An ongoing examination of masculinity in all its facets. Clear hints of sportswear affect nostalgia and academic influences – as if clothing is passed on for generations. The SS26 menswear collection prefers eclecticism instead of perfection and suggests an intuitive, spontaneous and carefree type of dressing.
The protagonist of this season is imagined as a student who quickly dresses up or is on his scooter. The atmosphere is casual and unaffected – a further development compared to last season, in which the focus was on the search for sartorial precision and perfection. Elements of a vintage wardrobe go through the collection: the feeling of traveling through nostalgia and eclectic impulses between generations. Sportswear remains present, but is worn in an unexpected way – in the sense of wearing sports clothing for the “wrong” sport or without a sporty context.
“We continue to research and continue to reconstruct the characteristic codes of men’s fashion,” says Jonny Johansson, Creative Director of Acne Studios. “This time with a nerd, quiet self -confident attitude that exceeds perfection by far. Our character is cool and unimpressed – this is his charisma.”
The purpose and era mix. The silhouettes fluctuate between stretched and shrinked, elongated and oversized. Pants are reminiscent of jogging pants in the volume; Shorts are cut; Narrow boot cut pants seem to have traveled through time. The 1970s serve as a continuous source of inspiration-for example with extended collars on narrow shirts, silky details and the new, narrowly cut “1979” jeans. With a jump into the recent past, the “2010” jeans-just cut and hip high-appear in a new, “repaired” variant.
Leather ensembles look luxurious and precise, a minimalist approach that is also reflected in clearly cut, latex-coated denim sets with stretch content. Archetypes of the Acne Studios wardrobe appear in new clarity: bomber and biker jackets are either sharply contoured and simply or voluminous with pressure patterns-from Japanese motifs to trompe-l’e sil-print, in which Denim is apparently “torn open” and that retro flowers come to light underneath.
Material contrasts also shape the collection: traditional fabrics meet sporty, smoother surfaces – checkered woolen fabrics, light silk knit parts and plaids are contrasting with smooth leather and latex -coated denim. An impression of stretching: clothes that like sports swear on the body. Nostalgic denim treatments create the impression of traces of carrying. The color palette ranges from sun -bleached tones to strong electric blue, yellow and pink – a constant color in the universe of Acne Studios. Brown tones and beige are reminiscent of classic formal wardrobes.
An accessory mix celebrates self-staging. Pilot glasses and sunglasses quote brille designs from the 1970s; Logo caps exude DIY energy. The cowboy boot returns as a fixed element of the brand. Soft, intended loafs are used for slipping in the classic car shoe. Sandals with buckles consist of newly composed leather strips. The Camero bag is interpreted in new materials, sizes and textures.
At the center of the collection is the game with friction and freedom – an intuitive free spirit that has always been characterized by Acne Studios.