Johan Ku

WWD US: "In Thom Fitzgerald’s 1997 film “The Hanging Garden,” the main character dies in a garden, causing the flowers around him to wither and die, too. That moment inspired Johan Ku’s spring collection. “I wanted to show the contrast between the beauty of the flowers and the darkness of death,” the designer said.
Thus, Ku worked the dark side of the floral motif to a lovely, sophisticated effect. In a moody palette of deep purples, blues and greens, his show seemed romantic and a bit melancholy. Ku heightened the sobriety with black elements: One look featured a floral skirt worn with a vegan-leather peplum jacket and sheer overskirt.
Just as a garden is a mélange of colors and textures, so, too, were Ku’s designs. By cutting up and layering various fabrics using hand embroidery, he created original textiles with ample surface interest. To that end, his signature chunky knits were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he added depth to dresses with intricately crafted, handmade fabric rosettes, placing them in a single line up the back or in a densely packed formation down the bodice.
A few men’s looks rounded out the show. They featured slim floral trousers with back cargo pockets, matching blazers and faux leather pants."