Day 5 NYFW: Retiring Collection From Retiring Lady?

For Spring 2011, Betsey Johnson goes burlesque and more demure. Betsey Johnson photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

HEAD’S UP: I repeat, it is officially a tradition at VEVLYN’S PEN. The plan each day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is to give a roundup of the best (and worse where applicable) and most interesting Yours Truly witnesses, from shows to trends to sightings to the rather unusual/bizarre. It should go without saying, but it shan’t – this won’t be a comprehensive list simply because a body can’t be everywhere. But, of course, depend on one’s best effort. Drum roll, please …

Day 5
(SOME of the players at the tents and elsewhere):
Alexandre Herchcovitch, Alexandre Plokhov, Araks, Bebe, Betsey Johnson, Callula Lilibelle, Carlos Miele, Carolina Herrera, Chris Benz, Creatures of the Wind, Donna Karan New York, Edite Showroom designers, Jad Ghandour, Jenny Packman, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Norman Ambrose, Ohne Titel, Pamella Roland, Perry Ellis, Rachel Roy, Rachel Zoe, Rebecca Minkoff, Reem Acra, Thom Browne, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, Vlov_ Qingqing Wu, Yeohlee, Zero + Maria Cornejo


BOY, were tongues awagging after the Betsey Johnson show yesterday. Hardcore fans loved it. Some thought it boring, while others observed that she had the prettiest models.

A goodly number declared it the most accessible show BJ has staged in some time.
“Who wears those clothes,” one wag grunted, referring to the BJ of most seasons past. “I can see someone buying these.”

Amongst the scuttlebutt, too, is the sinister notion that BJ has gone totally commercial. “She has all of these tie-ins because she’s planning her retirement,” sniffed a wag who knows such things. “Those weren’t clothes, it was all lingerie!”

Actually, BJ does have a licensing deal with Intimates Carole Hochmann Design Group, and the company is listed as one of the licensees in her program. Further, Betsey Johnson LLC has more than a dozen licencing agreements. This comprises legwear, jewelry, swimwear, timepieces, outerwear and signature fragrance. All were on the runway or in the swag bag.


Regardless of the view one takes, Spring 2012 is one of BJ’s most subdued and approachable collections. Ironically, it takes a lot of inspiration from burlesque, yet it is quite chaste and often enough cleverly so. BJ put a tight reign on herself, to use a phrase. Did she do it to keep the cops from the door or to get customers into the door?

More shortly on the BJ saga and the rest of goings-on, including “best overall show,” from day 5 of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York Spring 2012. For now enjoy photos of some of the day’s offerings.

Yeohlee
Photos by Joe Kohen/Getty Images.

Perry Ellis
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Jenny Packham
Photos by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images.

Norman Ambrose
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Donna Karan New York
Photos by Mike Coppola/Getty Images.

Carolina Herrera
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Carlos Miele
Photos by Ileana Garcia Jacolow/ASJAIS Images.

On deck today, Day 6: Michael Angel, Tory Burch, J.Crew, Badgley Mischka, Vera Wang, Zang Toi, Diesel Black Gold, Bibhu Mohapatra, Herve Leger by Max Azria, Argentine Designers, Improvd, Tibi, Narciso Rodriguez, Heatherette, Malan Breton

Visit http://www.mbfashionweek.com/ to learn more about Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York and to see live and taped streams of the shows.