Acne Studios Presents Its New Menswear Fall/Winter 2023 Collection

Luxferity, 18.01.2023

Channelling a modern caveman, the fall/winter 2023 collection celebrates the shifting boundaries of menswear. Juxtaposing fabrics and cuts that traditionally skew feminine with those that once codified masculinity, the collection also blends craft-infused daywear with experimental eveningwear for a new age of self-expression.

“When I work, it’s sort of like therapy. I’ve been thinking a lot about the masculine baggage that we drag along as guys, boys, men and I wanted to explore it for fall. The so-called rules of masculinity are changing. The contrast I built the collection on is simple: ultra-masculine versus ultra-feminine. I felt inspired by the new man, the new way of looking at things, and by men who can show vulnerability aesthetically. I was intrigued by the thought of a caveman being the most masculine thing and I used that as a contrast,” says Jonny Johansson, Creative Director, Acne Studios.

Silhouette

Skintight meets supersized for a new take on nonchalance. Second-skin cropped tees and knits contrast with one-size-up denim jeans; slim leather biker pants are paired with flesh-exposing stretch tops; and boxy tuxedo jackets accompany fitted pants for an evening-ready exercise in contrast.

Colour palette

Earthy browns and smudgy greens, dusty pinks and rusty oranges, faded blues and cloudy greys – all are enlivened with flashes of neon alongside metallic gold and copper.

Fabrics

Contrasting fabric combinations indicate a radical lack of convention. Tough leather biker and baggy pinstripe pants are cut low at the waist to expose sheer lacy underlayers. Rugged oversized shearling jackets and washed-out denim outerwear vie for consideration with crinkled silk shirts and delicately-knitted leggings. A shrunken, distressed broderie anglaise jacket faces off against flared plaid trousers. Outerwear in padded velvet and fluffy wool contrasts with stretchy layering favourites that hug the form. Meanwhile several looks subvert the soccer-player stereotype, counteracting faded sportswear with satin shirts and ribbed shorts, and striped field socks with tube dresses.

Prints

Breezy checks, traditional tartans and cheery stripes offer a peppy counterpoint to washed-out tie-dye, prints that feature naturally occurring minerals and precious stones.

Graphics

A slogan cropped t-shirt reads ‘GRETA’, a reference to iconic Swedish-American icon Greta Garbo. A doodled Acne Studios logo that resembles a crude cave painting appears throughout the collection on branded leather patches, alongside the ‘Acne Studios Floragatan 13’ graphic label, first introduced for SS23.

Accessories

Playful collides with practical as knitted bonnets and satin headscarves bump up against a rustic shearling bucket hat and a heavy shearling scarf. Marine-inspired jewellery has a primitive, almost-homemade appeal, with wave-shaped necklaces appearing alongside chunky chains, some affixed with a wolf-head closure, others sporting logos and charms. Sporty knee-high socks, some decorated with Acne Studios graphics, add an athletic edge in places.

Footwear

Western cowboy boots and athletic football sneakers comprise the primary archetypes for shoes, though both are reimagined with wedge heels, retro neon laces, vividly coloured tongues and in metallic spray-effect colourways. Tractor-soled combat boots come in distressed brown leather or painted with esoteric flower prints. Classic loafers and derbies add polish.