Acne Studios announces a collaboration with Hussein Chalayan A capsule inspired by the designer's most iconic collections and a dedicated volume published by Acne Studios
Acne Studios has just announced a collaboration with British-Cypriot designer Hussein Chalayan. The collection includes twelve pieces and reinterprets Chalayan's design DNA through denim, jersey and leather, three of the key materials used by Acne Studios. The inspiration comes from the most significant collections of the designer's career: Ventriloquy (2001), Medea (2002) and Manifest Destiny (2003).
In a statement shared by the brand, Chalayan said:
«I particularly enjoyed working with Jonny [Johansson, co-founder and creative director of Acne Studios] on the denim part of the collection. The Acne Studios team belongs to a different generation, which allowed them to offer a fresh perspective on my creative language, something I found stimulating. It led me to look at my past work in a different light. At the same time, it reminded me that much of what we were doing back then had a timeless quality. Seeing my work reinterpreted made me realise that some ideas can continue to resonate and evolve beyond their original context».
The collection includes patchwork denim jeans in Acne Studios' 1996 and 2009 silhouettes, a new twisted style with a trompe-l'œil print, and a denim shirt. An asymmetric denim gilet and dress echo the layered construction of Chalayan's Manifest Destiny collection, a technique also explored in T-shirts and gilets. A new version of Acne Studios' Camero bag also appears, alongside a slogan T-shirt celebrating the collaboration with the designer.
The campaign accompanying the collection was photographed at the V&A East Storehouse in London, where several of Chalayan's garments are currently part of the permanent collection, including the 2011 Tulle Dress, commissioned by the institution for the exhibition British Design 1948–2012: Innovation in the Modern Age, and the Haiku Dress from the Sakoko SS11 collection.
Coinciding with the collection launch, the original volume Reference: Hussein Chalayan, published by Acne Studios, will be released. Curated by Charlene Prempeh, the book aims to explore the lasting influence of Chalayan's research on the worlds of fashion and design. Available in a limited edition of one thousand copies, the volume includes archival illustrations, photographs and texts for enthusiasts or those curious to discover more about Chalayan's world.