Acne Studios and Hussein Chalayan Reimagine Archival Designs in New Collaboration
The 12-piece capsule revisits the designer’s influential early 2000s collections through experimental denim, jersey and leather constructions.
Summary
Acne Studios collaborates with Hussein Chalayan on a 12-piece capsule inspired by his early 2000s collections.
Highlights include patchworked denim, asymmetrical silhouettes and a reworked Camero handbag.
An accompanying V&A campaign and limited-edition book celebrate Chalayan's creative legacy.
Acne Studios has joined forces with British-Cypriot designer Hussein Chalayan for a 12-piece capsule that revisits some of his most influential designs from the early 2000s. Renowned for his conceptual approach to fashion, Chalayan helped redefine the boundaries of garment construction throughout the 1990s and beyond, treating clothing as a medium for exploring transformation, displacement, technology and the passage of time.
Drawing inspiration from his SS01 “Ventriloquy”, SS02 “Medea” and SS03 “Manifest Destiny” collections, the collaboration reinterprets his experimental design language through Acne Studios’ signature materials of denim, jersey and leather. The partnership also reflects a creative dialogue between Chalayan and Acne Studios co-founder and creative director Jonny Johansson, whose shared interest in unconventional construction and material experimentation forms the foundation of the collection.
Among the collection’s highlights are patchworked denim jeans in Acne Studios’ signature 1996 and 2009 fits, alongside a new twisted silhouette featuring a trompe l’oeil python print. A patchworked denim shirt, asymmetrical denim vest and dress reference the layered constructions of Chalayan’s “Manifest Destiny” collection, with similar techniques extending into jersey T-shirts and vests. Accessories include a reworked Camero handbag crafted from patchworked leather in denim-inspired hues, while a graphic slogan T-shirt commemorates the collaboration.
The accompanying campaign was photographed at London’s V&A East Storehouse, where the new pieces appear alongside archival Chalayan designs, including his 2011 Tulle Dress and the Haiku Dress from the Sakoko SS11 collection. Coinciding with the release is Reference: Hussein Chalayan, a limited-edition book of 1,000 copies, editorially directed by Charlene Prempeh and featuring archival imagery, illustrations and essays examining the designer’s creative legacy.
The Acne Studios x Hussein Chalayan collection will be available online and at select Acne Studios boutiques worldwide, including locations in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris, Stockholm, London, New York and Los Angeles. The accompanying publication will also be available through selected retailers and partners globally.
