Painters
All images courtesy of Johan Ku
The Taipei born designer started his career in the world of graphics, moving into fashion through designs that reach across spectrums from structural knitwear to luxury ready-to-wear menswear and womenswear. 2009 saw him win Gen Art's Avant Guard Prize for his "Emotional Sculpture" collection and since then he has become internationally respected in the knitwear industry.
SS21's collection "Painters" took inspiration from abstract art and graphic prints and was featured as part of London Fashion Week through the socially distanced medium of film. We had the pleasure of speaking to the designer, about navigating these challenging times, his new collection and his hopes for the future.
Hi Johan, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us and congratulations on your new collection 'The Painters'. SS21 takes inspiration from abstract art, were there any particular artists that particularly resonated with you during the design process and why?
I met Po-Hsun Peng (@hsun.art), an artist from Taiwan, at an online art event during the pandemic. I collected some of his artworks and became a friend of his. I am particularly in love with his "dense abstract style" from the many different art styles he can create. After I visited his studio, I found some interesting objects I can apply on fashion prints such as a used cutting map covered with colourful lines and strokes, some used brushes, some new or used paint tubes and crayons. That's the start of "The Painters" collection.
This season you have celebrated the art of painting, and your AW shows reflect your love of sculpture, how has your creativity helped you during these challenging times?
Fashion is a challenging business, indeed. I think I have a gift of creating a silver lining on a non-lined cloud by thinking outside of the box. Lucky or unluckily, I am also a film lover. Therefore, directing a fashion film for my new collection instead of a physical catwalk is actually a quite joyful experience for me.
“Versatility” is quite crucial to an independent designer brand like us in both creative and business sides.”
Your work is very versatile, ranging from sculptural knitwear to luxury ready to wear. How crucial do you feel it is to be versatile as a designer? Are there any parts of your working practice that you've had to change amidst the pandemic?
Besides working from home and the fact that I cannot fly to other countries physically to find inspirations, my working practise is almost the same during the pandemic. My versatile design background contributes to my versatile range of design - studying graphic design in vocational school and majoring in both fashion and textile design in BA and MA courses. "Versatility" is quite crucial to an independent designer brand like us in both creative and business sides.
You won the Gen Art's Design Vision Avant-Garde award in 2009 for your 'Emotional Sculpture' collection. Congratulations! We've seen a shift in the way that people are dressing at the moment, with functionality taking precedence over form. Do you think your designs will move in a direction which reflects this, or do you think there is still space for extravagant dressing and sculptural pieces?
I believe the world still needs a huge range of different selections in fashion to fit different lifestyles. Lady Gaga, for example, may need functional clothing for daily life but still needs some extravagant items for MTV or on the red carpet. Fashion is not only for reality and business but also a way to express imagination and creativities to me. I believe there will still be a place for you if you are really, really, I mean REALLY, good at something.
From graphic designer to clothes designer, you are used to switching between mediums. How did you find film as a tool to present your work as opposed to a live show?
A fashion film can express the mood and details of the collection through proper editing. Just like the difference between an MTV or a live performance, a fashion film can present the collection in a more editorial way than a physical catwalk can do. The dynamic live atmosphere, however, is the strength of a physical catwalk which the fashion film can never achieve.
We love your collection of bright and graphical masks, in the current climate, how important is it to you to bring positivity through your clothes and accessories?
We launched Johan Ku Mask line because I believe if a mask is an essential item for lifestyle today, people should have a choice of combining function and fashion to cheer up their life. Po-Hsun Peng, the artist we worked with for our new collection, always mentions his artwork as "Not only for cheering up others, but also a self-healing process". I think people would mentally feel better when they wear cheerful clothing and we are offering "The Painters" collection to reach that goal.
The fashion industry has had to rethink itself this season, from distanced shows to ethical and environmental practices, what are your thoughts on this, and how would you like to see the industry moving forward?
It's time for the fashion industry to make a significant "change" once and for all. The new changes will become the new normal later. It's also the time for the fashion industry to rethink the way we produce and showcase a new collection. The industry needs to embrace new and digital technologies, as well as the changes that come after that. For example, buyers use an online platform like Joor more than visiting trade shows in Paris now. It's good for new designers who are growing up with the internet and digital technologies to be adaptable to those changes to survive.
What are your hopes for the future of the Johan Ku brand?
Hopefully, we can have your interview every season since now, and more and more people know us from your lovely article. Shall we? :D
See more of Johan Ku’s beautiful designs on his site here.
