ACNE | SPRING / SUMMER 2011

Swedish label Acne has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is quickly establishing itself as one of the most lusted-after fashion label around.

Creative director Jonny Johansson is playful with the collections. Although minimalism is the core theme, the detail on the clothing expresses his sheer precision and hemanages to make his designs edgy whilst keeping the materials and colours beautifully simplistic.

Acne stands for ‘Ambition to create novel expressions’, something he takes literally. Although Johansson lacks traditional experience in fashion, he is skilled in pulling together stunning collections year after year. Johansson has admitted that he looks to current fashion as a springboard to create something new, making Acne a brand which is always ahead of the game.

Acne was the up and coming collection for 2011’s London Fashion Week. Slightly more feminine this time around, Johansson made use of pastel colours as well as a few statement pieces in blood orange and red.

The Acne collection consisted of leather and suede jackets and waistcoats, including studded numbers. One standout design had oversized black pearls embroidered onto it, adding a feminine touch. Tribal shaped carvings featured on a few of the cropped jackets, again showcasing his attention to detail. Silk hoodies and oversized red and navy knits also took pride of place on the catwalk.

Johansson’s use of layered materials and colour underpinned the collection. He encased delicate, sheer fabrics with tougher ones, and a variation of material lengths with sheer silk shirts poking out underneath cropped knits. He accessorised with bold block clogs, long zips and round reflective sunglasses.

It’s designs such as these that have put Acne on the fashion map, and thanks to the arrival of a new store in London earlier this year, Acne looks set to gain yet more fans.

- Lauren Bell