Betty White’s Designers Remember Their Friend With Love: ‘She Really Wanted To Make It To 100’

Patrik Simpson

Betty White’s dress designers Pol’ Atteu and his husband Patrik Simpson designed one of her ‘most iconic looks’ for her Lifetime Achievement Award honor from SAG in 2010.

Betty White will be forever missed and fondly remembered by many — including her dress designers Pol’ Atteu and his husband, Patrik Simpson. “Betty was the sweetest person. I am so very sad about this news,” the owner of Pol’ Atteu Haute Couture in Beverly Hills told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY.  “I have celebrated many, many birthdays with Betty and even made her cakes a couple of times. For a long time, Betty and I had a phone conversation every single Wednesday and we talked for so long…She always asked how I was doing and how my husband was doing.”

Atteu shared, however, that he and Patrik were told Betty’s health “was not great” ahead of her 100th birthday, which would have been on January 17, 2022. Her agent confirmed she passed away at the age of 99 on Dec. 31. “I’ve known that her health was not great for some time, but it wasn’t until October that I knew how bad it was,” he explained. “In October, we had contacted her management about doing a gown for her 100th birthday. We were told her health was failing and that a gown would not be needed.”

Betty had regularly worked with the couple over the years for custom gowns, including one in 2010 when she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Screen Actors Guild. The Golden Girls alum dazzled in a turquoise number for the milestone moment, which was adorned with blue crystals and lace sleeve details. “We made a gown for Betty White for her Lifetime Achievement Award it was one of her most iconic gowns,” he recalled. Beyond designing dresses for Betty and other famous stars, Pol’ and Patrik are known for their Amazon Prime reality series Gown and Out in Beverly Hills.

Patrik also shared a statement with HollywoodLife about the Hot In Cleveland legend. “When I learned of Betty’s passing this morning, I was incredibly sad. But we were not surprised, as we knew her health had been failing for quite some time,” he said. “She really wanted to make it to 100. She was a beautiful friend and we will always remember her with love. She was a bright light in this dark world and that light will always shine from above, forever.”