At Large Magazine

Acne Studios Relaunches Their Denim with Label Acne Studios Blå Konst

Acne Studios Blå Konst. Photography by Collier Schorr

If you consider yourself a fan of the Stockholm-based label Acne Studios, you now have one more reason to covet the line. Known for an aesthetic that combines the sensibilities of Scandinavian minimalism with an eye for eccentric details—how can we forget Acne Studios’ capsule S/S ’17 collection featuring psychedelic emojis?—the Swedish line has relaunched its entire denim line under the label Acne Studios Blå Konst. Intended to strengthen and solidify its core denim offering, the new label will distinguish itself from Acne Studios’ regular, seasonal collection.

Envisioned by Acne Studios creative director, Jonny Johansson, as a stand alone line, Acne Studios Blå Konst—Blå Konst means “Blue Art” in Swedish—will offer six permanent denim styles as well seasonal offerings that include accessories and footwear. For Johansson, the decision behind the relaunch was reflective of a desire “to create a free space running parallel to our regular collections.” “Our denim,” Johansson goes on to note, “will be like a study, always evolving and moving forward.”

With its debut collection, Johansson looked to the Swedish countryside for inspiration. “I was thinking about what we wear in the Swedish countryside, where I spend as much time as I can.” Indeed, for Johansson, the allure of the outdoors is due, in part, to the simplicity of experience it affords, noting, “I love the clarity of what you wear then.” That clarity also extended to Johansson’s interest in utilitarian design. “I was also thinking about the anonymity of workwear,” he points out, “and how it can be worn by anyone, no matter who they are or what they do.”

Highlights from the men’s collection included fitted denim jackets in deep indigo washes, water repellent canvas jackets, and a playful twist on the mountain climber’s backpack. Also part of the collection, the men’s “Hike” boot is certain to be a must-have for the season. Offered in two color-ways—purple and yellow— and accented by marbled graphic designs on the shoe’s sole and heel while accompanied with utilitarian flourishes—such as nylon laces and sturdy suede paneling—the “Hike” boot is certain to have you walking more than a mile in Johansson’s shoes.