Betony Vernon is an American-born designer who lives and works in Milan and Paris. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History with a minor in Metalsmithing from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s degree in Industrial Design from Domus Academy, Milan. Her work has been featured in a number of international exhibitions from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to the Triennale, Milan. She has designed for several brands, including Missoni, Gianfranco Ferré, and Fornasetti.
The turning point in Betony’s creative career came in 2002, when she launched her “Paradise Found – Fine Erotic Jewelry” collection. This line became her primary focus and the catalyst for what has become her vision and her mission: to dismantle the pleasure taboo. She holds seminars at educational institutions like The European Institute of Design and Domus Academy in Milan. She also conducts “Sexual Well-Being” and “Bettering Your Sexual Skills” salons for individuals, couples and groups.
Through the experience of private consulting and public speaking, she realized that she wanted to reach a wider audience with her message of enhancing self-esteem, health and well-being, centered especially on the issues of body acceptance and sexual pleasure. With this in mind, in 2008 she co-produced and presented “Le Boudoir”, a series of seven didactic segments for MTV Italy. Betony has recently completed her first book, “The Boudoir” due for publication in 2012.
Full version of Betony Vernon´s Bio
Selected Exhibitions/ Events
2010 - Exclusive Paradise Found Event for Chambre Boutique, KIEV
2009 - Minerva video for SHOWstudio at Sommerset House London - The Fashion Body
2009 - Red Light Design Event - Salone del Mobile – Milan
2008 - Sex in Design, Design in Sex - Museum of Sex - New York
2005 - Touch Me - Victoria & Albert Museum - Contemporary Gallery - London
2004 - Life Ball - Elton John's Aids Foundation - Vienna
2003 - Collaborated on Sir Elton John's Lifeball for HIV/AIDS research – Vienna
2003 - Body Craze Selfridges - London
2002 - Fukui Prefecture Museum of Design - Acquisition of Science of Love Ring For the Permanent Collection – Japan
1999 - Il Classico, Norma e Variazione - Abitare il Tempo – Verona
1996 - Finarte "Convivio", auction for the Italian National Association in the fight against Aids - Milan
1995 - Anni 90 Arte a Milano - Triennale – Milan
1994 - Primordi International design - Triennale - Milan
1994 - Evasioni - Pampaloni Misaglia - Milano
Selected Media Appearances
2011 - Amor e Sexo- Brazilian TV Globo
2010 - "Mutantes"- a pro-sex feminist documentary by Virginie Despentes
2010 - Karl Lagerfeld choses head ornaments from BV Archives for Pirelli Calander -2011
2010 - Focus on Betony Vernon- Vogue.it
2009 - En Attendant Minuit (Waiting for Midnight) - 909 Producions France
2008 - El Pais - Interview in documentary film series Contemporary Sex Workers
2008 - MTV Italy - Writes and conducts Le Boudoir, seven Sexual Well Being shorts
2007 - SEX TV- Canadian public broadcasting
2006 - Pink TV- Public Sex interview with Mathieu Lacerf
2005 - Paris Dernier with Frederic Taddei
2004 - SHOWstudio: The Banquet, Nick Knight
Selected Publications
2008 - Style file - The Worlds Most Elegantly Dressed by Iké Udé - Collins Design
2006 - Bordello by Vee Spears, Earbooks, Germany
2005 - Dizionario del Gioiello Italiano del XIX e XX Secolo Umberto Allemandi & Co.
2005 - David Bailey's Democracy , Steidil Gottingen, Germany
2004 - Dizionario del Gioiello Italiano, Allemandi
2001 - Hanatsubaki Shiseido – Japan
1998 - Dictionaire International du Bijoux, Edition du Regard
1995 - Anni 90, Arte a Milano, Abitare Segesta Cataloghi Milano
Appears regularly in international design, life style, and fashion magazines like Vogue Italy, Vogue Russia, Vogue France, Vogue Russia, Playboy, Zinc, ID, GQ, The Independent, Vogue Jewellry, Vogue Uomo, Above Magazine, Surface, Purple Fashion, Palace, Harpers Bazaar, W, Berliner, ARude, Wallpaper, L’Officiel, Issue one, BIG, Elle, Arena Uk, Arena Turkey , New York Times, A magazine In collaboration with Ricardo Tisci , etc.
Selected Collaborations
2011- Designs Jewels for Alexander Wang
2010- Designs LIP stick for Fusion Beauty Inc- product will be available spring 2011
2009 - Cat Walk for Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2009/2010
2008 - L'Envol video for SHOWstudio - Political Fashion
2007 - Elegant Bondage for Sam Taylor Wood, New York Times Style Magazine 03- 11-07
2007 - Elegant Bondage for Blu Marine Fall/Winter campaign by Craig McDean 2006-2008 - Collaborates with photographer Jeff Burton in the Museum House of Carlo Mollino, Turin, for upcoming book and exposition “Awakening the Warrior”
2006 - Creates “Minerva” for Swarovski haute couture collections Runway Rocks
2005 - Elton John Aids foundation, designs be-jeweled boots in connection with film “The Kinky boots Factory”, directed by Jillian Jerrold
2003-2004 - Vienna, Life Ball, Elton John’s Aids Foundation
2002-2003 - Gian Franco Ferré, Designs gold and diamond collections for collectors only – Milan
2002 - Missoni, Designs accessories for summer collection – Milan
2001 - Alain Tondowski, collaborates to create "Venus" be-jeweled shoes – Paris
2000-2009 - Fornasetti, Designs exclusive Jewellry line – Milan
1999 - Pampaloni, designs The Eternal Candle and a Silver Triple Vase for "Evasioni” – Florence
1994-2009-Today - Fornasetti Immaginazione s.r.l. creative consultant – Milan
Selected Conferences/ Public speaking
2010 - Bettering Your Sexual Skills Salons for Coco de Mer and SOHO House - NYC
2010 - Private Salon for sex worker Cindy Gallop and friends, NYC
2010 - Full Body Stimulation Salon for COCO de Mer , LA
2009 - The Path to Eden - In Collaboration with Marianne Costa - women only group salon - Paris
2006-2009 - Enhance Your Sexual Skills - Salon - Soho House – London
2006 - Reading Silicone Flowers, chapter from her upcoming book - Nogood Window Gallery Paris
2005 - Presentation of the Boudoir Box - Metropol Hotel – Moscow
2005 - Enhance Your Sexual Skills - Salon - Frederick’s NY
2004 - Enhance Your Sexual Skills - Salon - Soho House – London
2004- -Domus Academy- Conducts design seminar, Milan
2005 - European Institute of Design – Conducts Jewellry design seminar, Milan
2003 - Enhance Your Sexual Skills - Salon – Coco de Mer – London