You probably don’t own anything by Libertine, but that might change next week.

That’s when the Los Angeles label launches their first line from Target – a sharp turn from the one-of-a-kind, reworked vintage pieces they create for The Olsens, The Trainas, and the magazines.

But how can the brand Anna Wintour described as “very Galliano� maintain their cool in a store that also sells barbecues and Barbie bedding?

Designers Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene (who’s also a member of Fischer Spooner, the coolest glitter band ever) explain…

So you guys are about to get very famous, but for most people, their only exposure is from the film Seamless…

JOHNSON: Do you know, that movie was supposed to star us? It was supposed to be a documentary about us, Doo.Ri, Proenza Schouler, and Cloak. But they cut Libertine out because it looked like we were having so much fun. Literally, I was dancing in the Barneys window and doing lip syncs in the studio… we were supposed to be suffering artists, but that’s just not us!

Design duos usually meet at school, but not Libertine. How did you get together?

JOHNSON: We met through [film director] James Oakley. He kept telling each of us that we had to meet each other, that we were the male and female equivalent of each other. We met over Christmas break seven years ago, and then we kept emailing and phoning. Then Fischer Spooner came to LA to tour all spring, so Cindy came here for a week. And I had a little clothing line called Johnson Hartig – I was trying to figure out how to print graphics, and nobody understood what I was talking about. But Cindy was working at DKNY and she surprised me with a shirt - a girl’s head printed on the back, and a raccoon on the collar. I wore it out and ten people asked me about it. I said, teach me how to do the printing. So we made 15 together and they sold out at 45 minutes at Fred Segal. And that’s how it happened.

How did Libertine get its name?

JOHNSON: We went back and forth – we never thought about a name because it was fifteen shirts and that was it. But then I was watching a Mozart program on PBS, and they said, “He was a true libertine.� We said, “That’s it!�

It’s interesting that you have such a following, considering you’ve only done two fashion shows, ever.

Johnson: Yeah, we’ve only shown twice in six years; we don’t like doing shows that much. We figure there’s no real reason, and we can only take on a really limited amount of customers because all of our pieces are one-of-a-kind.

Do you have to pass some sort of test before you can become a Libertine customer?

CINDY: Yes. We ask their favorite flavor of ice cream. If it’s not correct, you wait until next season.

We asked Henry Holland this last week, and now it’s our favorite question: Why do you think you’re successful?

JOHNSON: We’re successful?
CINDY: I think we were doing something that hadn’t been seen much before. It was the timing, we were part of a zeitgeist. It’s the way of the universe, that’s not just us. But we’re better business people than we thought, that’s a big part of it too.

Which brings us to Target. How did you snag that deal?

CINDY: We’d been talking for years about trying to do a more accessible line, but it’s really hard when you have limited resources. They approached us out of the blue, and we were both really excited.

Vera Wang had to work with Kohl’s designers on her in-store line. Did you have Target meetings like that?

JOHNSON: No, they really said we could do anything we wanted. With most of the designers, they’ve been influenced by their previous collections. But all of our stuff is one-of-a-kind, so we didn’t really have that option. So we designed from scratch – we dug up our vintage collection and took bits and put them all together.

Give us a hint: What’s next?

CINDY: We’re doing a Goyard collaboration for February. And we’re talking to Tom’s shoes about doing a collaboration for charity… Lots of interesting things are coming up…
JOHNSON: The funnest aspect of this project is something just seems to pop up when it needs to.

Last time we talked, you told me about taking a bath in Karl Lagerfeld’s tub at the Mercer. Any new fashion stories?

JOHNSON: Do you know, Karl sent me a bottle of Chanel No. 5 as a gift, and somebody stole it out of my bathroom?! But he didn’t sign it or anything, so somebody just wanted the perfume and took it. It’s a real pity, they don’t know what that bottle really means!

And now, the semi-Proust Questionnaire…

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD?

CINDY: Johnson’s is rad! Or Sweetie!
JOHNSON: It’s cutie! Hi cutie! But that’s not my favorite word! My favorite word is “inexorably.�
CINDY: Mine is “unbelievable.� I think I say that all the time.

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE WORD?

JOHNSON: I have two, snack and brunch. Some reporter asked us where we brunch and I was like, no thank you.
CINDY: Oh, remember when you got asked that? I was like, don’t ever say “brunch” to Johnson. My least favorite word is “horny.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NOISE?

CINDY: My favorite is bamboo wind chimes.
JOHNSON: That’s lame. Oh, oh, I thought you meant bamboo wrestling in the mud.

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE NOISE?

CINDY: My least favorite is loud motorcycles in the city. It makes me rageful.
JOHNSON: My favorite is Mozart. My least favorite is hip hop.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU, CREATIVELY?

JOHNSON: About a jillion things every minute.
CINDY: For me it’s just a large compulsion to work, work makes me happy.

WHAT MAKES YOU NEVER WANT TO WORK?

CINDY: People in the fashion industry make me never want to work.
JOHNSON: Being on a little farm on Provence growing my own vegetables. That’s not work!

WHAT PROFESSION, OTHER THAN YOUR OWN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ATTEMPT?

CINDY: If I didn’t do this, I would volunteer. I’m not kidding.
JOHNSON: I’m gonna be a director, because I am already. And a decorator. And an art director.

WHAT PROFESSION WOULD YOU NEVER WANT TO DO?

CINDY: There’s a million. I think probably working with a jack hammer on the street doing road laboring. That’s one of them. I hate the idea of a jack hammer. It would hurt really bad.
JOHNSON: Being like an agent or a producer or something creepy.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWEAR WORD?

CINDY: The F Word! I abuse it, it’s terrible. I’m ashamed, I am.
JOHNSON: Mine’s fart.
CINDY: That’s not a swear word.
JOHNSON: Mine’s bang.
CINDY: No. You have to get in trouble for saying it.
JOHNSON: Mine is bullshit.
CINDY: Excellent!

OKAY, LAST QUESTION. IF HEAVEN EXISTS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE GOD TO SAY WHEN YOU DIE?

JOHNSON: So, this means we’re not going to hell?

I DON’T KNOW. I AM NOT PROUST AND CANNOT TELL YOU.

JOHNSON: God will say, “Welcome!�
CINDY: “Great job!�

[Johnson laughs maniacally. End of scene.]