Fashion designer Betsey Johnson has always marched to the beat of her own drum, creating exuberant clothes for more than three decades and thriving as a single mom, entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor.

You'd never guess by looking at her, but quirky, bright-haired fashion designer Johnson enjoyed a staid, serene, WASP-ish childhood in Connecticut. The middle child of three, Johnson discovered a talent for drawing and crafting as early as the third grade. She also loved dancing; she started taking classes at the tender age of four. Johnson's Broadway-trained dance teacher was instrumental in shaping the girl's destiny, encouraging her to make her own costumes and teaching her the joy of working with a theme.

After graduating in 1960, Johnson attended schools in New York. Then, in '64, she entered her fashion sketches in a Mademoiselle magazine contest and won a trip to London. After her return, Johnson took a job as an illustrator at the magazine — and began a side project making Mod-influenced miniskirts and dresses for her fellow editors. In 1965, the talented youngster made a deal with a hot Manhattan boutique called Paraphernalia, and her designs became somewhat of an overnight sensation with the A-list set, including actress Julie Christie.

By the early 1970s, Johnson had won accolades for her fashion creations, and she became a member of the downtown "in" crowd and started to make good money. But then a somber and subdued style of the moment emerged, and her whimsical clothing seemed ill-fitted for the trend. Suddenly, Johnson was having trouble making ends meet. In April 1975, she gave birth to a daughter named Lulu, whose father was a former lover. In order to make money for her family of two, Johnson took freelance gigs making kids' clothes and sewing patterns.

With the advent of punk rock and MTV in the late '80s, Johnson's star looked up again. She and a friend decided to start their own company, Betsey Johnson Inc., to sell Johnson's wild, wacky designs. The new clothing line was an instant success, selling like hotcakes and catching the eye of celebrities such as Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. The designer soon opened boutiques throughout Manhattan and in other big cities. In addition, Johnson delighted in her role as doting mother. Although Lulu was embarrassed by her mom's unconventional ways when she was young, she came to embrace them as a teenager. Eventually, the two women became best friends and even business partners when Lulu came aboard her mother's company after graduating from high school.

Just before Christmas in 1999, Johnson discovered a lump in her left breast. Just before her company holiday party, Johnson's worst fears came true when her doctor informed her that a biopsy had revealed she had breast cancer. Johnson, who underwent surgery and 33 radiation treatments, initially kept her disease a secret, but eventually decided to use her experience to help other women. She has been an active member of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, a nonprofit organization that helps raise awareness and money for the cause.