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New
York designer Betsey Johnson has built her long-standing career in fashion
by following her own set of rules. Known for her celebration of the
exuberant, the embellished, and the over the top, Betsey has been rocking
the fashion industry with her unique and original designs for over 33
years. Her commitment to remain true to her one-of-a-kind vision has
afforded Betsey continued success in an industry known for its fickleness.
Her ability to change with the times while keeping her designs pure has
not gone unnoticed, and at the 1999 CFDA Awards, Betsey was presented with
a special award created especially for her: The Timeless Talent Award, which
recognized her influence on 'fashion throughout her career- Betsey
was born in Connecticut and spent her childhood in dance classes. Her
aspirations to be a dancer and her love for costumes laid the foundation
for Betsey's creativity and inspiration, which is still evident in her
designs today. In 1964, Betsey officially entered the New York fashion
scene by winning Mademoiselle magazine's "Guest Editor Contest."
One year later, she landed the top designer position for Paraphernalia, a
clothing boutique that at the time housed the hottest young London
designers, including Mary Quant, Tuffin and Foale, among others. What
would soon become known as Betsey's trademark look began its formations
here: sexy silhouettes, hippie inspired flowing fabrics, whimsical
detailing and, most importantly, a fabulous fit. Now
firmly part of what was considered the "Youth Quake, II Betsey soon
found herself in the unforgettable 1960's Warhol scene. Edie Sedgwick was
her house model, while the Velvet Underground's John Gale took to wearing
her designs both on-stage and off. In 1969, Betsey began her foray into
retail by opening a new boutique called Betsey Bunki Nini. Directly
following the opening of the new store, Betsey was offered a job from
Alvin Dunskin in San Francisco, and thus began living a bi-coastal life
for the remaining years of the 60'5. Along
with the new decade came new career opportunities for Betsey, and in the
early 1970's she came into creative control of the label Alley Cat; a
label which set the trends for the 70's rock n' roll clothing, with hippie
and ethnic styles. In 1972, along with Halston, Betsey won the coveted
Coty Award, becoming the youngest designer to ever receive the honor . After
a decade of designing for other labels, Betsey decided to make a dramatic
change in her life, and in 1978 she formed a partnership with Chantal
Bacon and started the Betsey Johnson label, as it is known today-
Designing for herself allowed Betsey the creative freedom to execute her
vision to it's fullest potential. That same year, Betsey and Chantal
launched their first retail store in the heart of Soho. In the early BO's,
they were one of the first to open a store on Melrose Avenue, helping the
street to gain its wide recognition as one of the best shopping areas of
the 1980’s. Today, there
are over 41 Betsey Johnson stores worldwide.
International expansion came in 1998 with the opening of the wildly
successful London store, and in 1999 the Vancouver store opened its doors.
Betsey Johnson clothing is also available in better department
stores, as well as in over 1000 specialty stores throughout the country
and in Europe and Japan. In
1995, Betsey launched a signature perfume, followed by a line of bath and
beauty products. These
products are sold exclusively at Betsey Johnson stores nationwide. In 1996, Betsey felt the desire to create a higher priced
luxury collection of clothing and accessories that was aimed at the
designer-Iabel buyer and her many celebrity clients. After exploring her
extensive archives of her early designs for inspiration, UL TRA by Betsey
Johnson was born. ULTRA represents the best of Betsey's wide repertoire of
silhouettes reinterpreted in exquisite fabrics and delicate detailing of
beads, rhinestones, embroidery and lace. Since it's inception, UL TRA has
successfully appealed to Betsey's more sophisticated customer, and is a
favorite among her celebrity fans including Minnie Driver, Heather Graham,
Courtney Love, Satma Hayek, Helena Bonham Carter and Sarah McLachlan. "
Making clothes involves what I like. ..color, patterns shape and
movement…1 like the
everyday process...the people, the pressure, the surprise of seeing the
work come alive walking and dancing around on strangers. Like red lipstick
on the mouth, my clothes wake
up and brighten and bring the wearer to life... drawing attention to
her beauty end specialness ...her moods and movements. ..her dreams and
fantasies. " -Betsey Johnson As
one journalist recently quoted, "If Betsey Johnson didn't exist, we
would have to invent her, simply to remind ourselves that fashion can be
fun. She's the original wild child and set to paint the town pink!"
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