No Go Fashion Shows

Betsey Johnson

First Vera Wang, then Carmen Marc Valvo, and now Betsey Johnson…we know that staging a show costs at least $100,00 but who is actually going to show at Bryant Park?

Ms. Johnson is one of an increasing number of designers who are not showing this February because the global recession begins to have an impact on their balance sheets. It’s not only the New York Fashion Week that is suffering; Cacharel has pulled out of Paris Fashion Week and Marni and Valentino are changing the format of their menswear showings.

So what can we expect this February? Fifty pink Christian Louboutin pumps for Barbie, that’s for sure. Mattel is planning a runway show as part of New York fashion week, with 50 designers who will produce life-size outfits inspired by Barbie. Christian Louboutin will be “designing pumps in iconic Barbie Pantone 219 Pink and each of the 50 models will be wearing the pink Loubous at the show.”

After 50 years, it seems that Barbie still lives in the perfect, material world and the recession doesn’t change her life. Louboutin tells us that “Barbie needs to wear great shoes because every girl needs to wear great shoes” and since he’s genius, he’s always right. Let’s see if Payless made some cute Pantone 219 Pink pumps.
-Chloé van der Wel