Betsey Johnson is a breast cancer survivor and a designer with a flair for the dramatic, so when you put those together, you've got a Kentucky Derby hat in the form of a Barbie doll plopped atop a well-coiffed head.
Johnson has created a trio of hats inspired by the horse race's venerable millinery tradition, to be unveiled during the event on May 6 and 7, WWD reports.
“I wanted to do over-the-top hats, and when you think of it, the Kentucky Derby is one big fashion show,” said Johnson. “I’ve designed three hats — the Barbie Hat, which I adore and is so much fun; the Rose Hat, which also has whimsical looking spiders and bugs, and the Cleopatra-meets-Scarlett Hat, which has a pink wig. A hat maker in Brooklyn made me a huge pink straw hat and it’s encrusted allover with pink roses and fake diamonds.”
Proceeds from two of the hats will benefit The National Breast Cancer Coalition and Gilda's Club of Louisville, while the Cleopatra-meets-Scarlett Hat will be featured in a contest as part of Chambord's "Pink Your Drink" breast cancer awareness campaign.
