Betsey Johnson UNLEASHED

Nicole Sage
FMD 210

Following her set of rules when it came to fashion is what helped

launch her brand that has become one of the top American lifestyle
brands today. Between her childhood aspiration of being a ballerina
and artist to her fetish of costumes and flamboyant jewelry; Betsey
Johnson has created one of the most influential styles that are seen on
many girls around the world today. Johnson says in an article that she
settled on fashion designing when I realized that making clothes is
completing what a drawing cant begoing from two dimensional to
reality.(1)

Betsey Johnson in the 1970s

Johnson was born on August 10, 1942 in Wethersfield,

Connecticut. After graduating from high school, she attended Pratt
Institute in Brooklyn, NY and later graduated magna cum laude from
Syracuse University. While attending Syracuse University she became a
member of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. The Mademoiselle Magazine
Company is where Johnsons career in fashion took off after interning

for them and later won the Mademoiselle Guest Editor Contest. In 1965
Johnson went on and became the in-house designer for Manhattan
Boutique Paraphernalia where she soon invented the Betsey Johnson
look; which consist of sexy silhouettes, hippie inspired, graceful
flowing fabrics, whimsical elements with a phenomenal fit. She also
soon began experimenting with unique fabrics such as interior lining of
automobiles, shower curtains, and wool from the New York Yankees
uniforms; then incorporating bright colors such as neon dyes and using
details like the famous puff or leg of mutton sleeves with scoop necks
and low waist pants. Many described her signature style to be similar
to the avant garde London fashion scene. (3)

Betsey Johnson 1960s (Manhattan Boutique Paraphernalia)

Not only did Johnson take the world by storm with her off the
wall innovative look, she and designer Mary Quant and artist Andy
Warhol teamed up and initiated the largest movement of the century in
the world of fashion and art called the Youth Quake. In 1969 Johnson
opened her first boutique and named it Betsey Bunky Nini in the upper
east of New York. Edie Sedgwick was Johnsons house model and
designed her wardrobe in the film, Ciao! Manhattan. (3) Along with the
hassles of opening a new boutique, Johnson decided to team up with
Alvin Duskin in San Francisco up until the end of the 60s. Taking her
career to the next level, Johnson became in charge of the fashion label;
Alley Cat, which was a famous brand known to many rocknroll
musicians in the 1970s. It wasnt too much later that Alley Cat went
out of business. Fashion started to change and so did her market.
Johnson then went on to freelance designing for children and maternity
clothing until she found a new love for what is now called punk.
Johnson says I thought it was all over until punk started in London; It
felt like a reincarnation of the 60s. It felt the same as when I was 22.

(1) Later in the 70s Johnson won the Coveted Coty Award and was the
youngest designer to ever receive the award.

Past

1980s

Present 2010

Future 2012

In the year of 1978 the all new Betsey Johnson label was born as
she teamed with ex-model Chantel Bacon, opening their first retail
shop in the popular fashion district called SoHo in Manhattan, New
York, which has now turned into 65 stores worldwide. The BetseyChantel duo is described as to be better than a marriage, She keeps
the books and I keep the look, says Johnson. (1) It wasnt until 1998
that she went national and opened a store in London, Toronto in 2003,
and Japan in 2006. As Johnsons label was flourishing with much
desired demand from the market of young women around the world
ranging from ages 17-35; Johnson then embarked on the broad market
of handbags, accessories and lingerie by licensing with multiple
companies such as; Geneva Watch Group, B.Robinson Optical Corp.,
Leg Resource, Daniel M. Friedman & Associates, Haskell Jewels, Lunada
Bay Corp., and Inter Parfums. (4)

Betsey Johnson store in Boston

With all of the success multiplying in Johnsons career, there soon

came a halt to everything when she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer
in 2002. Not keeping this vivacious and determined woman down for

long, Johnson was soon back normal because of an early detection and
returned to full health. Johnson took her experience and used it as an
empowerment tool for women around the world by being an advocate
and honorary chairperson for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer
Initiative. (2) Johnson continues to show her dedication to this day by
making special appearances, becoming involved with fundraising
events, and has auctioned many special items to help raise money for
the their organization. Johnson has always been a very dedicated and
ambitious person when it came to her work, which explains her many
achievements and awards throughout her four decades of success.
In 2002 Betsey was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame that
honored her contribution to American Fashion. Along with her award
she received a bronze and granite plaque that contained her original
signature and sketch. A year later her biography was embedded into
Seventh Avenue sidewalk as a special tribute. In the same year of 2005
Johnson received two Life Time Achievement Awards, one given to her
at the Signature Awards along with the NAWBO-NYC Committee and
the other was given to her from the Accessories Council. Just a couple
years later in 2007 she was awarded Designer of the Year at the annual
Accessories Benefit Ball. She was recently awarded just a few years
ago with a Life Time Achievement Award medal from The National
Arts Club in October of 2009. (2)
After three divorces, Johnson is now happily single and has a
daughter name Lulu who is now in her late 30s. (1) Johnson has kept
such a positive and enthusiastic but very humble attitude about her
position in the world of fashion. Johnson now carrys the title as a
veteran of the industry and compared to other veterans, she has
stepped far beyond the box with her innovative imagination that no
one several decades ago would have ever imagined to be what fashion
is today. We continue to pay homage to the woman who broke all the
rules and continues to; as one may say, cartwheel her way back into
our hearts and closets.

Betsey Johnson 2011 (New York Fashion Week Spring 2012)

References
1.) BIO. Betsey Johnson. 2009 Copy right.
http://www.biography.com/articles/Bestseyjohnson-23182?part=1
2.) Betsey Johnson website. 2010 Copy right.
http://www.betseyjohnson.com/category/index.jsp?
categoryId=4399321
3.) Wikipedia. Encyclopedia. 6 September 2011.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsey-johnson
4.) Betsey Johnson website. 2010 Copy right.
http://www.betseyjohnson.com/category/index.jsp?
categoryId=4399316
Photos References
1.) http://lswhs.leesummit,k12mo.us/stuwebpages/spring10/5th/a
nderson_Betseyjohnson/BIO.html
2.) http://www.openingceremony.us/p315.html
3.) http://www.openingceremony.us/p315.html
4.) http://www.openingceremony.us/p315.html

5.) http://guestofaguest.com/daily-style-phile/daily-style-philebetsey-johnson-cartwheels-her-way-into-our-hearts/
6.) http://lswhs:leesummit.k12.mo.us/stuwebpages/5th10/silleck_
Bestsey/index.html
7.) http://hauteandfauxie.blogspot.com/2009/08/shippin-off-toBoston-wooahh-ehhh-ohhh.html
8.) http://Ficdn.fashionindie.com/nyfw-whats-the-first-thing-yourdoing-after-the-show/