Betsey Johnson was born on August 10, 1942, Wethersfield, Conneticut. She had two great passions for dance and art when she was growing up. This led her to pursue her interests in art and design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, which then she later transferred to Syracruse University. After graduating college, she dove into the fashion industry and got a job in the Madammoiselle magazine art department but soon later became an independent fashion designer. Part of Johnson 's success was her abililty to sense the social and subsequent style and sillouette changes. For example, many of her designs in the 1980s were influenced by British and punk styles. In the 1990s, she kept current with the grunge, medival, and decontructionist fashion movements.