The Plaza Hotel will bring together two complete originals for the very first time: celebrated fashion designer Betsey Johnson and Eloise, the irreverent and irrepressible fictional heroine of Kay Thompson’s classic book, Eloise. Johnson will design an exclusive Eloise Suite that will combine the luxuries of The Plaza with the charming originality of the Hotel’s most famous “resident” for an experience geared towards children and adults alike.  Known for her celebration of the exuberant, the embellished, and the over the top, Betsey Johnson has partnered with The Plaza on her first-ever hotel collaboration, inspired by the energetic and precocious six-year old Eloise, who “moved into” The Plaza in 1955 with pet pug Weenie, turtle Skipperdee and her “mostly companion,” Nanny.

“We are thrilled to partner with one of the most creative and innovative designers in the fashion industry today and believe that Betsey is the ideal talent to bring the Eloise aesthetic to life,” says Shane Krige, General Manager.  “A true visionary in style and design, Betsey brings an exceptionally distinct point of view to The Plaza Hotel and to Eloise, who has conquered the hearts and imaginations of generations of children and adults.”

The Plaza’s two-bedroom Eloise Suite will be whimsically decorated in a color palette of “Eloise pink” and black, and will be full of surprises and distinct “Eloise moments” throughout the guest room. The layout will include one room for parents and a separate Eloise bedroom for the young and young at heart decorated by Betsey Johnson. Plans for the Eloise suite at The Plaza Hotel will begin following New York fashion week.

Since the 1960s, Betsey Johnson has been a dynamic force in the fashion and design industries, bringing her signature whimsy and irresistible joie de vivreto designs that range from ready–to-wear to shoes, lingerie and accessories. Like Eloise herself, Johnson is acclaimed for a buoyant, quirky style that combines girlish charm with a touch of “rebel yell,” and her creativity will compliment both the rich history and contemporary spirit that guests currently enjoy at The Plaza today. 

“I’m tickled pink to be designing the Eloise Suite at the Plaza. When I recently moved uptown and my first granddaughter was born, I rediscovered Eloise and hoped that something magical would happen between me and my favorite hotel. This is the perfect pink combo!” states Betsey Johnson.

The Plaza Hotel’s famed Palm Court, restored to its original grandeur including the reinstallation of the luminous stained-glass ceiling, will play host to Betsey Johnson’s showing of her Spring 2010 fashion collection on September 15, 2009.