"The physical location of Betsey Johnson's beatnik romp was Bryant Park, but the imaginary setting was a dark and smoky joint in the Village like the Bottom Line or the Bitter End. Johnson went all out (no surprise there): Her set had bare lightbulbs and tables topped with straw-covered Chianti bottles and copies of On the Road. There were even three bongo players in striped shirts at the end of the runway smoking faux Gauloises. "I've got to have an environment that you can enter into because I get so terrified of showing clothes," Johnson admitted."
It's funny. Despite her decades-long reputation for youthful, girly clothes, Betsey Johnson only started appealing to us as a designer once we got older. Maybe it's because she's selling a mythical form of youth where everyone is thin, rebellious and sophisticated. However you dissect it, it certainly seems to be working for her. She always seems to tip her hat to the trends and then blissfully skip off to follow her own muse with each collection. This one has the usual mix of boho-punk, rocker chick, Vargas girl and beatnik influences, but even if she's another designer who's not reinventing her own wheel, the result is it's all her and like so much of her work, it's just fun.
Watch her show here:
[Photos: WireImage/Getty Images - Video: Coutorture.com]
52 comments:
I always wished she did menswear, too. I bet it would be really fun.
Love her aesthetic...she's an original!
Huh. Didn't Jillian make the exact same denim jumpsuit?
It's always fun to look at her collection. I'm a huge fan.
"Anonymous said...
Huh. Didn't Jillian make the exact same denim jumpsuit?"
Betsey Johnson's collection was '80s-inspired, that explains the jumpsuit.
I noticed that too, anon 12:07. In fact #14, #17, and #22 kind of look like the team Jillian bad trend collection. That being said, the challenge was to re-interpet old trends, which is what Betsy did as well. Betsey Johnson would have no reason to copy anything she had seen on PR. In fact given the time frame, when the show was taped and aired, and when this collection was being worked on, it would be impossible. Furthermore Betsey was in the business back when these trends came out the first time.
LOVE LOVE LOVE HER!! Love her shoes and accessories too!
I don't get rocker chic/punk from this at all (partially because those are subcultures I actually exist in) but that dosen't stop me from loving Betsey's fussy, quirky collection. #1 is so, so, so killer.
I have always adored Betsey Johnson.
When I was younger, I lived around the corner from one of her boutiques, and was in there all the time, wistfully looking through the racks and wishing I was taller. The only thing I didn't like about her work was that so much of it would only work for someone with a model's body type.
My favorite dress of all time (that I owned) was a red & black jaquard knit with a wide patent leather belt, from the mid 80's. It's one of the few pieces I still have from back then. I could never bear to get rid of it.
--GothamTomato
Not my particular aesthetic, but more power to her.
BETSEY JOHNSON OWNS
I just lurve that red polka-dot dress.
i have always loved her work, it is always very 80s/french inspired...which makes me wonder why she had copies of On The Road on the tables. that boook has nothing to do with her collection.
I love all of it!
I love this collection! I love the explosion of colors!
I love how she has always been true to her vision and aesthetic. I have some of her dresses and I get a ton of compliments when I wear them.
I always thought Sweet P should have been channelling a Betsey Johnson West Coast vibe in her clothes.
With her interesting personal background and own personal quirkiness, *this* is the kind of stuff (in more of a sunshine, soft beach or SoCal Mexican exuberant colour tones and sticking with clean lines) that Sweet P should have been sending down the runways.
Note to Christian: if you're gonna revisit the 80's, THIS is how to do it.
I'm in love with this collection.
sigh.
I just LOVE the plaid coat and the strapless red print dress. I've always appreciated Betsey Johnson's style, even in the 80s when she was the accessible punk designer. And her shoes are definitely TDF. There was a pair in the SmartBargains ad that I just loved!
Nice example of great styling and overall presentation! I love Betsey!
The girls in glasses reminded me of Kennedy from MTV back in the day. : )
I covet dress #7. Gorge!
Thank you for these fashion posts, biys! I love them!!
LOL that was supposed to be "boys" not "Biys".
Her collections cheer me up and always leave me with a smile on my face. Also love the Cyndi Lauper song in the video.
Do you have a picture of the green sweater and red striped skirt? That was one of my favorite looks in the video.
Anonymous said...
Do you have a picture of the green sweater and red striped skirt? That was one of my favorite looks in the video.
Do you mean this one here?
XO
T&L
Re-watching the collection, I am in absolute love with the blue sweater dress and red tights, the black jacket and leopard print tights, and the pink mini-dress.
I think I just like the leopard print tights because they remind me of my favorite pair of skinny jeans. But man, I love leopard print...
A surprising number of those pieces are wearable by normal human beings! I loved wearing Betsey Johnson back in the day . . .
Sewing siren, I am always amazed at people who look at an established designer's collection and think they've ripped off something done on Project Runway. Trends are in the air, inspiration does not visit one person only, and if anyone is derivative, it's the PR designers!
Christian may have paid more than one visit to the Met:
http://blog.metmuseum.org/blogmode/index.php/2007/12/17/lair-du-temps/olivier-theyskens/
http://blog.metmuseum.org/blogmode/2008/02/05/78/junya-watanabe/
Why can't I remember which episode she was on as a guest judge?
Can someone remind me?
I love her! Has anyone else seen her Betseyville luggage and bags? I just bought one her smaller carry-on pieces and it's gorge.
