Acne Studios marked its 30th anniversary with a fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection inspired by personal memories and brand history during Paris Fashion Week. Founder Jonny Johansson reflected on the label's debut show in a historic venue. The presentation featured a mix of grown-up elegance and unconventional details.
Acne Studios presented its fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2026, coinciding with the brand's 30th anniversary. Founder Jonny Johansson drew inspiration from the label's past, reviving the interconnected chamber setting from its debut at London Fashion Week in Princess Margaret’s apartments at Kensington Palace. That venue had been secured through Lord Snowdon, who was shooting for Acne at the time. Johansson reflected, “How many years ago was that?” while shaking his head in wonder.
The collection balanced wearable maturity with Acne's irreverent spirit. Royal pleated tweed skirts in domestic checks were inspired by Lisbeth, the late mother of Johansson’s best friend Nils, who wore them during piano lessons. These were paired unconventionally with neck-slung blazers, python blousons over double-layered shirts, and boots with curlingly pointed toes. Ladylike dresses in lemon or silver appeared pressed and distorted, as if from a packed archive; the lemon version revealed a cheetah print base-layer underneath. Pointed pumps featured five wonkily placed leather and grosgrain ribbons. Outerwear varied in scale: a shearling aviator jacket was worn super-small, while a black leather cropped trench and two double-breasted silk coats were oversized.
Face-printed pieces incorporated images from Paul Kooiker’s portraits of art school students, exhibited at Acne Paper Palais Royal the previous year. The show included a parody of bourgeois luxury with fake fur elements like earrings, cuffs, collars, and fringed boots. The Camero bag appeared in handsome, time-cracked finishes. Beth Gibbons' song played over the system: “Never found our way regardless of what they say: how can it feel this wrong?”
DJ Peggy Gou attended the Acne Studios show alongside the Saint Laurent presentation, expressing inspiration from fashion and creativity during Paris Fashion Week.
