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Betony Vernon | |
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| Born | August 15, 1968 Tazewell, Virginia |
| Education | Virginia Commonwealth University, Domus Academy |
| Occupation | Designer |
| Known for | Design and sexual anthropology |
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| Spouse | Barnaba Fornasetti (married 2004–2014) |
Betony Vernon (born August 15, 1968) is an American jewelry designer based in Paris. [1] She produces luxurious erotic jewelry. [2]
Born in Tazewell, Virginia, Vernon is the third of four daughters. Her mother Ann Dearsley Vernon, was a British civil rights activist and art historian, and her father was an American pilot and inventor. [3]
In 1990 she graduated cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Art History and a double minor in Religious Studies and Goldsmithing. [1]
After graduation, Vernon moved to Florence, Italy, to direct the metal-smithing program at Fuji Studio Art Workshop. [4]
In 1992, Vernon developed her first erotic jewelry collection, naming it Sado-Chic. [5]
After 5 years in Florence, she moved to Milan. [3] Here she earned a master's degree in Industrial Design from Domus Academy. [6] At the same time she founded her first design studio “Atelier B.V.” in Milan and she created one-of-a-kind objects for Luisa Via Roma. [7]
In 1995 and 1998 she designed table objects for Florentine silversmith Pampaloni. During that time, she was also appointed as Design Director for the Italian interior design house Fornasetti. [8] [9]
Vernon has collaborated with several fashion designers, including Missoni, Alain Tondowski, Gianfranco Ferré and Jean-Paul Gaultier. [10] [11] In 2006, she designed a neckpiece for Swarovski’s Runway Rocks project that was later used by Lady Gaga for her Paparazzi video. [12]
In 2006, Vernon worked with Los Angeles-based photographer Jeff Burton in the museum house of Carlo Mollino in Turin, Italy. [13]
Vernon made “L’Envol” in 2008, a short video for SHOWstudio and her first collaboration with Nick Knight. [14] Betony wrote, hosted, and co-produced “The Boudoir” for MTV Italy. The episodes aired on Love Line, a show dedicated to sexual education. [15]
In November 2012, Vernon designed the Origin Chair, a functional sculpture carved in statuary marble from Monte Altissimo, Italy. It was unveiled in December 2012 at the Triennale Museum of Design and has since traveled to MUDAC - Museum of Design and Contemporary Art, Lausanne. [16] [17] In November 2015, the work was exhibited in Vernon's carte blanche for the Gewerbemuseum, Winterthur. [18] [19]
In 2017, Vernon unveils her Boudoir Box (1999-2000, leather case and sterling silver objects) for the first time to the general public as part of the Medusa exhibition at the City of Paris Museum of Modern Art. [20]
In her Paris atelier she receives clients for bespoke fittings. [21]
From 2004 to 2014, Vernon was married to Barnaba Fornasetti, son of Piero Fornasetti. She lives in Paris, France. [22]
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