Bettina Liano facts for kids

Bettina Liano is a famous fashion designer from Australia. She was born in 1966. She is known for creating her own clothing brand, "Bettina Liano," which made clothes and jeans for women.

Bettina Liano's Fashion Journey

Bettina's journey in fashion began by accident in the early 1980s. A shop owner in Melbourne saw a dress she made for her sister. He liked it so much he wanted to sell it!

Starting a Family Business

In 1983, Bettina and her mother opened their first shop. It was called "Sempre L'Unico" and was in Toorak Village. The family business grew, and her two sisters also joined. They opened two more shops in Chapel Street and the city center of Melbourne.

Launching Her Own Brand

After working with her family, Bettina decided to start her own business. In 1989, she launched the "Bettina Liano" brand with her husband, Roy Christou. Two years later, they started making jeans. These jeans were very tight and sat low on the hips. They were different from the loose jeans popular at the time. These "spray-on-tight, hipster jeans" became one of her most popular items.

Protecting Her Designs

Bettina Liano was one of the first designers in Australia to take legal action to protect her work. In 1999, she went to the Federal Court. She stopped another company from selling clothes that copied her designs. This action helped protect her intellectual property, which means her original ideas and creations. She also won other cases against stores that copied her clothes.

New Collections and Awards

In 2005, Bettina designed a special collection for young girls. These clothes were sold only at Myer stores under the Barbie brand. In 2010, she launched a new, more affordable clothing line. It was called "T by Bettina Liano" and was also sold only at Myer. That same year, she won an award from Cosmopolitan magazine. She was named the "Fun Fearless Female" in the Designer category.

Business Challenges and New Beginnings

In 2011, Bettina's business faced some difficulties. However, it recovered in 2012. This happened after she made a deal with a company called the Apparel Group. Bettina still kept control of her business. At its busiest, Bettina Liano had eight stores across Australia. In 2013, she closed most of her Australian stores. She then opened a new store in SoHo, Manhattan in New York City.

Later in 2013, her business faced challenges again. The Apparel Group then bought the rights to her brand names, including "Bettina Liano." In 2015, Bettina started a brand new label called "BYBL," which stands for "By Bettina Liano."

Bettina Liano's Personal Life

Bettina Liano was born around 1966. She was one of four children. Her parents were immigrants from Italy. She grew up in Brighton, Victoria.

When she was 23, she married Roy Christou. They had two daughters together. Bettina and Roy were also business partners. They later separated. Bettina is the sister of Gina Liano, who is also a well-known public figure.