Acne Studios presents its Women’s Spring Summer 2024 collection

Show

After-hours liberation. A soft-furnished lounge made entirely of ecru canvas, illuminated by a deconstructed disco ball. A place to lose track of time and inhibitions, with a magical mood of anticipation. Guests sit on soft furnishings by Austrian artist Lukas Gschwandtner, with show music by electronic duo Giant Swan.

The show is held at L’Observatoire de Paris, the city’s historic astronomical observatory.

Inspiration

Elevated industrial; artefacts of dressing. British artist Katerina Jebb’s work Physical Evidence of a Woman informs the collection where scanned symbols of ‘feminine dress codes’ – red stilettos, false eyelashes, lady tights – are subverted and juxtaposed with an avant-garde rawness.

“The industrial mood this season comes mostly from my passion for denim and the many ways we can manipulate this amazing fabric. It also comes from the idea of a construction site: things are unfinished,

a work in progress. I wanted to convey the beauty of that,” says Jonny Johansson, creative director of Acne Studios. “We also worked with Katerina Jebb’s scan-ography series Physical Evidence of a Woman. These artefacts are something that I feel is almost lost today, they feel dated, yet they are still there. So we used them as prints and subverted them. This exploration felt timely with where we are in fashion right now: lines between genders are blurred, there are no labels anymore.”

Fabrics

Denim elevated to artworks, covered in white paint and crackled clay-like treatments. 5-pocket codes are reimagined as mini-skirts and denim jackets. Leather is crinkled, moulded, and pulled around the body, adorned with pockets and belt loop details as a subtle homage to denim as an industry. Layered transparent fabrics reveal and conceal. There is a juxtaposition in weights; heavily plaster-treated pieces contrast with light, airy silks and delicate feathers.

Colour palette

White and greys with a cement, plastery tone contrasted with strong signal colours: vivid blue, green,

and red. Pastel pinks and blues meet purples.

Silhouette

Floating and sculptural, draped and couturesque, slightly undone. Skirts appear levitating, low on the waist, as if hanging off the body. Monochrome looks and exaggerated elongated sleeves contrasted with micro lengths. There is a feeling of speed and spontaneity, the expression of putting clothes on fast: a bra attached to a t-shirt and sweaters patchworked together to become a slit skirt, bags nonchalantly attached to garments.

Prints

Using a scanning technique, Katerina Jebb interrogates and documents objects – hosiery, stilettos, false eyelashes – traditionally codified as women’s essentials. The artworks appear as prints on dresses and tops. Elsewhere, tea towel-like checks are reimagined with ruffles and pom poms on dresses.

Accessories

Minimalistic and understated: knee-high transparent socks alongside oversized futuristic sunglasses in silver and black.

Footwear

The stiletto pump is the season’s hero shoe and is the subject of Katerina Jebb’s artwork. Emulating an exaggerated version of the court shoe, it also appears on a dress and plays a central role in the collection’s inspiration and show. A studded glossy strappy wedge shoe counterbalances it, adding toughness.

Bags

The Multipocket, first introduced for FW23, returns in a bright glossy red, a brushed icy blue, and shiny brown leather. The compact shoulder bag’s shape references tool belts and vintage camera bags. A dimple-shaped bowling bag is introduced. Elsewhere, glossy structured studded bags, reminiscent of miniature disco balls.

Barbara Braghin