Just yesterday, fashion designer Betsey Johnson celebrated her 84th birthday, an occasion that’s welcoming a new era for her brand too.
On Aug. 11, the Betsey Johnson label, created in 1978, announced a campaign and collection with Paris Hilton that’s inspired by the brand’s archives and runway shows. Speaking with PEOPLE exclusively about the launch, Hilton, 45, says working with Johnson at this level was “incredible.”
“She is just as fun, original and full of personality as her clothes, and she brings so much creativity into everything she does.” It’s Johnson’s fearlessness and “strong point of view” that drew Hilton to her universe in the first place.
Hilton started attending Betsey Johnson shows in the 2000s with her younger sister, Nicky, and “they always felt like such a party.”
“It was never just about the clothes. It was the music, the personality, the drama and the feeling that everyone was there to have fun and be themselves,” she recalls.
Some things never change, even nearly 30 years later.
Being on set to shoot the campaign was a ball, recalls Hilton. “We had the best time brainstorming together, playing with looks at fittings, and making TikToks on set. She has this magnetic energy that lights up the room, and getting to create something with her has been such a dream.”
The collaboration involved Hilton marrying Johnson’s eclectic and unapologetically out-there aesthetic with the styles she gravitates towards most. “I’ve always loved fashion that feels glamorous, expressive and a little unexpected,” says Hilton. “For this collection, I wanted to celebrate everything people love about her: the pink, the tulle, the bows, the sparkle, the drama and that fearless sense of fun, while also bringing my own Paris touch to it.”
The collection — teased with bridal looks, slip dresses and confections — was built for the woman who wants her “outfit to make a statement before she even says a word.”
“Every piece has that bold Betsey energy, with the glamour and confidence that I love. It’s perfect for a night out, a party, a birthday, a girls’ trip or really any moment where you want to make an entrance and feel like the most fabulous version of yourself.”
For decades, Hilton has been inspired by Johnson’s designs, having worn them everywhere, from the red carpet to Coachella and her stage behind the DJ booth; her favorite look, she tells PEOPLE, is the black lace dress she wore back in 2008 to the MTV Movie Awards. But, “I’ve looked up to her for so long, not just as a designer, but as someone who has always created her own lane and stayed true to herself,” Hilton says. “Hearing Betsey say that I inspire her was the ultimate compliment.”
It may seem like a partnership is the pinnacle for Hilton and Johnson, but The Simple Life alum promises that their story isn’t over yet.
“I hope there is more to come. Working with Betsey has been so much fun and bringing our worlds together felt so natural. We both love fashion that is glamorous, bold and full of personality, so I would love to keep creating together. For now, I am just excited for everyone to see this collection and have as much fun wearing it as we had making it.”
Source: people.com
