It isn’t every day a girl celebrates 50 years in business. But that’s just what the inimitable Betsey Johnson did — and what a fun and festive celebration it was. Johnson showed a lifetime retrospective of her designs, all in Benjamin Button style, so she showcased her works starting from her most recent and ending with her childhood dance costumes, which her mother had saved. She remade exact replicas of them to illustrate how through the years her clothes were always inspired by her love of dance costumes. The show was dedicated to her childhood dance teacher Ann K. Pimm, and she was there to show her support.
The over-the-top production was a mix of archival and re-created vintage pieces — all her signature looks, from tutu dresses and corsets to floral frocks and striped jumpsuits. They were styled to perfection to reflect the decade, each model dancing and strutting down the runway as if at a dance party through time.
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For the finale, Johnson— in her 9/11 tribute T-shirt — cartwheeled down the runway while the models took their final walk. Wearing a sea of black tutus and leotards, with the American flag on the backs, they danced and skipped as they held giant black number 50 balloons. It was all very Betsey, very New York and very memorable.