New York based designer Betsey Johnson is known for her loud and highly original style which has inspired an empire. An empire that embraces everything from dresses and shoes, to handbags and jewellery. Johnson’s frilly, embellished, sexy cool and much-better-on-a woman’s-body-than-on-the-rack designs never fail to disappoint and shock (in a good way, of course).
Johnson is a graduate of the prestigious fashion programme at Syracuse University, in which she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority–an organization dedicated to the personal growth of women.
She has been designing since 1960 and has evolved her sense of style along with the times. Johnson worked with everyone from Twiggy to Verushka, whilst Bob Dylan’s muse, Edie Sedgewick, was once also her house model. For a brief period, she even designed clothes for men.
Her first Betsey Johnson label store was opened in New York’s Soho in 1978, and in the early ’80s, she was among the first to open a store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
A breast cancer survivor, she continues to support the cause and creates one-of-a-kind items for auctions, serving on the board of the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Initiative.
Today, she has 50 stores across the States, including a factory store at the Woodbury Outlet in Central Valley, New York. This is a true mecca for girls looking for discounted and high quality Betsey Johnson dresses for school dances and nights out.
Her current A/W 2008 collection includes biker chic leather jackets and black cigarette pants influenced by the Joan Jett 80s era. From her Holiday 2008 line, I absolutely love the shimmering gold silk strapless dress (left) and her silk and spandex variation on the little black dress. The upcoming S/S 2009 collection features inspiration from actor Johnny Depp, and is filled with elaborate corsets and (of course) over-the-top outfits as well as a handful of bathing suits.
Johnson will certainly not be falling off the fashion radar any time soon, so make sure you discover her wild creations and revel in her refreshingly free spirit.
Top image courtesy of Style.com
