Acne Studios
“Ambition to Create Novel Expression” – this acronym forms the mission statement of Acne Studios, a creative collective and lifestyle brand that started off in Stockholm in 1996 with 100 pairs of minimalist raw denim jeans. Founder and creative director Jonny Johansson distributed the jeans to his friends in the Swedish creative community, and demand for the brand’s novel and pared-back vision grew from there. Now comprising arms focusing on design, production, and advertising, the collective’s fashion division split off independently in 2006. Its menswear offerings present a wardrobe of understated yet distinctive basics updated with perfected proportions and nuanced colorways. Leather and shearling jackets, well cut denim, progressive tailored pieces, and pared-back knits, button-downs, and t-shirts all reflect Johansson’s intellectual take on Scandinavian minimalism.
