Betony Vernon (born August 15, 1968) is an American jewelry designer based in Paris.[1] She produces luxurious erotic jewelry.[2]

Betony Vernon
Born (1968-08-15) August 15, 1968 (age 56)
Tazewell, Virginia
NationalityAmerican, Italian
EducationVirginia Commonwealth University, Domus Academy
OccupationDesigner
Known forDesign and sexual anthropology
Labels
  • B.V. Betony Vernon,
  • Paradise Found Fine Erotic Jewelry
SpouseBarnaba Fornasetti (married 2004–2014)

Early life and education

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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]

Career

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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]

Personal life

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From 2004 to 2014, Vernon was married to Barnaba Fornasetti, son of Piero Fornasetti. She lives in Paris, France.[22]

Exhibitions

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Bibliography

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  • Vernon, Betony (2013). The Boudoir Bible: The Uninhibited Sex Guide for Today. Rizzoli. ISBN 978-0847840168.

References

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  1. ^ a b Colman, David (August 23, 2013). "Betony Vernon's Guardian Angel". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Betony Vernon: Jewel Tools". Rude Magazine. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  3. ^ a b Zahm, Olivier (2007). "Betony Vernon". purple Magazine. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Ana Belle - I studied jewelry techniques here with Betony... | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  5. ^ "Sado Chic Set". Arcane Gallery. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  6. ^ "Betony Vernon". Show Studio. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  7. ^ Luisaviaroma. "Betony Vernon - Luisaviaroma.com". Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  8. ^ "Q&A with Designer, Author and Sex Educator Betony Vernon". Time. February 13, 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Hey Fornasetti Fanatics! More Fun Collaborations & Custom Designs". ifitshipitshere.blogspot.fr. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  10. ^ "Jean Paul Gaultier @ Paris Womenswear A/W 09". showstudio.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  11. ^ Hanania, Estelle (November 23, 2012). "Betony Vernon: Sex & Design". Nowness. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  12. ^ Phoenix, Helia (April 8, 2010). Lady Gaga: Just Dance: The Biography. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1409115700.
  13. ^ "Casa Museo Carlo Mollino". Purple Magazine. 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  14. ^ "L'Envol (Take Flight)' by Betony Vernon". Show Studio. 16 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Le Boudoir di Betony Vernon - MTV Loveline". Giovanni Consonni. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Betony's Boudoir". V Magazine. January 23, 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Nirvana - Strange Forms of Pleasure". Mudac. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Nirvana - Strange forms of pleasure". Gewerbemuseum. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  19. ^ Festival, Edinburgh International Fashion. "Betony Vernon". Edinburgh International Fashion Festival 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  20. ^ Vernon, Betony. "The Boudoir Box". Flaunt Magazine.
  21. ^ Fortini, Amanda. "A Paris Boudoir Where Everything’s Meant to Be Touched." The New York Times, October 12, 2017.
  22. ^ "Betony Vernon (@BetonyVernon) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  23. ^ "MEDUSA - Jewellery and Taboos". www.mam.paris.fr. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-04.
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