On again, off again, on again. That was how it went with Betsey Johnson’s show at New York Fashion Week, and when it was finally on again Monday evening at the Lincoln Center tents, Newsday decided to bring in a guest reviewer: none other than 17-year-old Melanie Martinez of Baldwin, a contestant on NBC hit show, “The Voice.” Who better, we thought, than this teeny fashionista who favors ’50s frocks and Peter Pan collars, to lend her voice to the trends?
Martinez, who was approached by dozens of adoring fans at the tents, had never been to a fashion show before. That’s still the case, as Johnson’s “show” was downright wacky. The bubbly designer, who declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy last spring, was introducing her new activewear line, called, “BJ Kicks A,” and filming her reality series, “The Betsey + Lulu Show,” Monday. So, it was Johnson leading a small group of models in an exercise routine .?.?. on the runway. Yep, there were champagne bottle bicep curls, resistant band pulls using colorful tights and something inexplicably kooky with the models hands in sneakers. The clothes? Cute.
As for Martinez? She loved it. Not only did she meet front-row types like J. Alexander, Patricia Field .?.?. and her favorite, Nigel Barker, but she got a big hug from Johnson herself backstage, who invited her to appear on a reality show. On a scale of one to 10? “This was totally a 10,” Martinez said. “It was awesome and funny and bold and edgy and crazy.”
Oh, and yes, Betsey did her signature cartwheel into a split.
