After winning Mademoiselle.s guest editor contest in 1964 and later designing for London label Paraphanelia, Betsey Johnson and her friend and former model Chantal Bacon founded the Betsey Johnson line in 1978. She was raised as a dancer in Connecticut, so ballet costumes and stage-ready drama inform her every design. The Betsey Johnson line has expanded from flirty prom-ready gowns and tulle-trimmed dresses to include glossy handbags, shoes, lingerie, eyewear, swimwear, home decor, and more. In 1999 the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded her the Timeless Talent Award to honor her achievements. In addition to her thriving 30-year-long career in fashion, Betsey Johnson has accomplished many other impressive feats: As a breast cancer survivor, she continues to raise awareness of the disease and support those in the struggle to fight breast cancer. Her boundless energy and spunk are apparent on the runway too, as Johnson is known to turn a cartwheel at the end of every runway show.
