farpitzs.
fyi: farpitzs means "all dressed up" in yiddish.
can’t hold betsey johnson down! yesterday, fashionista revealed the designer’s upcoming dress line, which is signature betsey — all fun. the dresses hit stores including macy’s and nordrstrom this spring. prices will range from $99 to $249.
have you heard the news? betsey johnson will not be throwing in the towel despite her llc having filed for chapter 11 three months ago. instead, she’ll reveal a line of “solid and printed sexy, flowing dresses” at retrospective runway show next month. a collaboration between the designer and the levy group’s design director, suzi chin, the dresses will be priced between $99 and $249 and sold in boutiques and department stores.
good for her, man. that betsey is one tough cookie and i’ve been a fan of hers—well, not her poofy, cupcake-looking contraptions—for years. to close up shop after having business associates she trusted make a few bad decisions beyond her control would be a damn shame, especially considering her history and breadth of talent.
after speaking with jen, betsey johnson’s main social media girl, about yesterday’s show, i had already readied myself for a retro explosion. called “BETSEYMANIA! (caps were necessary),” the fall 2012 collection was basically beatlemania, betsey style. tons of color, chubby furs, and sparkles galore. and of course, the designer’s va-va-voom daughter lulu closed the show. the models then came out in sparkly suits reminiscent of sgt. pepper’s lonely hearts club band, betsey came out with her granddaughter in tow, and did her signature cartwheel down the runway. as if you expected anything less.
p.s. what does a girl gotta do to get that orange-and-pink coat? #gimme
it seemed only fitting that i don betsey to betsey. wouldn’t you have done the same?
when i mentioned that i had stopped by the betsey johnson showroom during fashion week, what i forgot to include was that the spring 2012 collection was just chillin. as in, hanging out on racks strewn around the place like it ain’t no thang. yes, my slang is awful, but it was awesome to get a look-see at the line before it even walked the runway; there were dainty florals mixed with sequins, acid green and skull print in true betsey form. because why can’t you wear both? at the same time, no less!
above: willie, me, betsey (she hugged me and i promptly i died), nicole and elle
for those of you uninvolved in the fashion industry, the idea of visiting a designer’s studio sounds glamorous and exciting. the reality is that studios, also known as the main work space of an artist, are often messy and disorganized, especially preceding a big event as was the case when myself and a few of the tumblr 20 stopped by betsey johnson hq. seamstresses were sewing, assistants were scrambling and betsey herself was still amidst market appointments a mere 36 hours before her show.
note: that dominatrix-looking dress above is an outfit for an ice-skating program for which betsey is designing. the main inspiration for this look was lady gaga.
rather than having a dark, dim hallway lead you to betsey johnson’s studio, the walls are painted in the brightest of bright pink. don’t even act like you were surprised.
visiting betsey johnson hq last week (meeting betsey herself, because that’s just a normal day in my life and everything), i was given a sneak peek of the beauty look that would be shown on the runway. it was all about jessica rabbit. va-va-voom.
fyi: if you dig that lip color, it is stila’s long wear liquid lip color in “caprice.”
i mean, if you were betsey johnson, wouldn’t you have a wall dedicated to pictures of yourself? i know i sure would. she has more than four. (also of note: some of those “pictures of yourself” also feature trannies dressed up in costumes that look like you, which i sincerely feel is a compliment of the highest caliber.)
