10-word show review: The bridging of two worlds via a minimalist, Prehistoric Space Odyssey.
Designer: Jonny Johansson
Location: L’Observatoire de Paris
The vision: At Acne Studios, the goal has remained rooted and consistent over the past few seasons. This fall/winter 2024 collection, shown at the L’Observatoire de Paris, was only a cementing of that. Creative director Jonny Johansson has built a distinct and unmissable archetype for the brand. Today, this person is a sartorial risk-taker and a versatile style savant who doesn’t take themselves too seriously, flitting between some of Acne’s most recognisable elements and new adventures all the same. On the cards? A revisiting of the brand’s cornerstones, from denim to leather.
The vibe: Walking into the set, guests were greeted by Estonian artist Villu Jaanisoo’s ‘Chairs in Rubber’ (2001) installation. Anchored by a stage shrouded in toughness (literally), larger-than-life furniture bodies fashioned out of recycled tyres sat prominently in the middle. If the point was to illustrate the hardiness of the material, it was well made and even more reinforced by the punchy collection that followed afterwards. “I consider myself a sculptor in the most traditional sense,” shares Jaanisoo. “What interests me about working with tyres is the certain ‘inner resistance’ of this material: it requires a lot of physical as well as mental force to shape them.”
Signature silhouettes: On the runway, this toughness came to fruition in an unaltered way. A textural play between prehistoric references and space-like intensity set the mood, taking the viewer with it on a pendulum of slick and glamorous. A standout design came in the form of leather dresses moulded to the body, wet and shiny. Following these figure-skimming visions were larger-than-life shearling coats, elements of which were found in other looks, our favourite of which was a top handled that snugly sat on top of its carrier’s waist. Shockwave colourways, tongue-in-cheek sexiness and a healthy hint of otherwordly flavour. Acne was alien and covetable all at once.
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Look 5, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 6, Acne Studios FW24
3 / 10
Look 16, Acne Studios FW24
4 / 10
Look 28, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 31, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 36, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 40, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 45, Acne Studios FW24
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Look 47, Acne Studios FW24
10 / 10