Betsey Johnson
Encyclopedia
Betsey Johnson is an American fashion designer best known for her feminine and whimsical designs. Many of her designs are considered "over the top" and embellished. She also is known for doing a cartwheel
at the end of her fashion shows.
classes as a child and adolescent which inspired her love of costumes. After high school, Johnson studied at the Pratt Institute
and then later graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Syracuse University
where she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta
sorority. After graduation, she spent a summer as a intern at Mademoiselle
magazine.
Guest Editor Contest. Within a year she was the in-house designer for the Manhattan
boutique Paraphernalia. Johnson became part of both the youthquake
fashion movement and Andy Warhol
's underground scene, along with The Velvet Underground
, Edie Sedgwick
and Lou Reed
. In 1969, she opened a boutique called Betsey Bunky Nini on New York
's Upper East Side
. Edie Sedgwick
was her house model and Johnson designed the clothing Sedgwick wore on her last film, Ciao! Manhattan
.
In the 1970s, Johnson took control of the fashion label "Alley Cat" which was popular with the rock 'n roll musicians of the day. In her first year, her first collection for Alley Cat reportedly did $5 million in volume. In 1972 she won the Coty Award
.
In 1978, Johnson started her own fashion line. While her first collection was a success, her second one bombed, leaving her with 3,000 pieces of spring clothing and insufficient funds to stage a fashion show to attempt to sell them. In response, Johnson opened a retail store in SoHo
. Today, she has more than 45 stores worldwide. In 2002, Johnson was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame. Her bronze plaque held one of her original sketches. In 2003, she expanded her line for 2004 to include handbags, accessories
, hat
s, and scarves
.
In 2008, Johnson was a contributors to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb.
The National Arts Club
awarded Johnson the 2009 Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement in Fashion. She once described her style as a formula: "Take a leotard and add a skirt."
but divorced him less than a year later. She had a daughter, Lulu, in 1975 who was born immediately after Johnson did a children's wear collection show, and a granddaughter Layla who was born in March 2006.
In 2002, Johnson was diagnosed with breast cancer
; she ultimately underwent a lumpectomy
and radiation treatment.
Cartwheel (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, a cartwheel is a sideways rotary movement performed by bringing the hands to the ground while the body inverts and the legs travel over the body, coming down to a standing position.-Terminology:...
at the end of her fashion shows.
Early life
She took many danceDance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
classes as a child and adolescent which inspired her love of costumes. After high school, Johnson studied at the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
and then later graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
where she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference...
sorority. After graduation, she spent a summer as a intern at Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
magazine.
Fashion designer
Johnson's fashion career started when she entered and won the MademoiselleMademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
Guest Editor Contest. Within a year she was the in-house designer for the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
boutique Paraphernalia. Johnson became part of both the youthquake
Youthquake (movement)
Youthquake was a 1960s fashion, musical and cultural movement. The term was coined by Vogue's editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland in 1963. London was the center of this movement. Teenagers dominated the fashion and music scene. The fashion of youthquake was fun, spirited and youthful – miniskirts...
fashion movement and Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's underground scene, along with The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, Edie Sedgwick
Edie Sedgwick
Edith Minturn "Edie" Sedgwick was an American actress, socialite, model and heiress. She is best known for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars. Sedgwick became known as "The Girl of the Year" in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s...
and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
. In 1969, she opened a boutique called Betsey Bunky Nini on New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
. Edie Sedgwick
Edie Sedgwick
Edith Minturn "Edie" Sedgwick was an American actress, socialite, model and heiress. She is best known for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars. Sedgwick became known as "The Girl of the Year" in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s...
was her house model and Johnson designed the clothing Sedgwick wore on her last film, Ciao! Manhattan
Ciao! Manhattan
Ciao! Manhattan is a 1972 American avant garde film starring Edie Sedgwick, one of Andy Warhol's Superstars. Although not a documentary, the film centers around a character very closely based on Sedgwick, and deals with the pain of addiction and the lure of fame.-Film overview:Written and directed...
.
In the 1970s, Johnson took control of the fashion label "Alley Cat" which was popular with the rock 'n roll musicians of the day. In her first year, her first collection for Alley Cat reportedly did $5 million in volume. In 1972 she won the Coty Award
Coty Award
The Coty American Fashion Critics' Awards were first announced in January 1942 by the cosmetics and perfume company Coty, Inc. to promote and celebrate American fashion, and encourage design during the Second World War. The first awards were presented in January 1943, with Norman Norell winning...
.
In 1978, Johnson started her own fashion line. While her first collection was a success, her second one bombed, leaving her with 3,000 pieces of spring clothing and insufficient funds to stage a fashion show to attempt to sell them. In response, Johnson opened a retail store in SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
. Today, she has more than 45 stores worldwide. In 2002, Johnson was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame. Her bronze plaque held one of her original sketches. In 2003, she expanded her line for 2004 to include handbags, accessories
Fashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
, hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s, and scarves
Scarf
A scarf is a piece of fabric worn around the neck, or near the head or around the waist for warmth, cleanliness, fashion or for religious reasons. They can come in a variety of different colours.-History:...
.
In 2008, Johnson was a contributors to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb.
The National Arts Club
National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a private club in Gramercy Park, New York City, New York, USA. It was founded in 1898 to "stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts". Since 1906 the organization has occupied the Samuel J...
awarded Johnson the 2009 Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement in Fashion. She once described her style as a formula: "Take a leotard and add a skirt."
Personal life
In 1968, she married Velvet Underground's John CaleJohn Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
but divorced him less than a year later. She had a daughter, Lulu, in 1975 who was born immediately after Johnson did a children's wear collection show, and a granddaughter Layla who was born in March 2006.
In 2002, Johnson was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
; she ultimately underwent a lumpectomy
Lumpectomy
Lumpectomy is a common surgical procedure designed to remove a discrete lump, usually a benign tumor or breast cancer, from an affected man or woman's breast...
and radiation treatment.
External links
- Betsey Johnson
- Betsey Johnson: America's 25 most Fascinating Entrepreneurs
- Betsey Johnson: New York Fashion Designer
- Sewing patterns by Betsey Johnson
- Pink Patch Dresses: Betsey Johnson
- [VIDEO
Betsey Johnson Spring 2012 Fashion Show] at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York - Women Making History: Betsey Johnson