14-06-2025
True Colors: Betsey Johnson Reflects on Fashion Pride and Longtime LGBTQ Allyship
True Colors: Betsey Johnson Reflects on Fashion Pride and Longtime LGBTQ Allyship originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
One of the most vibrant designers in the fashion world, Betsey Johnson is renowned for maximalist moxie and ultra-femme aesthetics that have proven timeless. And a new generation of fans, like pop stars Olivia Rodrigo and Halsey, have taken to wearing her iconic looks, sold worldwide at her signature hot pink and black boutiques until 2012, and now available on A longtime champion for the queer community, Johnson and parent company Steve Madden are partnering with the Elton John AIDS Foundation for the second straight year. Each item purchased among her 2025 Pride Collection means $1 donated to EJAF through the Betsey Johnson x Shopping Gives platform, supporting the foundation's efforts to end the AIDS epidemic and combat LGBTQ+ stigma.
Johnson was celebrated on Season 17 of the Emmy award-winning RuPaul's Drag Race, which featured a contest inspired by her career. Competing queens created looks and walked the runway in three B.J.-influenced categories, including 'punk grunge flap-pers,' 'Betsey's Prom' and 'Prenup,' nodding to her bridal designs. 'I was beyond excited to be part of RuPaul's Drag Race because it's just the most fabulous, over-the-top explosion of creativity and self-expression,' Johnson, who lives in Malibu, tells Los Angeles magazine. 'I've known RuPaul for decades now — I remember her early days downtown in NYC — and to see what she's created is truly incredible.' The show highlighted Johnson's support and love for the drag, queer and transgender communities — particularly when RuPaul noted Johnson was the first designer to use trans models.
It was never about ticking boxes for Johnson, though. 'I grew up as a performer, and the community I identified with and felt safe around was the LGBTQ community,' she explains. 'They always welcomed me and celebrated individuality in a way that I loved. Now, I look back on it and I'm so proud that it's part of my legacy — but at the time, it was just who wanted to be around ... and design the coolest clothing for.' Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the Daily Front Row Fashion Los Angeles Awards in April, Johnson celebrates the community that inspires her with the bold embellishments, glitzy adornments and rainbow-hued pizzazz of her Pride collection — all part of her mission to 'never stop sparkling.'
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
