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