Acne Studios has proved infectious for it girls having recently tapped Kylie Jenner and Rosalía for its latest campaign denim campaign. For SS24, the Swedish brand fused an on-brand display of minimalism with another change in direction.
With a giant glitter ball contrasting with an off-white show set, we saw Acne Studios’ new identity take hold. For a brand known for its scarves and knitted accessories, its new collection, which featured dirty denim two pieces, sporty wrap-around shades, daring cutouts and conceptual utilitarianism, felt far more Venue MOT than Columbia Road Flower Market on a Sunday.
With a collection featuring more than 50 items, the Johnny Johansson-designed clobber gave us a big fashion feast, packed to the brim with cool cut-outs, banging bags and quirky denim. We’ve included our hottest picks below.
Wrap-Around Sunglasses
Out of the block, we saw models dressed in sunglasses from another dimension. With face-swamping lenses arriving in ‘clean-girl’ clear, ‘move out of my way’ mirrored and ‘boss-b*tch’ black styles, Johannsson sent models stomping down the runway. Rave-ready, streamlined and unwaveringly cool, these were made for getting up to no good.
The specs were so sick that Acne Studios model and front-row attendee Kylie Jenner just couldn’t wait to get her hands on a pair, as she was spotted sporting the black frames perfect for hiding the sins from the night before. While the sunglasses were cool, it felt like Acne Studios was picking up where Balenciaga left off, given Demna’s de-Demna-ing of the Kering mega-brand. Either way, they were nice to look at and felt fitting, given the experimental electronic music which filled the room and the feel of the collection that ensued.
Padded Zipper Handbag
The solid accessories continued, as leather bags were carried under models’ arms, with straps flailing with each attitude-filled step. The bag marked a step away from the angular bags the brand has become known for, bringing refined smoothness to the display.
Arriving in a sleek black leather, crisp white and a worn, off-white option, contrast was provided through chrome hardware. The zipper was sunken into the leather and shrouded by two padded leather lips, which exaggerated the bag’s rounded silhouette. While not the usual Acne Studios bag, it did feel on-brand for the Swedish label, being minimalist and sleek and bringing a welcome uniformity to the collection.
The stand-alone bag served as a soft launch of what was to come. Later looks saw the design sewn into dresses in an avant-garde-infused Acne Studios, which balanced boundary-pushing design with its signature quirkiness.
The Haute Hoodie
In keeping with its new identity, Acne Studios gave us a cotton hooded dress, which said, ‘I’m hungover, but I’m here to slay.” Styled hood-up and shades on, this look blended fierce femininity with warm comfort. Finished at the ankle with exaggerated ruched detailing and worn with boots, this outfit elevated athleisure to a new level.
Whether you’re heading to the function or grabbing the full-fat Cokes the next morning, you can be sure to serve in Acne Studios’ hoodie dress.
That Red leather Trench
This look gave futuristic fashion final boss, seen in an all-red leather ensemble, embodying the new rebellious spirit of the brand whilst also staying true to the brand’s focus on high-quality fabrication. With a red leather trench falling below the knee, semi-sheer tights were revealed in a faded iteration of the statement shade.
On foot, we saw pointed stilettos in the same hue, which were strapped around the ankle. A small, red leather angular bag was carried loosely by the model’s side in a sensual IDGAF way, aided by tassels which swayed loosely as its wearer strutted down the runway.
This look was bold and feminine, with mirrored sunglasses being the only point of contrast, reflecting anything that stood in its way.
Wide Waist Skirts
Acne Studios’ contemporary clothing offering is described as maximal minimalism by the brand’s founder, Johnny Johansson. As part of his oxymoronic approach to design, we saw a figure-hugging purple long-sleeve with extended, flowing arms. A matching skirt was cut loose as it fell below the knee and featured a protruding one-inch thick waistline, playing with form as it bounced down the catwalk.
From one extreme to the other, we saw skirt lengths slashed, with a suede mini skirt, again finished with a wide waist overlapping an unbuttoned white polo shirt. Providing muted texture and changing proportion, these get a big yes from us.
The Jag
No, Acne Studios didn’t reveal a collaboration with British car manufacturer Jaguar, but it did make a bag out of jeans (AKA the Jag). The unstructured bag flopped and flayed, taking the shape of unworn jeans bundled onto the floor. For a brand so known for its denim, it was a breath of fresh air to see the rugged fabric used for anything other than jeans. A roomy tote was crafted from light wash denim, which featured ‘belt’ loops and front pockets. A chrome handle continued the futuristic-rave-ready contrast seen throughout the collection. It wasn’t that long ago that Acne Studios embroidered smiley faces onto its designs, and with its angsty club-kid rebrand, it proved it could still bring some light-hearted fun to its output.
You can take a look at the key pieces from Acne Studios’ SS24 show above. More fashion week content can be found across TikTok and Instagram.
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See: Hot Take: Acne Studios SS24 took a step forward, but was it the right one?
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