gilded glamour, Stone Age rawness, footy kits and sensual kink – in a study of masculine vulnerability, Acne Studios’ Jonny Johansson put a whole load of references in a blender, flicked the switch, and made magic. Contrasting and conflating the idea of a modern-day caveman into a collection saw a merging of masculinity and femininity, once again shifting the boundaries of menswear. 

A skewed series of silhouettes photographed in a cave (obvs) arrived in a battle of skintight versus supersized, midriff-baring cropped tees paired with oversized denim and split hem flares worn alongside second-skin mesh tops. Low waist reigned supreme as pinstripe pants were slung loosely on hips to expose sheer lacy underlayers, while crinkled silk shirts and delicate wool leggings worked in rugged contrast to oversized shearling outerwear. In another iteration of subverted masculinity, footballer stereotypes were thwarted into looks built around striped field socks worn with tube dresses, soft satin shirts and ribbed shorts.

Playfulness was felt in prints of breezy checks, washed-out tie dye and traditional tartans, thrown carefully together to create striking pattern clashes. On the accessory front, football boots morphed into cowboy boots and knitted bonnets met heavy metal chains in a mix of cute and kink. The Swedish house also gave a nod to iconic Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo with a slogan cropped tee simply reading ‘GRETA’ in bold lettering, while the brand’s own logo got a crude cave painting makeover.

Johansson said of the collection; “I’ve been thinking a lot about the masculine baggage that we drag along as guys, boys, men and I wanted to explore it for fall. The so-called rules of masculinity are changing. The contrast I built the collection on is simple: ultra-masculine versus ultra-feminine.”