Some people think that fashion designing is child’s play, and it looks as if Acne Studios agrees. Today, the Swedish label is launching its spring ’18 sneaker range with a little help from Tage Johansson, the 11-year-old son of creative director Jonny Johansson.
His father let him loose on his label’s spring ’18 sneaker collection armed with a pair of scissors and a glue gun, and Tage experimented with his dad’s designs to create his own innovative versions of the shoes. The results are documented in a short film. Design does run in the Johansson family, after all, and Tage’s deconstructive approach owes a little something to Martin Margiela, no?
“It was really fun cutting up the sneakers, and almost as fun putting them back together,” said Tage. “My designs are cool – better than dad’s originals.”
“This is what Tage usually does to my designs. He is never completely happy with them. He always finds a way to make them his own,” said Jonny Johansson. For fall ’18, the elder Johansson recruited a whole team of children as brand consultants and factored their drawings of stars and rockets into some of his knits.
As ever, sneakers are a key offering for Acne Studios, with seasonal editions and classics. For spring ’18, the label has launched updated styles and colorways including exaggerated flatform soles, collaged sneaker boots, chunky ’90s-style dad shoes, knitted sock sneakers, vintage-inspired classics and even options with Velcro fastenings — perfect for those who haven’t quite mastered the art of tying their shoelaces.
