Selfie reflection: Acne Studios takes an academic approach to its A/W 2017 men’s presentation
Acne Studios’ Jonny Johansson is sat at the back of the vast amphitheatre inside the Faculté de Pharmacie of Paris Descartes University. He’s deep in thought. Georges Papazoff, a teacher of art history, is in the middle of delivering a four-part lecture, which explores the connection between self-portraiture and the selfie. But Johansson hasn’t gone back to college; the lecture is part of his brand’s A/W 2017 menswear presentation.
‘This is a bit of a statement for me to do this,’ Johansson says. ‘I felt a panic last season because everybody is doing so much and I wanted to slow things down. This is about trying to give something that’s not loud.’ Using images from Ai Weiwei and Velázquez to Lucian Freud and Yves Klein, Papazoff explains that pictures, photographs and images deal with human thinking. And so too does fashion.
Johansson had been in conversation about this staging for almost a year with lighting designer and show producer Thierry Dreyfus. ‘Jonny and I always think about how can we bring humour into the presentation,’ Dreyfus said backstage. ‘How can we bring something nearer to the people and for us to not be seen but still evident?’
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Acne Studios website
London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.
-
International African American Museum celebrates life and memory on 'hallowed ground'
The International African American Museum opens in Charleston, USA, acknowledging 'hallowed ground' and celebrating life and memory
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Discover solid gold piercing jewellery from Astrid & Miyu
Astrid & Miyu introduces solid gold piercing jewellery to its core collection
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
CAZA’s Santuario de La Salle aims to ‘connect people to place and heritage’
CAZA’s Santuario de La Salle church pushes the boundaries of traditional religious design at the De La Salle University campus in the Philippines’ Biñan City
By Nana Ama Owusu-Ansah • Published
-
Paris Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2024: Givenchy to Dior
The Wallpaper* highlights from Paris Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2024, from Matthew M Williams’ exploration of the school uniform at Givenchy to five years of Kim Jones at Dior
By Jack Moss • Last updated
-
Acne Studios has created a fantasy house in the pages of latest Acne Paper
The new edition of Acne Studios’ printed magazine Acne Paper features ‘rooms’ filled with works and furniture by El Anatsui, Faye Toogood, Maurizio Cattelan, Rick Owens and others. Editor-in-chief Thomas Persson tells Wallpaper* more
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Palace of Versailles opens a garden dedicated to perfume-making plants
The Palace of Versailles and perfumer Francis Kurkdjian have created an astonishing tribute to the palace’s fragrance-making history
By Mary Cleary • Published
-
The finest fashion books for style enthusiasts
The fashion books taking pride of place on the Wallpaper* style desk. From monographs and photographic tomes to limited-edition titles, we explore the latest releases
By Jack Moss • Last updated
-
Acne Studios celebrates ten years in Paris with a ‘twisted’ pink wedding
Featuring pink satin sheets and shell-encrusted candelabras, Acne Studios’ S/S 2023 set was inspired by kitsch wedding archetypes. Acne Studios creative director Jonny Johansson and collaborator nail artist Sylvie Macmillan tell Wallpaper* more
By Jack Moss • Last updated
-
Women's jackets: how to stand out in style this spring
We present the women's jackets for making a style statement this season. Button up and buckle in
By Laura Hawkins • Last updated
-
Sustainable clothing brands doing less but better
LA-based sustainabiliy specialists RE/DONE launches its first upcycled sneaker, a low top style that draws on retro sporty silhouettes
By Jack Moss • Last updated
-
Acne Studios’ canine companions offer solace from social distancing
Photographer Anders Edström creates a series of portraits of Acne staffers with their pet pooches in celebration of its A/W 2020 collection
By Laura Hawkins • Last updated