common goal.

With the opening of your new regional flagship store at The Dubai Mall, what drew you to the UAE? I first fell in love with the UAE back in 2016, when my wife and I were headed to the Maldives but ended up staying in Dubai for three weeks. We instantly fell in love with the culture, food, substantial diversity of people and experiences — it’s unlike any other place we have ever been to in our lives, and in the best way possible way. We have contemplated calling Dubai home several times, however, with my new role as the Art Director of the NBA franchise, the Washington Wizards and Monumental Sports, I landed a home in Virginia where I’m from.

What does it mean to you to be represented in the Middle East? It’s a surreal emotion. During the 2016 trip to Dubai, I joked with my wife about imagining having a store in The Dubai Mall — She said that I would, and I just laughed because it all felt like ‘the dream.’ Now that this time has arrived, I still cannot fathom what is transpiring for the brand. I could not have asked for a better location in the world, as The Dubai Mall is now the premier global destination for shoppers; New York used to hold this position for a while, but we now see Dubai rapidly growing as the go-to for shoppers and tourists from across the world.

What can people expect from your latest collection? My Spring/Summer 2022 collection was inspired by a romantic getaway to Portofino with my wife. Visiting the Italian coastline was a transcendent experience after the complicated pandemic period and represented the feel-good catalyst for a new collection of classic elevated luxury sportswear. The garments are infused with Mediterranean colours — whites, neutrals, hues of blue, tropical green and pops of vibrant floral colours intertwined with a warmer palette of browns, honey and camel, reflecting the beauty of the natural landscape in daylight as well as sunset. Are any further expansion plans in the works? Launching a boutique in Dubai has been a long-standing goal for the brand. Now that we are here, we are extremely curious to understand the reaction to the brand and consumer behaviour of the Middle East region. The region has made its mark on the map, with all major global brands rapidly penetrating the market, and of course, it is key for Brett Johnson Collection to further penetrate new territories. I think our style of timeless and classic menswear perfectly resonates with the audience and will seamlessly integrate with the wardrobe of the contemporary gentleman.