Betsey: A Memoir
Book Review - Betsey: A Memoir by Betsey Johnson
I love reading fashion memoirs! A few of the ones I’ve read and reviewed on this site include My Journey by Donna Karan, Beyond the Label by Maureen Chiquet, Fashion is Freedom by Tala Raassi, IM: A Memoir by Isaac Mizrahi, and Naturally Tan by Tan France. A few of my favorites I read before starting this blog include #Girlboss by Sophie Amoruso, I’ll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich, The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane von Furstenberg and My Paris Dream by Kate Butts. I used to choose these books to read with my fashion students when I ran a student reading group at Indiana University. I loved reading these books and I wanted to share that love with students. I’m really missing that discussion lately.
Betsey: A Memoir lived up to some of my favorite fashion designer memoirs. I just really enjoy reading about the human behind the label. A brand, especially one named after an individual, begins to take on a personality of its own over time. As customers, we can’t help but assume that the brand’s personality matches the individual’s personality after which it is named. Perhaps this is the case early on when the brand is first getting established, but so much happens between the first concept and the brand taking off to become a national and international sensation. Plus, humans personalities are a lot more complex than the personalities we give to brands.
One of the things I loved learning about Betsey Johnson the individual was her very middle class, somewhat conservative, good girl childhood. This definitely does not match the bright, colorful, crazy personality of her brand and makes Betsey Johnson the individual so much more interesting. I also loved that she never really wanted to lose that part of her. As much as she loved NYC, she was always a city girl from a small town. If you love reading memoirs, particularly about creative people, as much as I do. You’ll love Betsey: A Memoir.
