>> Betsey Johnson recently told The Cut that she and her partner have been working on a succession plan for over a year, adding: “I should be retired. I’m basically screwing up because I’m not retired. I’d like to go in four days a month, something like that.”

She mentioned a possible replacement designer in Eric Sartori, who has worked for Vera Wang and Herve Leger, and added that she wanted to hand over the reins after her Spring 2010 show at New York Fashion Week in September: "But I’ll be a megaconsultant. I’ll go in. I want to be like Ralph [Lauren]. Like, I always imagined the perfect life is like Ralph, where he goes in, and his wonderful expert crews show him work, and he goes, 'Love it, love it, love it, um, we’ll just put that aside for the moment, love it, love it, hmmm.' You know what I mean?"

Today, she's backpedaling, tweeting: "Rumor patrol! Betsey Johnson "will never retire": Can't stop won't stop...xox" and quoting Bette Davis: "I will never retire while I've still got my legs and my make-up box."  For the brand's part, the official comment is: "Betsey Johnson wants her brand to live on forever. It is only wise that key management and talent is put in place to secure the continued health of the company for the future. Betsey Johnson will continue to provide creative inspiration and leadership as long as she is with us.”