Acne’s Founder Finds a Silver Lining

When it comes to multitasking, few brands do it better than Acne. The Swedish fashion brand-cum-magazine-cum-creative collective has managed to stay ahead of the curve for many seasons, putting forth ensembles as interest-piquing as the interviews in their oversized bi-annual publication, Acne Paper. Hint Magazine recently spoke with Jonny Johansson mid-vacation (and mid-Metallica kick) with his family in Stockholm. Right off the bat, Johansson explains how the recession has actually been good for business.

“The recession has been good in the sense that it means I can focus on what I really like and almost ‘clean up’ what I do ... For me fashion had become too narrow. Everything had to be so fucking luxurious, and the whole creative and expressive part disappeared.” So what will come of Johansson’s newfound creativity? “We have lots of other projects lined up that I’m really excited about, but we are taking things slowly. I don’t want Acne to be super mega and absolutely everywhere,” Johansson says. Acne perfume is a possibility for the future, but specifics have not been set. A London store is also in the works, but Johansson and company still haven’t found quite the right space.