Acne Studios creates pieces with stripe artist Jacob Dahlgren

Acne Studios is pleased to announce a collection of stripes with the Swedish artist Jacob Dahlgren. Season after season, stripes have been celebrated throughout Acne Studios’ collections as a playful accent to the brand. Inventively incorporated in unexpected ways into clothing and accessories alike, Acne Studios’ longstanding history with these colourful rays will now be commemorated through this collaboration with an artist who appreciates them just as much.

Since 2001, Dahlgren has worn striped T-shirts everyday, an ongoing project he now documents daily on Instagram. Acne Studios has used Dahlgren’s specific stripes and colours on sweaters, scarves and hats, as well as items for the home such as blankets and wallpaper.

“Jacob is such an interesting character, on the borderline between art and fashion. He’s very grounded, and I like the boldness of him living his art. With this collection, we tried to get into his world as much as possible, creating a whole three-dimensional world of stripes,” says Jonny Johansson, creative director of Acne Studios.

“For me, striped T-shirts are like abstract paintings. When I wear a striped T-shirt, I become the abstract painting. With this Acne Studios collection, it’s great to think of all the people who’ll wear the pieces, becoming like abstract paintings that move around the world,” says Jacob Dahlgren.

Jacob Dahlgren lives his life in stripes. The Swedish artist studied at the Royal Academy of Arts and the Graphic School in Stockholm, and has exhibited globally at institutions such as PS1 in New York and the Venice Biennale in Italy. Dahlgren now has an ever-growing archive of over 1450 striped T-shirts, one of which he wears each day. For him, the stripes are about abstraction, and Dahlgren sees his Instagram account @jacob_dahlgren as like a global gallery for his ongoing project.

Acne Studios are big fans of Dahlgren’s work, and wanted to give everyone the chance to join in his project. The artist was invited to create his own stripes, both their dimensions and the combinations of colour that were brought together.

The design team at Acne Studios then took these stripes to create a version of its celebrated Kassio sweater with two contrasting panels of horizontal stripes. There are also wide merino wool scarves with two contrasting stripe panels, and a knit beanie hat.

It’s not just clothing. Acne Studios has created homeware pieces that celebrate Dahlgrens’ love of stripes. There’s striped wallpaper in two different colour combinations, as well as wool blankets that combine two panels of broad stripes and wooden trays patterned with stripes. 

Acne Studios, press release, 10 October 2019