Betsy Johnson Is Hard Dressing

The rigid exclusivity that reigns supreme over the global fashion calendar is a secret to no one - not least Betsy Johnson - whose latest project Hard Dressing explores the intersection of commodity culture, fashion commerce, and class, taking its inspiration from Johnson's own upbringing in Grimsby.

Following on from the project's debut exhibition at Galerie Sultana in Paris earlier this summer, the project has now materialised as a heavy-duty catalogue featuring a series of images by Johnson that work in tandem with the creative director's fashion line Products. As well as offering an alternate social commentary on the beauty industry, the prized catalogue - which features collaborators including Charlie Le Mindu and Hugo Comte - also makes a point to reference satire by providing different insights into identity and the challenges of being a young business owner.

Intentionally designed to mimic those now iconic Argos catalogues, Johnson's publication is more than just a mimicry of what's come before, it's a style bible for those who struggle to find their place in today's over-saturated fashion and art industries. From including a blown-up biblical receipt listing the 'commandments of capitalism' (a Marxist's wet dream or very own night terror, you decide) to an almost maquette-sized version of Damien Hirst's pharmacy, Hard Dressing is for those with grit, seeking to exist on the periphery of both art and fashion spaces - belonging to neither but interrogating both.