Reen31
"reen31 said...
Why can't I remember which episode she was on as a guest judge?
Can someone remind me?
Reen31"
Season 1 - Episode 7: Design A Collection
I love her! She's been rocking the fashion industry with her unique and original fashion designs for many years now.
That's the episode where Anne Slowey said that Wendy's outfit looked like something the cat threw up.
I miss season 1 : -(
Looks like Chris was on trend with his selection of red and black.
I've never been on the Betsey Johnson love train for my own clothing, but it's always kicky and fun, and this collection didn't look as whacked out as some she's done.
rainwood fka rain brain
Some of her dresses are very Ricky Lizalde.
This collection made me smile. It has such a sense of fun. I will be doing the world a favor by NOT attempting to wear any of the mini-skirts and short-shorts.
You're welcome!
Rosie's Girl
Blogger TLo said...
Anonymous said...
Do you have a picture of the green sweater and red striped skirt? That was one of my favorite looks in the video.
Do you mean this one here?
XO
T&L
Yes! Thank you, TLO!
Now can you get that little outfit me, pretty please? ; )
oops, sorry for the typos. But thank you for the great pic!
Watching Betsey's collection makes me realize just how boring I've become in 30 years!
I just gotta ditch all the black black black grey black clothes and my middle-aged artist silhoutte. Maybe then I'll get my groove back.
-- desertwind
If I was 19 again (and, you know, six feet tall and criminally hot) I would totally live in her stuff. There are just SO many pieces in this collection that make me go, "I wish!"
And her SHOES, GOD, they are SO FABULOUS!!!!! But at an average heel height of four inches, unfortunately they're not for this old broad anymore. (sigh)
Anne
I like the clothes, but what I like most of all is that most of her models actually have a half-smile on their faces, for once. Could it be that they were actually enjoying themselves and that Betsey allows them to show it?
I remember her from when I was a kid. Did she do paper dresses?
I've always loved her colors and patterns. They're really fun. I'm glad she's stayed true to herself and has never veered toward the tans, taupes and greys.
Project Runway complaint: "But is it a collection? I see no cohesiveness, no unified vison..."
That second outfit looks like a Left Bank hooker.
That number with the beret --is Tim Burton making a sequel to Beetlejuice?
Blue Beret, Blue Dress, Red Belt? Looks like a hip outfit for a WalMart Greeter.
Bloated floral dress --who let the sofa in?
love it!! i kept expecting to see gene kelly & vera ellen come dancing down the stairs -- very slaughter on 10th avenue...
anonymous 1:20 - "which makes me wonder why she had copies of On The Road on the tables. that boook has nothing to do with her collection." how old are you? this collection was very reminiscent of the 50's "beatnick" look. jack kerouac started the whole thing with "On the Road". you are probably just too young to know much about it....
Just say NO to stockings with shorts and Step AWAY from the crimper!!!
LMFAO. I joke but seriously, LOVED some peices in the collection! Some of those dresses are to die for--youthful, exhuberant and yet sophisticated is dead on guys! Keep up the good work.
I wore a lot of Betsey Johnson in my youth, and I still love her stuff, even though I think I'm a bit (just a little bit!) long in the tooth to get away with it now. But I do still have a few skirts and dresses in my closet -- maybe this spring I'll bring them out again. Hey, rock and roll never forgets, right? Right?
LOVE!
Lilithcat said...
Sewing siren, I am always amazed at people who look at an established designer's collection and think they've ripped off something done on Project Runway. Trends are in the air, inspiration does not visit one person only, and if anyone is derivative, it's the PR designers!
Christian may have paid more than one visit to the Met:
http://blog.metmuseum.org/blogmode/index.php/2007/12/17/lair-du-temps/olivier-theyskens/
http://blog.metmuseum.org/blogmode/2008/02/05/78/junya-watanabe/
Those are great links, thanks!
He probably did pay more than one visit to the Met, at least I hope so.
I kind of wish that the judges had given him a little harsher critique on this particular challenge, because I feel that the praise of the (Art challenge) garment sent his finale collection in a strange unwearable direction. Up until this point his garments had been wearable fashion. In this challenge and in the finale, his work looks like costume(bordering on parody) to me.
Thanks danielDC.
We brought my neice to her boutique yesterday and got her a dress for her sweet sixteen. Every dress (on the sale rack!) was under $150, some under $100 and all looked fabulous. So, if anyone's in Atlantic City in the next couple of weeks, the store is on the Pier with all the other designer stores.
Reen31
I love me that red with black polka dot dress. Cute!
Kindof off topic but... I was in the Betsey Johnson store today (detroit) and I swear to Jebus, Buddah and all thier pals I about died when I saw this dress http://www.betseyjohnson.com/Denim_Sheath_Dress/pd/c/1101/np/1101/p/4041.html
Does that look familiar to anyone...odd huh. Talk about heavy influence.
Lilithcat said:
Sewing siren, I am always amazed at people who look at an established designer's collection and think they've ripped off something done on Project Runway.
Ah, but nobody actually said that. The observation was that some things looked similar. That doesn't imply Betsey was ripping off PR designers, for which I agree with Sewing Siren, the timing for that would have been impossible anyway.
Have you been watching the new season of Project Catwalk? (The U.K. Project Runway) its really good. Its up on youtube!
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