"When I'm designing a new collection, I pretend I'm dressing myself. I imagine a new character that I'm going to inhabit, then I ask: 'Who is this girl? What's her lifestyle? And what's in her closet?' One season she was a parochial school girl with a street edge—everything was plaid and leopard. My spring collection is all about dressing a voluptuous woman who loves her body. No matter what, I'm usually a mix of pretty and punk, beautiful and edgy. It's a battle to keep designing clothes that are so far out, but that energy is what keeps my work fun."
—Betsey Johnson, fashion designer
Get Designing
Make-it-happen advice from designers who turned their dreams into reality.
Sketch
"Adobe Illustrator makes turning hand-drawn patterns into 3-D digital renderings almost effortless, and YouTube has great tutorials on how to use the program." —
Sinje Lesemann, accessories designer
Display
"To show the craftsmanship of your work on your Web site or look book, great photographs are essential." —
Arin Maya Lawrence, accessories designer
Sell
"
The Fashion Designer Survival Guide, by Mary Gehlhar, belongs on every aspiring entrepreneur's bookshelf."
—Christine Alcalay, clothing designer
