A hay-covered runway? Kelly Osbourne in a mustache? Only one designer could present a show that quirky: the one-and-only Betsey Johnson. No matter how eccentric the presentation (Moncler had models stand out in the cold) or odd the fashions (glow-in-the-dark heels at Rodarte), no one tops Betsey’s funky, free-spirited approach to design, which has earned her the label, “Fashion’s Wild Child.”

With her Fall 2010 runway show, Betsey proved she is more than worthy of the title. Betsey Johnson took the fashion industry on a tour of the Wild, Wild West with a gang of robbers, bandits, gamblers and saloon girls. Though the runway show could have easily been a live play, the fashions were more wearable than theatrical. The Western bad boys—gamblers and robbers—embraced the menswear trend (also seen at the Rebecca Taylor show) with top hats, tuxedo shirts, suspenders, camouflage dresses and lots of stripes. The fair ladies wore fur-lined frocks, corsets, ruffled dresses, printed hot pink jumpsuits and voluminous prairie skirts.

The make-up was just as adventurous and uninhibited. Backstage, the head makeup artist, Sarah Lucero for Stila, chatted with me about the inspiration for the show. “The inspiration is Brigitte Bardot, a French Western film [Las Petroleras, 1971] that Betsey was inspired by,” Lucero said. “It’s all about that smoky, blacked out eye. Lashes are very straight and exaggerated. It’s like a doll eye.”

To create the sexy 60’s look, “the skin was kept bare with a matte foundation using Stila one step makeup and a peachy pale lip.” To get those sexy, smoky eyes, “apply eye shadow in Chinois all over your lids as a base. Use Espresso on your lids and crease and Ebony to line your upper and lower lash lines.”  Finish the look with “black cream liquid liner and loads of mascara.”

The bad-ass sign directing editors to Sarah Lucero, head Stila makeup artist. How cool is that!

No Brigitte Bardot look is complete without sexy, voluminous hair. Sebastian Professional lead stylist, Thomas Dunkin, spoke with me about the direction for the hair. Also inspired by Brigitte Bardot, the look was “60’s cowgirl with pigtails and lots of volume.” To recreate the style, “spray Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray” for volume and texture. Blow dry hair and “set it with rollers,” for height and body. Channel your inner cowgirl by separating hair into “loose, messy pigtails.” The pigtails should be “sloppy and asymmetric. Nothing too perfect,” Dunkin added.

Models hanging out backstage.

While messy pigtails are the perfect hairstyle for the saloon girls, the models dressed as banditos wore a different “hair” look: fake mustaches. The leader of the pack was a newly svelte, Kelly Osbourne, who walked with puppy in hand wearing full robber garb complete with a bandana and a pistol. The spectacle did not end there. In a beautiful tribute to Alexander McQueen, a model walked the runway holding a “Long Live McQueen” sign. And since Betsey Johnson held her runway show on Valentine’s Day, the models spelled out “LOVE” in sequins on their backsides.

And to end the show with a bang, Betsey hit the runway at the finale wearing a mustache, a striped suit and a sequined heart on her behind. She even treated the audience, which included actress Melissa Joan Hart and Fefe Dobson, to her signature final cartwheel. Her acrobatics were followed by a line of models carrying giant hearts.

With the recession looming, and the fashion industry struggling to cope with the death of Alexander McQueen, we all  needed the fun, free spirit that Betsey captures at her show every season. Here’s to love, guns and cowgirls!

xo

Jessica

Runway Photos Courtesy of New York Magazine.