Acne Studios SS26: Gender, Identity, And Power

At the Collège des Bernardins, beneath vaulted stone arches and the haze of a cigar salon, Acne Studios unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection—a cinematic exploration of identity, gender, and power. Creative director Jonny Johansson dismantles the archetypes of men’s and women’s wear, blurring them into something distinctly modern and self-possessed. Tailored jackets hang with casual disobedience; uniform shirts and reconstructed denim pulse with a cool, androgyne energy. Every look walks the line between rebellion and refinement, evoking female protagonists unbound by the traditional gaze.

Craft, Chaos, and Control

Textile alchemy defines the season. Patchwork lace holds sculptural tension against torn denim, waxed leather, and gauzy poplin. Familiar workwear pieces are softened, spray-painted, or distressed into couture relics of a lived-in life. Accessories push the narrative further—oversized earrings in amber and turquoise, wedged loafers, sky-high cowboy boots, and new incarnations of the Camero and Hotel bags, each with raw-edged individuality.

A Sonic and Visual Dialogue

The collection’s undercurrent of homoeroticism is captured through visuals by Pacifico Silano, whose collage work decorates both garments and set design. Soundtracked live by Robyn, the show thrums with emotional electricity—her reworked track “Robotboy” featuring Yung Lean reframing the show’s core question: what does womanhood sound like when it’s no longer for anyone’s approval?

Towards Year 30

As Acne Studios nears its 30th anniversary, SS26 feels like both reflection and reckoning—a reminder that the brand’s strength has always been its refusal to stand still. The women at its center aren’t newly discovered. They’ve been here all along—strong, playful, and profoundly free.