Acne Studios Goes ‘Brat’ for Spring 2025
Is Jonny Johansson having a “Brat” moment?
Guests arriving at his Acne Studios show in Paris in the pouring rain were greeted by a lime green tent and PR teams decked out in matching shirts. Speaking backstage, Johansson said he’s a fan of Charli XCX, the originator of the viral “Brat Summer” trend. “She’s great. It’s this whole pop thing that’s been missing for a while,” he said.
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You could argue that Acne is the original “Brat” brand. After all, embracing imperfection is in the Swedish label’s DNA.
Consider the show set: an installation of soft sculptures, furniture and household items covered in quirky drawings by Philadelphia-based artist Jonathan Lyndon Chase, whose work explores queer Black identities through the lens of domesticity.
“It has a large place in my work, thinking about a safe space and thinking about a place that you can kind of unwind and be unapologetically yourself,” said Lyndon Chase, who sat in the front row barefoot — possibly the ultimate “Brat” move.
Amandla Stenberg, Sasha Calle and Quintessa Swindell squeezed onto one of the couches, dressed in outfits reflecting Acne’s eclectic approach: a black dress with a sheer corset top for Stenberg, and a yeti coat and flared leather pants for Calle.
The spring collection reflected that duality, with bulbous jeans and beefy leather trenchcoats rubbing shoulders with undone dresses pieced together from tank tops and fine ribbed undershirts, or flowing chiffon maxi gowns in upholstery prints.
Johansson said the effect was “domestic and alien.”
It’s not the first time he’s drawn inspiration from the world of interiors, most recently during the coronavirus pandemic, when home became a refuge from a world in crisis. But where previously he focused on the lived-in textures of furnishing fabrics, this time familiar silhouettes were warped and magnified.
High-waisted jeans with cartoonishly curved hips were bonded with foam, lending them a sculptural stiffness. One was paired with a latex, polka-dot print T-shirt; another with a spongy, croc-embossed suit jacket.
Knits ranged from a shrunken, boil-washed yellow mohair cardigan to crochet tops and skirts that looked like oversized tea cozies. “It feels quite good to be a bit playful and soft and naive and sensual,” Johansson explained.
This time last year, Acne was pushing a more hard-edged image, riding on a campaign featuring Kylie Jenner smeared in dirt and oil. But in the meantime, the Middle East crisis and a sharp slowdown in luxury spending have prompted brands to switch to more reassuring messaging.
The show reflected that push-and-pull, veering between cozy familiarity and the urge to chase trending moments. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan just kicked off their “Sweat” tour in bespoke looks from Acne Studios, hinting that the label’s “Brat” era is just getting started.
Launch Gallery: Acne Studios Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
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