”Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves, and of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys, they’d just walk around naked all the time.”
Betsey Johnson is an American fashion designer known for her feminine style and outlandish designs.
Growing up in Connecticut, Johnson mostly spent her time in the dance studio taking various dance classes. She developed a love for embellished costumes, which later inspired many of her designs. She attended Pratt Institute in New York City and later graduated from Syracuse University. After graduation, she spent a summer as an intern at Mademoiselle magazine, where she later won the Guest Editor contest kick starting her successful fashion career. A year later, she landed a position as an in-house designer at Paraphernalia, a high-end clothing boutique.
In the 1970s, Johnson was designing under the label “Allie Cat,” which was popular with musicians at the time. Her trademark designs began to develop, which were silhouette pieces, hippie-inspired flowing fabrics, and extraordinary stand out details with a flattering fit. Her first collection sold for five million in volume, leading her to win the Coty Award.
Johnson began designing under her own name in 1978. Though her second collection did not do as well, she took action by opening up a retail store in SoHo. In 2002, Johnson was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame, the plaque detailing one of her original sketches. She also received recognition for the 2009 Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement by the National Arts Club.
Johnson’s collection was expanded to include handbags and accessories, all sold in the 65 Betsey Johnson retail stores worldwide. Johnson currently has a reality television show with her daughter Lulu Johnson that airs on the Style Network as of May 2013.
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