There aren't too many designers who like to cartwheel down the runway after a show (can you imagine Armani or Valentino doing this?) Then again, Betsey Johnson isn't like any other designer. Betsey's personality is just as colourful and exuberant as her clothing, and her personal life attracts as much ink as her collections. The ultimate rock chick, she lived in the Chelsea Hotel in the late '60s and was part of Andy Warhol's factory scene. Edie Sedgwick was her house model. She designed costumes for "Ciao, Manhattan," made velvet suits for the Velvet Underground and was married to John Cale.

She got her start in 1964 by winning Mademoiselle magazine's “Guest Editor Contest.” One year later, she landed the top designer position for Paraphernalia, a clothing boutique that showcased hot young London designers, including Mary Quant and Tuffin and Foale. In 1969, she opened the Betsey Bunki Nini boutique until launching the Betsey Johnson label in 1978.

These days, Betsey presides over an empire which includes 40 worldwide stores and is a budding real estate mogul as well. She owns the magical Betseyville villa in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. If you want to live the Betsey Johnson lifestyle, her villa is available for rent through the luxury villa rental company La Cure (the villa sleeps up to 10 people and the weekly off-peak rate is $5,500).The rooms are decorated in exuberant lime, lilac and hot pink- but what else would you expect from Betsey Johnson?

What is the last place you visited, and where is the next place you are going?
I own two completely different places in Zihuatenjo. One is my rentable-by-the-week villa Betseyville. Down south is my more glamorous Italianate style home, Villa Betsey. I was on hold for travelling for awhile when my daughter was pregnant. Her baby is now six months old so its time to travel again.  I like to go to Betseyville and relax. If I can make sure to get my lace curtains hung at Villa Betsey then I'll rent it out. Outside of publicity trips to LA and junk like that, I really like to go back to Mexico. For Christmas this year we're going to a big hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico because my daughter's husband has never been there. Puerto Rico isn't my favourite thing to do but it will be easy. No stop, no customs, no geckos climbing the walls.

I also love to travel within Mexico. Next time I go I will make a pit stop at San Miguel De Allende, a great gothic cathedral town just north of Mexico City. Then I'm really getting the itch to do real travelling. Once the Mamounia has reopened in Marrakech I'll go there. Then I need to find a great guy and go travelling with him in the desert to find all those great oasis.

I'm always on the lookout for India or Morocco circa 1965.

I love to travel- I don't love flying- and I love to get out of New York City and the Hamptons.

How does travel inspire your designs?
It used to a lot in the 1970s when it was all the hippie-peasant stuff. I think its interesting to see what people are wearing. When I travel my assistant and I go vintage shopping in London and Paris. But fashionwise, we're all the same now. I think travelling anywhere is inspirational, even if you're just travelling a block in New York. But if I want to find the real ethnic, peasanty stuff I need to go deep in the mountains of Mexico to see the women with their satin dresses and thick braids.

Where do you like to shop for vintage in Paris and London?
In London, Rellik is big time for us. We also hit the Portobello Market, Mary Moore and Virginia in Clarendon Cross. Steinberg & Tolkien on the New Kings Road is also good. I also like Alfies.

We've been making Paris an important stop. We go to Bridgets. We like to do the Sunday morning flea markets. You need to comb that joint when you go. I like the Palais Royale area and that's where Gabrielle Geppert is. In the Marais we go to Quidam de Revel.  In Paris its also fun to go to the new designer's shops. We go to Colette, Chantal Thomas and Lanvin.

We're hoping to find some new cities to go shopping in- maybe Italy. I'd like to go to Antwerp and Prague too.

Oh yeah, in the sex store category we like Sonia Rykiel Sports Store. They have cute little rubber ducks and stuff. I also love Coco de Mer in London.

What kind of things do you like to buy when travelling?
Layla, my granddaughter, is my big focus now. I have to buy her anything that's great. For me, I do the vintage shopping and if I see something for my houses or Layla, I'll buy it. I don't usually find much for me though. See, I have my dressing formula down. I wear black jean cut-offs and a leopard skirt. So if I shop its in the shoe category. It's so easy. I'm so lazy but I know visually that it works. It's very rock and roll. I did pick up a great girlie pin-up t-shirt at Chantal Thomas in Paris.

What's your pet peeve about fashion? Do you think people have taken the fun out of it?
I think people put in or remove the fun of it themselves, whether its about fashion, cooking or decorating an apartment. We're in such a trendless time right now that anything goes. People look best when they make their own decisions. I do encourage experimentation, whether it's trying a new lipstick or a tshirt.

How would you describe your personal style?
It's easy! My hair extensions are done four times a year. It's a piece of cake. Then my dressing formula is easy and statement-y. It's all hot wash and hot dry. Everything is folded and put on shelves and labelled. It works. The skirts are leopard and the tshirts are colourful.

What are some of your favourite restaurants in New York City?
We like to hang out and have appetizers and champagne in the lobby of theMercer Hotel. They have big couches and lots of books. You're not supposed to do that  unless you're staying there but they let me.

I like Da Silvano in the summer. You're on the sidewalk and its all car-exhausty.

I live in ABC Carpet so I tend to start my day with a shrimp cocktail at Blue Water Grill.

The St Regis has nice memories for me of my daughter's wedding. It's a nice pit stop when I'm on the Upper East Side. I liked it until they removed the cloud mural in one of the rooms. I wrote a note to the manager about that.

I also like The Gotham. The champagne keeps flowing there.

Favourite hotel in the world?
I used to like the Mamounia when it was the palace. Then they redid it and ruined it but now they are doing it again so and are supposed to be putting it back together. Hmmm. I don't remember anywhere I stayed in Japan or India. I used to have a boyfriend who lived at Round Hill in Jamaica but then I got quite sick of it all.

I loved the beauty and the elegance of the Palais in Biarritz. There were all these old Italian ladies who were just gorgeous and elegant. Everyone there really seemed to like their jobs. The weather sucked though. I like the old, decadent palace-y type places. Since I tend to travel alone a lot, I need things like good music and good flowers. Since I am by myself I notice these things more.

What do you always pack when you travel?
I always pack just carry-on. I love funky chiffon dresses that you can roll and twist- imagine a Fortuny fabric. I do my tshirts and my leopard skirts and I'm good to go. I think my makeup bag takes up more room than my clothes. It's the damn shoes which take up all the room. So I wear my funky espadrilles on the plane. I also try to pack an eye mask and ear plugs, and a close makeup mirror so I'm not sitting in the sink to put on my makeup.