Acne Studios draws a superhero in its SS25 collection

Creative director Jonny Johansson reminisces about his favorite childhood superheroes.

27 photos

This season is all about exploring how clothes can empower the wearer, almost as if they have superpowers. With this philosophy, Acne Studios puts the spotlight on a superhero.

Johansson’s collection draws on the nostalgia and naivety of childhood, evoking the comfort of adolescence but adapted for adulthood. Inspired by comic books, the line presents a contrast between tenderness and rebellion, reflecting the struggle of growing up and forming an identity. The garments appear to have been bleached, graded or spray-painted, combining with symbols of maturity such as tailoring, fine wools and delicate stripes.

In addition, the collection includes a collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, reimagining archetypal female superheroes through various techniques, evoking experimentation and teenage obsessions. This collaboration brings to life iconic DC characters such as Wonderwoman, Catwoman, the Huntress and The Drowned (Bryce Wayne), who appear as femmes fatales throughout the collection, in embroidery, patchwork or prints, as if cut out or collaged. “Aren’t they cooler?” says Johansson, “It’s about the dream of female superheroines being more mythical than men.”

Johansson reflects on how the passions of youth, such as a love of superheroes, endure throughout life, fluctuating in intensity but always present. Over time, we come to accept and take pride in our heritage and past, and that is what this collection seeks to represent. Elsewhere, the Acne Studios logo continues to be a recurring motif: enlarged or multiplied, while a new ‘Acne Studios’ logo appears on baseball caps, which appear custom and hand-drawn.

The collection doesn’t stop at clothing. A new camera bag-inspired tote is introduced in two sizes, adorned with zipper closures with the ‘Acne Studios Stockholm 1996’ logo. This detail demonstrates Johansson’s commitment to creating both functional and stylistically innovative pieces.

Among the prints, a return to trompe l’oeil stands out: candy-colored ‘plastic’ key chains and piles of belts adorn 2006 silhouette jeans, while custom denim patchwork prints appear on 5-pocket denim silhouettes, ballerinas and swimwear. The airbrushed illusion created by London-based artist Francesca Frankis, also known as Coldf33t, adds a layer of visual artistry to the collection. Snake prints signify danger: a world away from the comfort of home.Acne Studios doodles form naive heart motifs, keeping with the essence of the collection.

In short, Jonny Johansson’s new collection for Acne Studios is a celebration of nostalgia, identity and empowerment through fashion.

For more Spring/Summer 2025 collections, click here.