Betsey Johnson is an American designer most known for her colorful, whimsical and eccentric clothing. In 1978, she partnered with former model Chantal Bacon to launch the Betsey Johnson label. The brand, which has been worn by Cyndi Lauper to Olivia Rodrigo, has since expanded to include almost 60 retail locations worldwide. Johnson has accumulated numerous accolades throughout her career, including being the youngest designer ever to win the prestigious Coty Fashion Critics Award at 29 years old. Here, WWD takes a closer look at her fashion moments through the years.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 1970
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson in her studio on May 19 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 1988
Image Credit: WWD Betsey Johnson at the 1988 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 1998
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson and friend at the 1998 CFDA Awards Ceremony on Feb. 9 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 1999
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson and her daughter Lulu walking the finale in the designer’s fall 1999 ready-to-wear runway show on Sept. 15.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2000
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson at the 2000 CFDA Awards Ceremony on Jun. 16 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2002
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson arrives at the 2002 amFAR Gala on Jun. 17 in in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2002
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2002 Kids for Kids Celebrity Carnival on Apr. 28 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2002
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards after party on Oct. 15 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2001
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2001 special screening of “About Adam” on Mar. 20 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2000
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson and her daughter Lulu at the 2000 HBO premiere of “Sex And the City” on May 30 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2003
Betsey Johnson at the 2003 CFDA Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2004
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson walking in her spring 2004 fashion show on Feb. 9 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2004
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson at the 2004 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2005
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Betsey Johnson and daughter Lulu at the Accessories Council’s 2005 ACE Awards on Nov. 8 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2006
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson on the runway after her spring 2006 show in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2006
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson at the 2006 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2007
Image Credit: Corbis Betsey Johnson at the 2007 Fashion Accessories Benefit Ball in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2009
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson and a model as the designer prepares for her spring 2009 ready-to-wear runway show in New York City.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2009
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson at the 2009 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York on Jun. 15.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2010
Image Credit: Betsey Johnson Betsey Johnson preparing for her spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2010
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson at WWD’s 2010 anniversary party on Nov. 2 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2010
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Betsey Johnson and her daughter Lulu at the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2011
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media (L-R) Bobby Reynolds and Betsey Johnson at the 2011 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2012
Image Credit: Kristen Somody Whalen (L-R) Betsey Johnson and her daughter Lulu at the 2012 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York on Jun. 4.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2014
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards on Jun. 2 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2014
Image Credit: Cindy Ord Betsey Johnson at the CFDA’s Fashion Targets Breast Cancer 2014 Anniversary event on Aug. 20 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2014
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison Betsey Johnson walking the runway during her spring 2015 fashion show on Sept. 10 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2015
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards on Jun. 1 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2015
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison Betsey Johnson walking the runway during her spring 2016 fashion show in New York on Sept. 11.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2016
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the 2016 NFL Super Bowl 50 Bespoke Designer unveiling in collaboration with the CFDA on Jan. 20 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2017
Image Credit: Getty Images (L-R) Betsey Johnson and John Cale at the 2017 Grammy Awards on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2017
Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy (L-R) Betsey Johnson and Victoria Justice at the Accessories Council’s 2017 ACE Awards on Aug. 7 in New York.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2019
Image Credit: Getty Images Betsey Johnson at the Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai 2019 luncheon in Los Angeles on Nov. 6.
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Betsey Johnson’s Style Throughout the Years, 2020
Image Credit: Getty Images for Women's Day Betsey Johnson at the 2020 Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards on Feb. 4 in New York.