Betsey Johnson brings her whimsy to SMC
Mannequins dressed in black and pink petticoats dotted Room 183 in the Student Services Center as Santa Monica College (SMC) students shuffled inside, eagerly awaiting the fashionable guest speaker, who was soon to arrive.
At the end of the hallway leading into the room was a table that held a cheetah print mannequin dressed in a black corset. Fashion students signed in as Lorrie Ivas, the lead faculty of the fashion department at SMC, zoomed around the auditorium to prepare and ensure that everyone eager to see guest speaker Betsey Johnson was present.
On Monday, Nov. 17, Johnson arrived at SMC on a stormy day to speak and answer questions that students had been longing to ask.
Ivas stepped on stage in her Betsey Johnson coat patterned with spiders and lined with black fur to present Johnson. “I think we are the luckiest people in the world right now; everyone in this room,” Ivas said.
A few moments later, Johnson appeared on stage with orange flowers in hand. She wore a white dress covered with her own illustration of a woman in a pink dress, accessorized with a black tutu, bright pink shoes, and stacked bangle bracelets up her wrists.
Ivas was a fan of Johnson for 35 to 40 years before the two even met. “For absolute years, like when I was in school, she was it,” Ivas said. She described a large notebook she created filled with Betsey Johnson memorabilia, including original advertisements from Women's Wear Daily, articles from Vogue, and photographs taken by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Ivas said she and Johnson nearly connected several times, describing them as “near misses.” They finally met in an eye doctor's office a few years ago and immediately hit it off. Ivas invited Johnson to speak at SMC, and Johnson said, “Do you think they (students) would want to hear from me?”
Ivas said her mission was to show Johnson how deeply she influences SMC students, designers, and professors' lives. Ivas hopes Johnson can see SMC as a home. “The feel that SMC is her, like home school, you know?”
“She gave me craft, my purpose,” Ivas said.
Johnson said she got her start at Mademoiselle Magazine after winning a contest. “I grew up knowing New York was where I needed to be,” Johnson said. Mademoiselle selected 20 girls from across the country and flew them out to New York for a month.
The entire process took about six months, and in addition to fashion-focused interviews, where they were asked about what they did and didn’t like in fashion, the girls also had fun exploring the city and staying out all night. “We were influencers,” Johnson said.
During her time with Mademoiselle, Johnson was assigned to the fabric editor, DJ White. “You want to design, you got to cut and sew,” Johnson said. Referring to fabric and design, Johnson said, “It’s got to be in your hands as well as your head and heart.”
Johnson continued calling on students in the audience as hands shot up. She reflected on her favorite eras, noting the 1960s because of “that newness, that primitive, that first time out with my stuff,” and the “‘80s because it was rock n’ roll.”
One student asked how Johnson stays unapologetically herself, to which she joked, “I know what it is; it’s the double Leo,” referring to her astrological chart. She also gushed about her supportive community of women and girls, who remind her of what makes her who she is. Still, she said she remains fearful of the reactions to her work.
Johnson connected with former SMC student Makayla Rowles, who flew from New York to hear Johnson speak. Rowles attended SMC from Fall 2023 to Spring 2025 before moving to New York. “I also just like was really drawn to the city and also the creative world here and the fashion world here,” Rowles said.
Rowles was 11 when she discovered a Betsey Johnson purse in a thrift store, sparking her love for sourcing and creating vintage fashion. She has previously sold pieces at flea markets in Los Angeles.
Johnson inspires Rowles because “the idea that it’s never too big and there’s always going to be someone who appreciates your art and your creativity, like, even if you feel like it might be too much.” Rowles said Johnson always showcased confidence, stayed true to herself, and never conformed to trends.
Rowles had the opportunity to speak to Johnson one-on-one, and they exchanged contact information regarding potential future work. “I don't know, like I literally had like a gut feeling that I had to be there,” Rowles said.
Rowles currently attends LIM College in New York, studying fashion business management and minoring in styling.
About an hour into the talk, Johnson left briefly for an outfit change. Meanwhile, Brenda Cooper, stylist for 1990s sitcom, “The Nanny,” answered questions. Cooper used many Betsey Johnson pieces on the iconic and fashionable character, Fran Fine. “When dressing is intentional, it is transforming,” Cooper said.
Cooper said she especially loved styling Johnson's looks for the show.
Ten minutes later, Johnson returned to the auditorium in a dress patterned with her illustrations, a parasol in hand and a belt wrapped around her waist. She held up her shimmering pink bag shaped like a corset as the audience murmured and smiled.
Throughout the talk, Johnson stressed the importance of change and how transformative it can be. She said she couldn’t think of a change that doesn’t seem perfect, and that when something bad happens, to try and make it a positive thing. “If it’s not good, you have to make it good somehow,” Johnson said.
Johnson continued on about her muse: her daughter, Lulu Johnson. “Lulu was always with me; she was tucked into my belt.” Additionally, she announced a new collection set to drop next fall, emphasized the importance of optimism, and spotlighted two vintage pieces — the only designs of hers she still owns.
Two students walked down the steps of the auditorium to the stage where Johnson and Ivas sat. Johnson stood up and admired Bridget Southam, who wore a Johnson design from the 1980s: a black dress patterned with white spiders and matching shoes. Natalia Gutierrez modeled Johnson's “foot sweater,” a bright red sweater covered with yellow footprints. Johnson technically owns only three of her designs, but she lent the third design, a sparkly coat, to singer Chappell Roan.
“I want my jacket back,” Johnson said as the crowd laughed.
Johnson urged Ivas to keep answering questions, but after running about 20 minutes over schedule, the talk came to an end.
“Be totally yourself,” Johnson said. She stood up and told the audience to be free and expressive because there's nothing to lose. “Don’t be afraid.”