Ahoy, matey! For SS27, Acne Studios presented Denim Hystoria, a deconstruction of decadence and a buccaneering masterclass in the art of counterbalance
Last night, Acne Studios took over Le Collège des Bernadins in Paris’s 5th Arrondissement, to reveal its spring/summer 2027 Womenswear collection, Denim Hystoria. Rooted in the brand’s uniquely rich denim history, and encompassing New Romantic reverie with a nod to piratecore's return, Denim Hystoria was a masterclass in contrast.
Most notably, volumes and textures played against each other. Contrasted against more structured tops in technical taffeta, flouncing, almost origamiesque miniskirts in periwinkle or orchid bloomed out from the waist before making way for leather biker pants or jeans, as did grander, embroidered skirts full of bulbous drapery. Polite floral and jacquard prints mixed with dark leather, creating uniquely delicate trompe-l'oeil and chiaroscuro effects, while complexity abounded across petrol-slick hues that veered even toward sludgier tones, heightened by their innate lustre and the juxtaposition of daintier details.
The denim was given the antique treatment with floral lacquering or torn Renaissance fragments, all bringing to mind faded, hand-painted touches of centuries past. "Here, denim becomes a canvas that moves through time" says creative director Jonny Johansson. "The collection is fresh, salty and youthful, it is a study in modern theatricality while affirming something I believe to my core: that Acne Studios always likes to play, but we never want to pretend. For me, it has to be real.”
The collection showcased tailoring to a notched perfection – as seen in a full-length, shimmering trench or black redingote, or fabric-covered buttons and rouleau looping – mixed with deconstructed pieces: a contrarian dance which, considering the intricate detailing, resulted in an unexpectedly laid-back outcome. Seared edges roughened up a morning coat, a peacoat was rendered cropped and chopped, and britches were reborn as butter-yellow leather capris. A trenchcoat, the colour of Ninja Turtle green, was laden with buckled straps and stitching seam-ingly seeping a rich, rusted, dark patina, as if weathered over time.