Beverly Johnson Is Engaged, And Wanted A House Instead Of A Ring
Mazel tov to model Beverly Johnson, who just got engaged to her 70-year-old boyfriend, financier Brian Maillian. In an interview with People, the 67-year-old legend says she and her new fiancé share a deep bond, explaining, “as I was breaking boundaries in the fashion industry, he was doing the same on Wall Street” (am I the only one who heard that KA-CHING?).
Beverly says she’s thrilled to find love at this point in her life, and she never thought she’d get married again. Awww! Makes you wanna keep swiping right till you find The One. Even if it doesn’t happen till you’re 67!
Beverly also announced her engagement on Instagram:
Brian and Beverly, who live together in Rancho Mirage, CA, had a spur-of-the-moment engagement while on a family trip to Palm Springs. Her sister joked why Brian hadn’t answered Beverly when she’d asked him to get married, and he replied:
‘I have answered her. I have asked her to marry me. And she said, No. Besides that — I don’t have a ring.’”
With that, Johnson says, “Brian’s 88-year-old mother took off her wedding ring and passed it down the table till it got to Brian and he got down on one knee. I was sobbing uncontrollably and he said ‘Will you marry me?’ and I said yes!”
Brian’s mom made her give the ring back (rude), and, despite Beverly insisting she wasn’t interested in one of her own, Brian took her to a jewelry store where he had picked one out (also rude, listen to women!).
But Johnson, who’s known for not always having a filter, recounts: “I said ‘Brian, I don’t know how to say this but I don’t want a diamond ring, let’s buy a house instead.’”
And that exactly what they did.
I’m sorry, Bev, but where’s that supermodel diva attitude you’ve so clearly earned after fifty years in the biz? You were the first Black woman on the cover of Vogue! You went after Bill Cosby, for God’s sake! You deserve a diamond ring and a house. Nay, estate. NAY, private island (please don’t tell me Jeffrey Epstein’s ruined private islands for the rest of us).
This will be Beverly’s third marriage, and her first since the seventies. She was previously married to real estate agent Billy Potter, followed by music producer Danny Sims, with whom she had a daughter, Anansa Sims. Both ended in divorce. Later she dated a pre-Mr. Big Chris Noth from 1990-1995. OK, sure!
But in all seriousness, I agree with Beverly. Rings are pretty, but if you’re not one for flashy jewelry, what’s the point of spending all that money? And some of these giant rocks are ridiculous. Every time these women scratch their foreheads they risk-taking an eye out. Nope, I’m a simple girl like Bev. Just let my aging financier fiancé buy me a big ol’ California mansion with a pool, tennis court, and petting zoo. It’s the simple things, ya know?
Pic: Instagram