《 Flowers : Serendipity 》extends beyond the garden – a second meet of Michael Lau with Carhartt WIP
Across verse, paintings and design in the collection, Michael Lau has a clear, unifying proposition: Happiness and hope do not depend on idealized environments; as long as one finds the “flower” of a positive mindset, every ordinary street and corner can bloom into an inner garden of its own.
This creative ethos traces back to Lau’s 1999 Gardener series, which drew inspiration from the city, and has since evolved into the Flowers series, conceived by the artist during the pandemic. In this chapter, Lau meets again with Carhartt WIP, a brand long-attuned to global scenes and subcultures. Together, they translate Lau’s visual language into tangible expressions, rendered on Carhartt WIP’s signature canvas pieces.
About the concept
Flowers extends beyond the garden, as symbols of hope and beauty surface across everyday spaces. The concept reframes the city as a shared canvas where positivity moves freely, dissolving the boundaries between fine art and the world outside it.
At its core is a resilient optimism, one that resists erasure and endures through adversity. This vitality speaks to the persistence of the human spirit and to the staying power of marginalized subcultures, which continue to shape and redefine the modern landscape.
Within this framework, flowers emerge as more than visual motifs; they are vessels of inner hope. As a recurring language throughout the Flowers series, they anchor its emotional intent, quietly asserting that even the most transient moments can hold lasting meaning.
The project collapses the divide between art and utility, expression and wearability, realizing Lau’s long-held belief that “All art are toys, all toys are art”.
《 Flowers, Flowers Everywhere! 》
An exclusive capsule collection and pop-up showcase
“Flowers, flowers everywhere.
In the garden here and there.
Up the high and down the street.
All the flowers can’t be beat.
Flowers, flowers anywhere.
Hope, joy, happy always there.”
These lyrics were adapted by Michael Lau from the lullaby “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – his starting point for the collaboration. They continue the hope and optimism of the Flowers series, with Lau interpreting each flower as its own unique character.
Marking the second collaboration between Michael Lau and Carhartt WIP, following the 12-inch Gardener figure project back in 2017, the two launch an exhibition-exclusive capsule collection in Hong Kong for the first time, available in limited quantities at the Carhartt WIP Pak Sha Road flagship store.
The release brings Michael Lau’s hand-drawn Flowers characters into a new form. Rendered in intricate embroidery, the Flowers visual language appears on Carhartt WIP’s iconic Detroit Jacket, as well as a jersey crewneck and baseball cap; meanwhile, a collaborative t-shirt extends the character’s illustrated fantasy world. The project bridges Hong Kong’s street art culture with Carhartt WIP’s core DNA.
13th August - 23rd August 2026
Carhartt WIP Flagship Store, 13 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay
Downloads
Contact
Federica De Carlo
fdecarlo@carhartt-wip.comAbout Carhartt Work In Progress
Established in 1994 by Edwin Faeh, Carhartt Work In Progress (WIP) develops its own collections based on original Carhartt workwear. The brand combines authentic adaptations of these robust American archetypes, while engaging with the subcultures that have embraced it. This, in turn, has seen Carhartt WIP place itself in a new context and bring forth its own classics.
Carhartt WIP opened its first store in London in 1997 and today operates over 80 brick and mortar locations worldwide. It also has its own skate team and music department, while supporting an array of artists and releasing various in-house publications. Since 2010, Carhartt WIP has worked with a number of like-minded collaborators, including A.P.C., Converse, Fragment Design, Junya Watanabe, Nike, Underground Resistance, and Motown.
About Michael Lau
Dubbed the Godfather of Designer Toys, Michael Lau is an iconic Hong Kong contemporary artist. Born in the 1970s, he grew up during Hong Kong’s industrial peak, when the city stood as a global hub for toy manufacturing. Toys were precious treasures in his childhood, nurturing his enduring passion for toy culture and shaping his signature cross-disciplinary artistic creation integrating fine art, street culture and designer collectibles.
A graduate of Hong Kong’s First Art and Design Institute in 1992, Lau held his first solo painting exhibition at the Pao Galleries, Hong Kong Art Centre, in 1993. His career-defining breakthrough came in 1999, when he blended fine art creation, classic G.I. Joe action figures and street culture to launch his landmark Gardener series. Featuring 99 pieces of 12-inch original action figures, the series debuted in his solo show at Hong Kong Arts Centre, capturing immense global attention. As a pioneering independent artist, he spearheaded the worldwide designer toy craze back in the 1990s. His influential status was officially recognised by Forbes in its January 2008 issue ‘20 Trends Sweeping the Globe’ feature.
With nearly 30 years of artistic exploration, Lau positions his practice at the intersection of contemporary art and pop street culture, exploring innovative visual languages forged by traditional art media and street aesthetics. Utilising spray paint and collage techniques, he has produced avant-garde painting series including Flower, Master, Portrait, and Soliloquy, infusing his life experiences and critical reflections on contemporary social issues into his works.
Lau has collaborated with leading global art institutions such as LGDR, Christie’s and K11 Art Foundation for exhibitions of his paintings and sculptures. His works are held in permanent collections of museums across Hong Kong, mainland China and the United States. He has also staged numerous influential exhibitions across Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, London and other international cities from 2018 to 2023.
Credits
@carharttwip_hk