From a distance, Koa Johnson’s trio of gowns, on view at Honolulu Museum of Art, look every part the regal creations inspired by Hawaii’s fierce female monarchs.

A closer look at the garments in his “Royals” series reveals a range of unconventional materials, such as trash bags and disposable tablecloths, more irreverent than imperial.

The designs are part of the museum’s “Hawaii in Design” exhibition continuing through March 12, featuring 10 designers whose works reference Hawaii’s natural and urban environments, history and modern mores.

If Johnson seemed to have popped out of nowhere, it’s because he’s been quietly building a name for himself on Maui as the designer behind Kojo Couture.

Sometimes a neighbor island success story stays a best-kept secret, but in the social media age, images of his work on Instagram caught the eye of whiteHOT Hawaii bridal shop owner Daisy Merto, who inquired about carrying his designs in her Kaimuki shop.

It sounded like a no-brainer offer, but for Johnson, 26, it represented a life-changing decision.

“It was a scary moment for me because I was in a comfortable job where I knew what I was getting paid,” he said. “It takes a lot to step out of that comfort zone and do your own thing, when you are in total charge of what you earn, and, literally, making it work every day.”

His design skills had won him a teaching position at the University of Hawaii Maui College fashion program as soon as he graduated in 2011. He continued to create custom designs for private clientele, and on Maui gained a reputation for special-occasion apparel, including wedding and pageant gowns.

“It finally came down to doing what I really wanted to do when I started fashion,” he said. “I love sparkle, I love lace details, I love creating something different.”

So after three years of teaching, he made the leap. His first bridal collection, in June 2014, comprised five gowns and led to frequent travel to Oahu for fittings. Today he divides his time between Maui and Oahu, to the point where he could just as easily live and work on Oahu.

“There’s a lot more clients on Oahu, and many of them have asked me to move here, but I kind of like the luxury of saying I’m a Maui designer and having my roots there. Oahu has a crazier lifestyle, and when I’m there I’m in total work mode. When I go back home, I can relax and get into my creative space,” he said. “I’m not saying Oahu is not comfortable, too, but I have a different mindset when I’m there.”