fashionologie

Betsey Johnson Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Justin Fenner — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:58:33 PDT

>> The company that owns Betsey Johnson's boutiques is bankrupt, and as a result most of the designer's freestanding stores will close between May and July.

In a statement, the company said that it's spent months "rigorously pursuing alternative restructuring arrangements to address Betsey Johnson LLC's cash flow problems," to no avail. "After exhausting our resources and possibilities, it became apparent that neither a restructuring arrangement with a new equity investor nor a sale of the business enterprise as a going concern outside of bankruptcy was to be forthcoming."

Betsey Johnson LLC operates 63 of the designer's eponymous boutiques in the United States, Canada, and England. An executive at the company told WWD that some 350 people will be out of work when the stores close, but executives at Steve Madden - which saved Betsey Johnson from collapse in 2010 when it bought Johnson's $48.8 million debt - wouldn't confirm how many people would be affected.

Johnson herself won't lose her job. She's staying with the company as creative director and will focus on the lower-priced Betsey Johnson label sold in Macy's and other department stores. "I love the moderate price range," Johnson said. "It is in sync with all the girls who are buying my clothes." Mr. Madden said that the closure wouldn't interrupt wholesale deliveries to stores that sell Betsey Johnson and that there would be no impact on ecommerce availability.

Johnson executives are arranging an auction to determine which company will handle Betsey Johnson LLC's liquidation on May 8.

Photo: Betsey Johnson walks the runway with her daughter Lulu Johnson and granddaughter Layla Johnson at her Fall 2012 runway show.

Betsey Johnson Fall 2011

fashionologie — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:22:26 PST

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Fashion in 50 Seconds 08/02/10 Chelsea's Wedding Gown, Lavin Opens Rodeo Drive Boutique

coutorture — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 06:14:35 PDT

Chelsea Clinton was married wearing an ivory strapless Vera Wang gown with a raw edged silk organza ball skirt and train.

UGG Australia has launched women's and men's knitwear collections.

Continuing its retail expansion, Lanvin is set to open a 6,000 square foot boutique on Rodeo Drive.

Mary J. Blige sold over 50,000 bottles of perfume on HSN last Saturday.

Betsey Johnson was chosen to design the Eloise suite at the Plaza Hotel. Prices start at $995 a night.

New York Fashion Week: Betsey Johnson Spring 2010

coutorture — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:06:05 PDT

New York 09/15/09. Getty Images

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To Anna Wintour's Dismay, New York Fashion Week Continues to Get Bigger

fashionologie — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:54:27 PDT

>> The first official look at how Spring 2010 New York Fashion Week is shaping up will come Friday, when the first edition of the Fashion Calendar ships, but until then, we've got a few hints.

“There will be a lot more shows than last year," according to The Calendar's Ruth Finley, which means Anna Wintour won't be pleased. Last season, Anna said that "a lot of people before were having shows that simply shouldn’t have been having them," adding: "It’s much better to see them in the showroom or more of a low-key presentation. It’s more realistic." It seems like a number of designers didn't heed her advice - Finley says that this upcoming season, "There are a lot of new people [showing] you have never heard of."

And some you have heard of that are returning to the Tents »

Betsey Johnson For Opening Ceremony Revealed

coutorture — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Image Source

Betsey Johnson's collaboration with Opening Ceremony was announced just a few months back and now images from the range have leaked by way of Dazed Digital. In an interview with Dazed, Johnson speaks about the collection's decided lack of pink as well as how a new VP of merchandising was the one who convinced her to forge this new terrain. The collaboration will land at Opening Ceremony, online and in stores, this fall.

Betsey Johnson Says She "Will Never Retire," After All

fashionologie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:12:57 PDT

>> 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, it's a different story »

Fashion In 50 Seconds 03/20/09 Opening Ceremony Goes Collab Mad & More

coutorture — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:54:30 PDT

Opening Ceremony announced another collaboration in the pipeline--the retailer will be creating a capsule collection in honor of Betsey Johnson's 30th anniversary.

The Today Show asked viewers to get DIY with their fashions telling them that they can glue zippers and fringe on outfits to update them.

Chanel Iman talks about walking for Balenciaga this season, accompanying Jason Wu to the Costume Institute Gala, and her gig with House Of Style.

Model Daisy Lowe takes viewers through her New York apartment--Will Cameron, shoe collection, puppy and all.

New York Fashion Week: Betsey Johnson Fall 2009

coutorture — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:55:25 PST

New York 02/16/09. Photos by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images.

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Vera Wang, Betsey Johnson Ditch Bryant Park Tents

fashionologie — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:49:06 PST

>> It's still two months until New York Fashion Week, but as predicted, all the cost-cutting is making some major designers shuffle their usual plans.

Vera Wang, who typically shows at the tents in Bryant Park, is downsizing to a more intimate show - 14-15 models, 100-150 guests - in her new Mercer Street store, but promises it won't be a presentation: "The intimacy of a smaller show feels much more appropriate for these times." She says the decision is not only for financial reasons, but admits they do have an impact: "Once you go off-site, you don’t get any of the benefits that are in tents. But by the same token, showing in the tents calls for 25 girls, and hair and make-up. It’s an incredible production."

Betsey Johnson and Carmen Marc Valvo, too, are leaving the tents behind. Betsey has shown in Bryant Park for the past five years to a guest list of 1,000, and although she's undecided on her Fall 2009 format or location, she will be doing something different. Carmen Marc Valvo cites high costs - typically $150,000-$200,000 each season - as his reason to pull out, and is considering switching from 1,000-guest runway format to a 200-guest cocktail party format, because the change could save 50% of his usual presentation costs.

Donna Karan already announced that her DKNY runway was being replaced with a presentation; Fewer models, fewer guests, and tight-belted presentations seem to an early Fall 2009 trend - with more announcements in the same vein sure to come.
*image: source