Direct from the Runway: Betsey Johnson Spring 2012

One of the most fun shows to cover every season? Obviously it's Betsey Johnson. And this season was no exception! The theme for Betsey's show this season was "Tits and Ass," and you'd better believe hairstylist Peter Gray and manicurist Nonie Creme were up to the task. "It's kind of old school, extensions and glamour and fun," Peter said backstage. Find out how they accomplished the look and see even more pictures after the jump.

"Tits and ass! How's that for keeping it real?" Peter Gray joked with me backstage as he worked on none other than Betsey's daughter Lulu (who opened the show). "It was all glamour, lots of 70s references. I started talking about Jerry Hall, the old days of Cindy Crawford." To achieve this glamorous look, Peter decided to set the hair in old-school curling iron roller sets, though he said you can do it at home with either a curling iron or hot rollers. Peter was extremely excited about doing this, saying, "I predict the real return for setting hair!"

Peter drew a very low diagonal side part, swept all the hair to the right side, and set it in curling iron rolls with a base of Redken Full Frame 07 Protective Volumizing Mousse -- "A little bit of mousse, not a lot," he cautioned me, "It gives you a fantastic set." Peter then went over the curls with Redken Fashion Work 12 Versatile Working Spray before brushing them out. Of the finished look, Peter said, "I started in the 80s, so for me this is a real return home. I think as mad as Betsey is always perceived, there's this classical beauty, an underlying fun in fashion, a real woman who can wear the clothes and get away with it."

 
Nonie Creme for butter LONDON created an unbelievably dramatic look for the nails this season. She created a reverse half moon manicure with a base of butter LONDON Union Jack Black and a stairstep false nail in a custom-designed holographic silver glitter -- a teardrop-shaped false nail that was perched on the edge of the fingertip "for extra pop from the catwalk." But that wasn't the end of it! Nonie said, "Because it's Betsey, we added a diamante and a nail piercing!" Each model had a jet black baby safety pin pierced into the pinky nail (don't worry, the nails were fake!). "She's rock and roll, she's Debbie Harry, she's a little bit punk, a little bit F-U world, she really doesn't care!" Nonie said. "It's all about rock and roll, and glamour, and sex -- all those Betsey Johnson traits that we love!"

A poster drawn for Nonie by Betsey!

With the uber-fabulous Nonie Creme backstage before the show!

And here's just a little more fun for you -- models were given painted-on pantyhose lines that were done by Betsey herself!


Runway photo courtesy of New York Magazine.