MAGIC News

At 2PM on Tuesday, Betsey Johnson blew into WWDMAGIC, bubbling with personality and high-fiving the crowd, who had gathered to get a look at the legend and her highly anticipated new collection, Betsey Johnson, being launched at the show.

While a sea of cell phones snapped pictures, the free-spirited style icon entertained in typical fashion, asking, “Does anyone have a hair clip?” as she led onlookers in a Valentine’s Day toast. “I’m alone. And if you’re alone, it’s just fine,” she mused before magnanimously posing for photos with the WWDMAGIC Blogger Team and other attendees.

With its candy-colored pink booth, the brand is located in Central Hall, WWDMAGIC’s juniors’ and young contemporary section. And if Betsey Johnson is no longer a junior, no one has told her the news. Though in this case, it’s a good thing. Because after five decades, her ethereal, feminine, and funky designs are as in demand as ever, drawing fans from the young to the simply young-at-heart.  

Fashion stylist Blair Lockett was first in line to meet the maven. When asked what motivated her two-hour wait, she responded, “I love her! She’s one of my favorite designers, because her stuff is just really unique and different.” She also added that Johnson’s shoes top her list of loves and that she “can’t wait for the new line.”

Also eager to meet Johnson were fashion students Jennifer Balthazar, Stephanie Pierce, and Kelly Hirchas, who were attending MAGIC as buyers for Cal Poly Pomona’s campus boutique.

Part of the next generation of Betsey Johnson devotees, the trio stated that while they were interested in seeing something “new and exciting,” they count on Johnson staying true to her signature whimsy.

“I am always buying her swimwear,” said Hirchas. “When I go into a store, I can spot it, without even looking at the tag. I’m like ‘that’s Betsey Johnson; I’m gonna buy that one.’”

In fact, it’s the designer’s identifiable flair that has made her a household name, withstanding the test of time, while somehow also evolving with it. Now, bringing beloved styles to a more mainstream pricepoint, the new self-titled collection has everyone talking.

At Betsey Johnson’s WWDMAGIC booth, buyers had to actually wait their turn to talk to representatives, who were being bombarded with inquiries about the new line.

According to sales rep Tiffany Chao, the collection’s Spring ’12 debut, which was officially unveiled at MAGIC, features “a lot of our bestselling styles,” she said, referencing a striped, fitted sheath with ruffled tail feathers that retails for only $98.

Reflecting fun 80s punk with a 2012 twist, the dress is just one in an eclectic collection including prints, pop colors, and spectacularly fresh shorts, tops, skirts, jeans, jumpers, and of course, dresses. Created mostly of cotton jersey, the pieces pull in hints of silk, skull lace, and chiffon, thus keeping the quality up and the price affordable.

Amidst the commotion of a busy second-day women’s show, Betsey Johnson CEO, Susan Falk, found time to speak briefly on the inspiration behind what she terms the “popular pricepoint” line.

“Betsey always wanted to design a collection that was for all her girlfriends, everywhere,” she explained. “And that’s really what she’s done with this. It’s modern, and it’s fun,” elements that made the line a standout — even among WWDMAGIC’s many sought-after brands.