My personal style signifier is my jewellery. I possibly wear too much, but I change it all the time and have an ever-evolving group of favourites. I collect antique Belperron, Verdura, Cartier, Hermès, Edwardian rose-cut diamonds, angel skin coral, snake rings, tennis bracelets and anything in the shape of a heart or a shell. I like to mix fine jewellery with pieces from my costume collection that features baroque pearls, sea creatures, turquoise, carved wood and gemstones. I wear my jewellery all the time and don’t consider anything “special occasion” or precious. I joke with my family that I want to be buried with all of it.
The last thing I bought and loved was a museum-quality antique Serbian folk dress made from hand-loomed silk and covered in embroidered bullion thread, sequins and lace. I bought it in Belgrade, where my mother is from. She collected folk costumes and Victorian lace, and I inherited her passion. I get palpitations when I find something uniquely beautiful. I believe in the emotional weight of objects that have been made by hand, as they carry the spirit of the maker.
Jewellery that Johnson wears daily © Maureen M Evans
An antique Serbian folk dress © Maureen M Evans
