Betsy Johnson’s PRODUCTS: Shoulder Pads, Princess Diana, and the Power of Insider Change

In the heart of Paris, British designer Betsy Johnson welcomed us into her showroom, which also serves as an intimate creative space for herself and her team. There, among the striking pieces of her new collection, we delved deep into the inspirations behind her brand, PRODUCTS, and the powerful messages she hopes to convey. As we entered, our attention was immediately drawn to a model, comfortably lounging on a latex-covered couch, wearing a tight black dress with a deep neckline, paired with an aristocratic hat, both emblazoned with the words 'STAY COMMERCIAL' in white. Her hands were tucked into an innovative handwarmer-phone-holder combination, the phone was sticking out with the flashlight on, which always gave it the effect that you were being recorded and essentially flipped the narrative. Conversing with Betsy Johnson means uncovering the story behind an elusive and enigmatic figure. Although she appears very reserved on social media, Betsy is a lively, energetic, and complex person. She was dressed in a pair of oversized Balenciaga track pants, visibly distressed at the back from the way her stiletto heels punctuate them with every step, in a sort of statement of nonchalance. Her hair was slicked back, half blonde and half black, almost symbolizing the division between nonconformity and the desire to be seen, an internal struggle that often emerges in her creations. Looking at the collection, sculpted shoulders stood out on many outfits. It felt natural to ask: 'Why the shoulder pads?'

Her response took us back to childhood memories, to her hairdresser mother who used to wear outfits with reinforced shoulders. Betsy fondly recalled,  «I remember her having to take them off when cutting hair.' But the meaning of shoulder pads in her collection had deeper roots, connecting to her upbringing and her family's distinctive musical tastes, especially those of her parents:  «While all my school friends could listen to commercial MTV music, my parents only allowed me to listen to indie, punk, and ska music.» Her father introduced her early to artists like Blondie and Madonna, both prominent users of shoulder pads, and icons of 80s fashion, which played a crucial role in shaping her design sensibility. As we absorbed these tales of familial influence, another presence loomed large in the room: Lady Diana. Betsy's collection drew evident inspiration from the distinctive style of the English princess. Betsy reflected:  «She was fetishized as this new wave in the royal family. But in reality, she wasn't. She became an object of observation and consumption for the press.» This presence materialized in the showroom through magazine covers featuring Princess Diana wearing a dress with the inscription 'Stay Commercial':  «That's why I did the magazine covers, because it's really what you're looking at when you're reading Vogue today.»

Betsy then asked us if we would like her model to change outfits to get a better sense of the pieces. She showed us an all-black outfit - a color that, along with its white and red counterparts, strongly resonates throughout the collection: tights with a central pleat fastened into stilettos with a 'SALE'-branded strap, a squared-shoulder suit top cut a little below the bust to reveal a corset fastened with a belt whose metal buckle once again spells 'SALE'. The filaments from the distressing hang loosely, giving it an almost studied yet disheveled look. As Betsy pranced around the model, adjusting some elements and adding the final touches, she revealed the deeper meaning of her collection. Born into a working-class family and witnessing her brother's struggles after leaving the army, Betsy challenges the industry's occasional fetishization of working-class and military culture. She aims to flip the script, ingeniously appropriating symbols of wealth and aristocracy in her designs—a tactic she brilliantly terms as 'reverse psychology in the process.' As our conversation reached its conclusion, Betsy shared her belief in the transformative power of internal struggle. Recalling her past activism, she said:  «I used to wake up at 5 A.M. to camp outside slaughterhouses and protest every weekend just to realize nothing changed.' Today, her approach is nuanced: believing in the potency of working alongside power structures, she sees the merit in  «playing the game' to bring about profound change from within.»