Betsy Johnson aims to urge newer and bigger conversations about fashion’s role with the launch of her new organisation “PRODUCTS”.

Betsy Johnson is no stranger to bringing conversation at the forefront of fashion. Born in UK’s Grimsby, her fearless dedication to a certain visual conversation has led her through creating visual languages across several new-wave brands, and now beginning her own business from the ground up. Citing her goal of seeing fashion as a socio-economic tool of conversartion, Johnson never wanted to create a brand in the classic sense of the word. “I have never wanted a traditional "brand", that meaning a commercial company engaging with fashion and art in normative way.”

Now, launching “PRODUCTS”, she has taken the time to perfect her message to serve a wider purpose: focusing on one project a year, the creative collective will be able to really structure and emphasise the intended message through their product offering and painting the creative universe to support that in wider ways. Exploration being the key component towards ushering a new challenge in fashion, her experience in working with drops has led her towards examining what DNA of a new venture is really all about in an already saturated market of offering.

Speaking with Perfect, Betsy’s dedication explores the process so far, as she reflects on the very first steps of operating against the well-established status quo, and her wider message of ushering a new operative way of engaging with fashion that aims to shake archaic ideas, and expand beyond the industry.

Angel: Betsy, what was the starting point of this project? 

Betsy Johnson: In Jan '22 both UY studio and Giaborghini both within 2 weeks of eachother reached out to me to collaborate on both clothing and footwear; I found this timing to be interesting. I have never wanted a traditional "brand", that meaning a commercial company engaging with fashion and art in normative way. If I ever were to launch something it would be a company that operates against the status quo. It was here I thought of the structure of PRODUCTS: an organisation that has only one creative universe engaging with the public once a year. Exploring PRODUCTS. 

Angel: Having worked as a creative director across different mediums, how did that inform creating the brand and its visual language?

Betsy Johnson: It has been critical in making informed decision on how the umbrella organisation looks and feels. As a freelance creative director I have a few different work approaches. When working on my personal projects and editorial I am exploring an idea that comes from feeling, there is a lot of freedom in terms of medium exploration, outputs and neither project necessarily has to connect to the next. When working with a brand or artist I am listening to the ideas and needs of the client; analysing the world context of the customer or audience and making specific creative decisions alongside strategy time lining around commercial releases and key moments. All of this must look and feel within the limitations of an overarching brand DNA and strategy already established, and be telling the wider story of the brand in progression depending on the project. 

Both approaches have been critical to have a full understanding and experience of to communicate PRODUCTS and understand and establish a visual identity which felt both personal to me, and was interchangeable between mediums. 

Angel: How do you see the story told in progression of your brand?

Betsy Johnson: Each project will have its own focus of products it explores and alongside that, a collection of visuals around those products with explore themes relevant to the world context they exist within. I suspect it will progress or not progress as the world does or doesn't around each project.

Angel: What do you think are the main key points in connecting with consumers in an age of social over-saturation? 

Betsy Johnson: Powerful, authentic and relatable storytelling. Sustainable, functional and contextual product.

Angel: Lastly, what do you most look forward to in this project? What has been your favourite part on this journey?

Betsy Johnson: I am looking forward to engaging with cooperations across different product genres to push the conversation on how product is designed, produced and communicated to a wider audience.