BETSEY’S BACK, AND BRIGHTER THAN EVER

There are few things you can count on in your fashion life: you’ll never find that cab to take you to the off-sites, you’ll regret wearing those heels about two hours into Fashion Week and, no matter how bad your day is going, the moment you set eyes on Betsey Johnson, you’ll smile.

Over the past several seasons the legendary, wild-haired, delightfully dotty cartwheel-turning designer has been making her way back into the design business in a big way. Jewelry, handbags, all kinds of accessories, vintage and, now, clothes.

In truth, she’s had a pretty good year, with her company brought back from beyond the brink, a must-see reality show and now this, a collection proclaiming that, once more, “Betsey’s Hot!”

There’s nothing here that will surprise you. Betsey Johnson knows her style and knows her customer. Flowery party dresses paired with neon over-the-knee socks were followed by tight leather bustiers matched with long, pink ballet skirts. Sparkly minis were topped with feathery or faux-furry shrugs. The collection is a cacophony of color and print (both floral and animal), sky-high platform heels and long, long, stripey socks.

But if you feel like the days have passed when you were bold enough to wear head-to-toe Betsey, you can still fit a little fun in your fashion. Accessories abounded on this runway, from bangly bracelets to big, wild, animal-print handbags.

Once more the models skipped and flirted down the runway. There was plenty of smoke, and even a couple of bare-chested “firefighters” to put out the imaginary flames. And by the time Betsey cartwheeled down the catwalk, you couldn’t help but feel the jubilation in the room, the pure joy that Betsey’s back, and better than ever.

Photography: Anton Brookes