Betsey Johnson Fall 2012 Review
Photo: Imaxtree
Looks from the Betsey Johnson Fall 2012 runway.
SHOW: Betsey Johnson
THEME: Betseymania
HAIR: Jon Reyman for Aveda
MAKEUP: Charlotte Willer for Maybelline New York
NAILS: Renee Meyers for OPI
ACCESSORIES: Go-go boots, long gloves, and loads of hats
IN THE FRONT ROW: Coco Rocha, Shenae Grimes
OVERALL TAKEAWAY: Betsey's not one for subtlety, and her over-the-top nod to the 1960s fit firmly within her design wheelhouse, somewhere between London's Carnaby Street and the runways of Manhattan.
Even if Betsey Johnson's aesthetic—never restrained, always vibrant—doesn't cater to your particular style, there's no denying that the quirky designer, whose career started among the Warhol crowd, can throw a party. Frankly, we're surprised each show doesn't devolve into a full-blown dance-a-thon, led by the cartwheeling designer herself.
But party planning skills aside, Johnson is always consistent. Flirty models? Yes. Funky prints? Most definitely. Impossible-to-ignore colors? Of course. Even if the Rolling Stones had not been reverberating throughout the venue or if black and white stock footage of nearly apoplectic teenaged girls screaming for an off-camera heartthrob did not open the show, the theme was clear from the start. With names like "Lennon Lux" and "To Sir with Love," each ensemble could have been transplanted from Abbey Road to 6th Avenue. Silver go-go boots, lush faux furs, and A-line shapes added a nice visual texture to the movement: reflected light, swinging coats. The clothes aren't for everyone, but so what? Betsey's enjoying herself, so why shouldn't we?
And that's the kind of Betsey we like: always up for a good time. Her show couldn't have come at a better time for the flagging crowd. Coco Rocha agreed, before the show. "I think it's just fun being at a party, that crazy girl at times. Don't take yourself too seriously, and that's good for the fashion world." Amen. So how will she decompress after the week is over? "I would like to say that I eat bad food but I eat bad food normally so just mostly sit and relax with the husband in pajamas."
In the meantime, we'll be rejuvenating our waning energy by taking another look at Betsey's collection and trying to download the track list from her show.
SEE THE FALL 2012 RUNWAY COLLECTIONS
