Acne Presentation at the Barbican

We’ve seen a fair few interesting collaborative projects spring up of late - particularly in the world of fashion - and Acne’s recent partnership presentation has raised the bar to an understated new level.

See more of the sparkling presentation at the Barbican

Set within the culture-steeped surrounds of the Barbican’s Curve Gallery, the presentation took on a crystalline theme at the hands of creative director Jonny Johanssen, who drafted in Swarovski Elements, metalwork maestro Husam el Odeh and artist Katerina Jebb to help produce the latest collection.

Alongside the distinctive nudes, slim fit jeans, cowl neck tops and subtle Scandinavian stylings, pieces came studded with tiny Swarovski Elements crystals, sparsely applied to the pressure points on each garment; a series of commissioned metal knee caps, shoulder pads and understated armoury from Husam el Odeh and lucid tie-dye style interjections from Mr Johanssen himself.

Working in tandem with the sparse metallic adornments el Odeh also produced a series of hefty metallic pieces, ranging from reading glasses and handbags to gardening gloves and envelope clutches.

In an artistically appropriate nod to the Barbican setting, Johannsen also commissioned a filmic work from Katerina Jebb which came projected around the space, whirring glitchily behind the models.

The film, Untitled Nº1, featured one of Swarovski’s ubiquitous crystals being filmed as it perched on a jolting Xerox machine which, whilst in theory may sound a little more art school than Acne, was in fact a jarringly beautiful, appropriate addition to an invigorating presentation.

7 September 2009 | Fashion