Taiwanese fashion designer Johan Ku, known for his creative and sculpture-like knitwear, opened his first store in Taiwan, bringing his edgy style to his home market, Want China Times reports.

“I'm excited, this is my first independent store,” Johan Ku told the reporters at the inauguration of his shop, Johan Ku Gold Label, at the boutique Taipei department store Bellavita. “Many people know about my designs and specialties, but few have actually seen them. After opening this store with my Taiwanese partner, people can get the chance to touch my clothes directly and see what they look like.”

Fashion and chunky knitwear

Johan Ku rose to fame in Taiwan after his Emotional Sculpture collection grabbed the top prize in the Avant-Garde design category of the prestigious Gen Art's Styles International Design Competition in New York in 2009, the publication reports.

His knitwear was also featured on the cover of the 2012 Tranoi Femme Trade Show magazine during Paris Fashion Week, outshining more than 450 international fashion designers who were displaying their fashions at the fair. Ku is known for his chunky knitwear and expert use of yarn to create interesting patterns.

Ku's latest collections are also on display in the store, including The Falling Beauty, which is inspired by the film The Hanging Garden. “The protagonist of the film killed himself in a garden with blooming flowers, so besides using bright colours, I also used some gloomy colours to represent the withering of the blossoms," Ku said.

Knitwear, cashmere, and silk

The 247-square metre store features 200 articles of clothing, accessories and leather goods. Ku's clothes are currently sold in over 20 locations in the US, Europe and Japan, but the Taipei store is the first one to exclusively sell his products.

The 36-year-old designer said that knitwear and cashmere are still his bestselling items overseas, even during summer, but the Taiwanese store will feature cooler fabrics such as silk during summer, given the hotter weather here.

 “Walking into the store, I feel as if I have entered a museum and that the garments on display are like pieces of artwork,” said Puff Kuo, model and actress, who attended the opening as a special guest.

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