Ulla Johnson, A Name To Know

Ella Johnson Resort 2018

While I was researching last week’s How To Look Chic in the Heat post I came across the Ulla Johnson collection. I went back over the weekend for a closer look and was thrilled to find a collection brimming with the pieces I’m constantly looking for but rarely able to find. Ulla Johnson’s highly honed aesthetic mixes a 70’s rich hippy vibe with a modern urban edge. There’s an artisanal, slow fashion look to the clothes without an overly crafty feel.

Ella Johnson Resort 2018
This and top photo from the Ulla Johnson Resort ’18 Collection

The collection was launched in 2000 with a 5000-dollar investment. Johnson did most everything herself while focusing on growing the business organically.   Her tactics paid off; today she has a loyal customer base, a solid business with Barney’s, an online presence and opened her first store this past February on Bleeker Street.

Ella Johnson dress Resort '18
Ulla Johnson dress Resort ’18

This is exactly the kind of collection I’m interested in during my Year of Living Designer Free. Though Ulla Johnson is most definitely a designer, she is independent and quite focused on producing clothes within her singular point of view. She produces much of her collection ethically and sustainably in Peru and India. Furthermore her clothes offer longevity and versatility. Her statement tops work as well with worn out jeans and Birkenstocks as they do with tailored trousers and heels.

Ulla Johnson Pre Fall '17
Pre Fall ’17 available at Ulla Johnson

Forever I’ve been looking for a long boho dress and peasant top without success. What I found was either too expensive for the faux humble garment it was imitating or too cheap, reminiscent of something from a hippy head shop circa 1978. Ulla Johnson has bridged the gap and then some with her chic silhouettes and evolved mix of muted tones. Any given piece from her collection will become an instant and long lasting favorite. My wardrobe leans towards the clean minimalist side of the spectrum but I always crave that special artisanal top with just the right amount of pattern and frill to mix it up a bit. Ella Johnson fills this niche nicely and her prices hit that sweet spot with the bulk of the collection in the three to six hundred dollar range.

Ella Johnson dress pre fall '17
The little black dress that will keep on giving
Ulla Johnson jeans Pre Fall '17
I must have these jeans
Ella Johnson dress Pre Fall '17
This is the dress I’ve been looking for
Ulla Johnson tunic Pre Fall '17
This tunic would be an instant favorite

See the entire Resort ’18 collection at vogue.com