The production itself was done in a clever way. Taking place inside the rooms in Paris’ famous Grand Palais, each room is able to bring in a different form of natural light through different periods throughout the day. This aspect of the location inspired Jonny Johansson to make a collection where each look worked as a piece of art to match the occasion that may be happening within each individual room. This concept is very unlikely for a RTW collection, and is something we may have typically seen in a haute couture show. That in itself shows how deeply and more detailed designers have become about their work during the current pandemic, and how desperately each collection needs to stand out on its own in order to be noticed during a period of time when their only place to showcase is online alongside other designers.

Johansson said that he envisions this wardrobe to be for the “post-pandemic woman,” so foresees that the virus will slow down at some point next year, explaining possibly why he used lighter colors and fabric choices than other designers did this season. The styling was also an indication of this as well. By using over the top, larger than life accessories, a feeling of “I am on top of the world” and “notice me” is felt by the wearer. The post-pandemic woman is going to be happy, confident, and excited to be leaving the house, and making the garments and accessories as full as people’s hearts will be when they can finally get back to life the way it was should make both parties feel and look larger than life.

This collection went almost past defining one specific trend and into being the perfect wardrobe for a specific persona. The looks were each so different and unique, yet still maintained a sense of unity as an entire collection, almost like the average person’s wardrobe may look. Just because you have a target audience does not mean one trend is the only trend that applies to your customer, so Acne Studios was smart to capitalize on that.

In terms of the looks themselves, we see a lot of different cuts and shapes being used to cover up odd areas to complete the outfit. Layers of materials like fishing nets and tarp-like plastics were used to give depth, body, and texture to a color palette that wasn’t as bright as some of the other collections had on the runway this season, and it works.

The use of nonconventional materials furthers the desire for newbies in the fashion industry to lean their attention to sustainable options. The carefree yet forward-thinking vibe behind this collection will make it a perfect fit for our forecast next Spring!