When Tracy met Betsey!
By Tracy Dizon
New York or bust!
There is no one else in the world who has salivated, daydreamt and
fantasized about New York more than I did in my lifetime. The Universe conspired
and also with the help of Good Karma, our U.S. petition finally came through
after waiting 11 years. Now here I am finally settling down with my son as a
New York City legal resident. I am finally checking my boxes one at a time!
My New York fashion love affair started two decades ago. Half of my life I have
looked up to the New York Fashion icons — from the flamboyant Club Kids:
Heatherette (Richie Rich & Traver Rains), Patricia Field’s Sex and the City
genius, The Accidental Icon: Iris Apfel’s Legendary Maximalism at its best and
of course every girl’s (especially me!) Fashion Patron Saint: The Betsey
Johnson!
In a New York minute!
So first thing’s first in the New York Fashion Life. Lesson #1: Always be
in the loop!New York City lives by its saying “in a New York
Minute!” So as soon as I heard The Betsey Johnson is coming to NYC for her
latest Spring-Summer Collection 2019 launch in collaboration with Urban
Outfitters, I was there! It was also Betsey’s first public appearance after her
successful open-heart surgery just this Spring. I know we have not met yet but
learning about her health and how closer I am now to Betsey Johnson
proximity-wise I couldn’t help but feel I had to show my full support to our
Fashion-Mother-of-all-things-cute-and-girly!
I had this all planned out for a very long time. I have a list of my New York
Fashion icons for whom I have prepared a special gift when I get the chance to
meet them. Betsey Johnson is on top of that list! I had been inviting Betsey
Johnson to watch my NYFW Shows since I had my first show in Fashion Week
Brooklyn. What I like about New York is how everyone can just try and go for
things. Just do it, and that’s what I have been doing! Weeks before the launch,
I was doing dress rehearsals at home wondering which would make a great
impression. Or course I had to carry along my iconic “Camera Purse”
which always brings along a nice conversation anywhere I go.
It was still a little bit rainy as May was coming to an end, but the Urban
Outfitters Herald Square was filled with so many cute and quirky fashion girls
(and some few boys) waiting patiently and excitedly for Betsey to show up! I
never thought there are many serious contenders out there showing some
Betsey-lovin-support! I have never been inside a place where so many girls have
seriously dressed up, plainly having fun, and expressing themselves, embracing
how fun it is to be a girly-over-the-top-fun-girl-girl!
The Urban Outfitters Herald Square store was filled with cute candy cocktail
snacks and drinks, ear piercing booths, photobooths and graffiti tote bag
painting booths. Betsey truly is the queen of all quirky cute things and we are
her girl squad!! I am seriously getting a lot of fashion tips just seeing how
it is done by the Legendary Betsey Johnson!
I must admit I was getting so impatient waiting for my turn. I was worried
someone might be cutting the line but I think what is a few more hours when I
waited half of my life! But as soon as Betsey Johnson came down the stairs with
her blue hippie hair, she was almost floating and so ethereal! You would
genuinely feel she was so happy to see her loyal fans! She was throwing rose
flower petals going down stairs! You can’t get more whimsical as our Kween Betsey!
Best validation for a young designer
As soon as everyone saw her the whole party got more lively! I got more
excited as I got my turn! It just literally happened so fast. I had prepared my
cute Tiara by Tracy Dizon gift. But the best most unforgettable moment in all
of this whole epic moment is as soon as I sat down, Betsey touched my dress and
whispered, “I love your dress, it reminds me of Harajuku. I love it!” I was
completely dazed and ecstatic!
I proudly showed her I have prepared her a gift and she was so gracious and
happy that we opened it right away! Literally a dream come true that she
grabbed the two millinery pieces I made and she tried it on right away! Hey,
when your fashion icon likes what you designed, I believe it is a good sign
that I am on the right track! I told her a little about Harajuku, how she
inspired me to keep on going and I even said jokingly if she could adopt me
haha! Betsey adorably answered “I wish honey!”Isn’t she the sweetest
ever?
Later that evening I got a lovely thank you message from Betsey Johnson
herself. She thanked me for her hat and for coming. Oh Betsey, I will always
aspire to be as awesome and as kind as you are. I was so blown away how
genuinely sweet she is.
The fashion world is filled with many fickle characters and fleeting trends and
styles. It is cutthroat as hell! But just knowing that a steadfast legend in
her fifth decade in the fashion industry remained true and genuinely sweet and
whimsical as her design is such a comfort and inspiration for many quirky
fashion dreamers out there! I am just happy to live to write a genuinely
good-vibe New York Story!
Tracy Dizon, a 36-year-old fashion designer and milliner, is often coined to be “The Filipina Betsey Johnson” by many fashion enthusiasts. She recently migrated to New York with her son to pursue her New York dream of becoming a world-renowned fashion designer. For more about the “Pinoy Pop Life” creative, visit her vlog https://youtu.be/sxWZD0jO9Eg.
© The FilAm 2019
