The Ulla Johnson SPRING/SUMMER 2024 Collection reflects a meditation on the circle as a quintessential, divine form of nature, an artistic archetype that represents the cyclical harmony of energy. Circular paillettes and pinwheel rosettes-inspired by the sun-spiral over body-skimming silhouettes and slinky frocks, while tulle appliqué florals and dégradé diamonds spill across silk charmeuse and hand-crochet cotton. Profoundly inspired by the interconnectedness of art forms, the collection amplifies the intimacies of the painter’s brushstroke, the watercolorist’s blurred hues, and the finessed lines of the printmaker’s tools. These poetic gestures and exquisite details arrive in tailored silhouettes and sumptuously-hued looks that are walked into life upon the runway, conjuring a lyrical self-possessed sensuality.

A collaboration with the renowned Brooklyn-based artist Shara Hughes -a first for the brand- reveals a series of immaculate dresses and tailored pieces printed in the captivating imagery of three of her breathtaking, mercurial landscapes, “Tuck” (2021), “Ignoring the Present” (2018), and “Cherry in Lace” (2022). Johnson and Hughes share deep affinities for color and energy, synergistic visions united within the medium of both the canvas and the silhouette. “An Ulla Johnson garment reminds me of movement in nature,” Hughes explains. “The repetitive unveiling of layers mimics ripples in a river, or petals on a flower.”

Prints and textures swirl and deteriorate, falling apart and coming together again, mimicking the erosion of nature’s artifacts. Twisted smocking disrupts a classic plaid as botanicals and shibori motifs infuse quilted, braided poplin and pointillist crepe de chine, whipped into artfully draped shirtdresses and blouses. Lurex jacquard and frothy organza arrive in sumptuous volumes and sculpted shapes echoing flowers unfurling. Languid watercolors imbue swaying tie-dye satin, with bold, textural geometries adorning exquisite tufted raffia and prismatic stripes and iridescent filament yarns enlivening the collection’s knits and wovens. Victorian corsetry techniques and cinched waists balance slouched trousers and drawstring-adorned crop jackets in painted linen and cotton chino-an effortless blend of sportif elegance.

The collection’s palette emerges from the dreamlike landscapes of Hughes’ canvases, transforming into a symphony of earthen tones contrasted by electric sorbet hues, hypnotic pinks, and saturated blues. Prismatically marbled chevron stripes enrich luxurious knitwear silhouettes and tissue weight jersey frocks, reflected in turn across the season’s accessories. Delicate knotting, ruffled organza, and sportif macramé detailing enhance footwear, while new handbags arrive in pebbled leather and handwoven fringe in softly sculptural shapes. Jewelry, handcrafted by our long-term partners in Kenya, celebrates natural forms with hand-carved gemstones and shells set in hand-hammered brass. Exquisite vintage pieces from renowned antique jewelry dealer Kentshire adorn runway looks, reflecting our commitment to the sustainable practices of circularity.

The artist’s ethereal touch and the spark of collective creative visions are at the forefront this season, celebrating imaginative new heights of self-expression and balancing between the ever-changing landscapes of the mind and those of the physical world. Johnson’s passionate fascination with color, movement, and the natural world’s divine shapes cultivates a powerfully surrealist vision that explodes palette, scale, and texture into a vast dreamscape of psychedelic proportions.

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