Betsey Johnson, designer extraordinaire and fashion legend, stopped by Reddit last week for a AMA (aka Ask Me Anything) session, which lets the general public ask questions to a given guest about any topic. The full list of questions and answers can be found here, but what follows are seven things I learned about Betsey from her Reddit appearance:

1. She’s started a creative partnership with Kleenex. In her introduction, Betsey noted that she’s signed a creative partnership with Kleenex brand “to create a new line of attention-grabbing packages to transform a multifunctional product into a must-have statement piece for your home.”

2. She’s not always a fan of the designers’ items on “Project Runway.”
Q: In your appearances on “Project Runway,” have you ever seen a piece that made you legitimately question how that designer got anywhere near the show?
Betsey: Yeah, totally! All of ’em. The two times I was on that show, I … didn’t really connect with any of the designers. Probably because I didn’t get an affordable kind of rock-and-roll-type person. For me, the two gigs were quite couture, and over-the-top handmade. But that’s why they ask me to do a lot of things, because I have a different opinion, so it makes it more interesting.

3. She doesn’t really buy into the idea of “trends.”
Q: What trends are you predicting for this upcoming year?
Betsey: I don’t think there are any trends going on, and I think what’s wonderful. It’s a ‘do your own thing’ time. We’re smart. We have lots of choices. We can use dressing to help us or hurt us. And I think we’re smart and hip and cool about what clothes do, how they feel, the message they send. You’re in control, and I just think it’s nice. I remember the days when girls would come into a store with a tear-sheet from a magazine of something on a model and think that if they bought it they’d look like the model.

4. She loves spending time with her granddaughters.
Q: What’s the most fun you ever had?
Betsey: I always have fun. The BEST fun is with my granddaughters, Layla and Ella (Layla, 8, and Ella, 6). They’ve been, and constantly are, fun to me.

5. She’s not sure from where she draws inspiration.
Q: Where do you draw your inspiration from for such fun and bright pieces?
Betsey: I have no idea. I was probably born dull and sad, so I wanted to live my life fun and bright. Hahaha! What I love, really, is I have a 4-year-old to 94-year-old customer range. It’s wild. I draw inspiration from flowers, rock-and-roll music, children, Hollywood (old and new). I basically am these three boxes — the pretty, the kiss me box, and the zipper box. I build up a vibe of flowers, stripes, punk or pretty. That kind of real 50/50 — one side of the coin and then a complete flip. And the zippers and the leopard I would call more “punk,” more modern looking. And I like to stand for the two kinds of fashion I really love: pretty prom dress la-dee-dah or rock-and-roll street fashion punk.

6. She’s her own guinea pig.
Q: When you create a piece, what’s your initial reaction when you’re finished? Are you in love? Do you hate it?
Betsey: It’s a process. And I think you must love it and have a passion for it right from the beginning, and hopefully it ends up being something you love. But if not, I don’t know how you can stick with something you don’t believe in. Believing in what I do has been VERY important for me with the kind of work I do in the fashion business. I realized I have to be my own guinea pig. If I don’t love it, I can’t sell it.

7. She believes having the right kinds of friends can give you confidence.
Q: What tips do you have for being confident with yourself?
Betsey: I think a great friend can give you confidence. I think you need a little help with confidence, so pick wisely. I mean, choose your best-best friend to help you talk things out. It’s a HUGE thing for life, for women and men to grow up and change. But at the end of the day, you have to feel good about yourself. That equals confidence to me.