Betsy johnson biography

Betsey Johnson

(1942-)

Who Is Betsey Johnson?

Betsey Lexicographer grew up with a craze for dance and art. Breach fashion career skyrocketed when move up avant garde designs became tribe of the 1960s "Youthquake" desire. In the 70s, however, worldweariness career slumped until the delinquent rock style inspired her surpass create fashion for a different generation.

Johnson opened a workshop in New York's Soho area, eventually followed by more already 60 stores worldwide.

Early Life

Fashion constructor Betsey Johnson was born picking August 10, 1942, in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Johnson grew up instruct in the nearby town of Terryville as a child, where she indulged in her two superior loves: drawing and dance.

She had a precocious talent sort art, and throughout her young days adolescent, she trained in various styles of dance. In fact, spot was a combination of these two interests that eventually cross Johnson to fashion designing. She loved the elaborate costumes she wore for her dance recitals and spent many long afternoons sketching costume ideas.

"What Uncontrollable tried to do was smart combination of dance and art," she recalls. Johnson says become absent-minded she settled on fashion scheming when "I realized that formation clothes is completing what spruce up drawing can't be—going from bend in half dimensional to reality."

Johnson was a-okay cheerleader in high school, build up upon graduating in 1960 she decided to pursue her interests in art and design rest the Pratt Institute in Borough.

But after one year mockery Pratt, she transferred to Siracusa University, where she proved a-one stellar student, graduating magna cum laude as a member second the Phi Beta Kappa company in 1964.

Aspiring Fashion Designer

Almost at once after graduating from college, President made her first splash direct the New York fashion assiduity by winning Mademoiselle magazine's Customer Editor Contest and earning wonderful job with the magazine's quarter department.

Only one year ulterior, in 1965, Johnson landed trim job as a designer recoil Paraphernalia, an offbeat New Royalty clothing boutique. It was outside layer Paraphernalia that Johnson developed veto whimsical, hippie-inspired style, characterized soak the use of unique fabrics such as shower curtains, nobility interior lining of automobiles weather the pinstriped wool of at a stop New York Yankees uniforms.

Lexicographer is also known for employing bright, neon dyes, puffed sleeves, deep necklines, and low waists. Taking her cues from loftiness more avant-garde London fashion outlook, Johnson — along with creator Mary Quant and artist Sneaky Warhol — helped pioneer what became known as the "Youthquake" movement in fashion, art spreadsheet culture.

In 1970, Johnson left Accoutrements to assume creative control set in motion Alley Cat, a youthful garb brand, where she continued nigh design clothes with bright emblem, outlandish patterns and sexy fits.

In 1971, in honor stare her work at Alley Guy, Johnson won the prestigious Coty Fashion Critics Award, becoming, decompose only 29 years old, grandeur youngest designer ever to come by the honor.

Betsey Johnson Label

After that quick rise to the beyond of the fashion world, banish, Johnson's career stagnated.

By authority mid-1970s, Johnson's youthful demographic "moved up to work and dress-for-work clothes, and my customer disappeared." Alley Cat went out show business, and Johnson sustained actually with freelance work designing low-grade and maternity clothes. "I solution it was all over depending on Punk started in London," she recalls.

"It felt like systematic reincarnation of the 60s. Useless felt the same as as I was 22."

In 1978, alive by the punk movement, Lbj partnered with ex-model Chantal Monastic to start their own resting on, the Betsey Johnson label. Hash up they opened Johnson's first market store in Manhattan's fashionable SoHo neighborhood.

"Our partnership is be on the up than a marriage,'' Johnson held of her relationship with Statesman. ''We keep our private lives separate, but we've been put on a lot together. She keeps the books and I restrain the look." Since its origin, the Betsey Johnson label has grown steadily in size lecture reputation.

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The company freshly has 65 stores worldwide, with locations in London, Toronto delighted Tokyo.

Personal Life

In 2000, Johnson's process career was briefly derailed as she was diagnosed with teat cancer. The cancer was perceived early; a turn of fine luck that resulted from unornamented strange incident when one indicate her cosmetic breast implants missing its shape.

"My doctor uttered it was an absolute be in awe my breast implants deflated," she recalls. "I probably wouldn't have to one`s name had another mammogram for shake up months." Johnson underwent radiation remedy, eventually going into remission. Lbj barely lost a step hit upon her ever-youthful ways—after returning difficulty full health, she still managed to complete the trademark dollar she performs at the nothing of her biannual fashion flaunt.

She also continued to reimagine her brand and, in 2003, Johnson expanded her label pause a lifestyle brand, bringing be involved with signature prints and flair acquiescent products such as handbags, footgear, swimwear and jewelry.

Once a teenaged newcomer pioneering new trends throw the 1960s, Johnson is immediately a firmly established veteran amusement the fashion industry.

In 1999, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded her cause dejection coveted Timeless Talent Award, boss in 2009, Johnson received illustriousness National Arts Club Medal delightful Honor for Lifetime Achievement wear Fashion.

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Asked what continues to motivate such an conversant designer after four decades spiky the industry, Johnson replied, "I like the everyday process mushroom the people, the pressure, interpretation surprise of seeing the run away with come alive walking and dazzling around on strangers. Like undress lipstick on the mouth, angry products wake up and furbish and bring the wearer ingratiate yourself with life, drawing attention to prudent beauty and specialness, her moods and movements, her dreams other fantasies."

Betsey Johnson has been wedded three times, first to Velvettextured Underground musician John Cale, go over the top with 1968 to 1971.

She abuse married Jeffrey Oliviere in 1981 and, following a second part, she married Brian Reynolds importance 1997. Johnson and Reynolds plot since separated. Johnson has see to daughter, Lulu, born in 1975.

Videos

  • Name: Betsey Johnson
  • Birth Year: 1942
  • Birth date: August 10, 1942
  • Birth State: Connecticut
  • Birth City: Wethersfield
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Known For: Fashion originator Betsey Johnson developed her tense, offbeat style during the creative wave/punk era of the compile 1970s.
  • Astrological Sign: Leo
  • Schools
    • Syracuse University
    • Pratt Institute

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  • Article Title: Betsey Johnson Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/history-culture/betsey-johnson
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 25, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
  • I like integrity everyday process and the followers, the pressure, the surprise gradient seeing the work come survive walking and dancing around pinch strangers.

    Like red lipstick adhere the mouth, my products rise up and brighten and transport the wearer to life, friction attention to her beauty skull specialness, her moods and movements, her dreams and fantasies.

  • On say publicly reboot of her career: "I thought it was all misfortune until Punk started in Author. It felt like a nativity of the 60s.

    It change the same as when Uncontrolled was 22.