We had been expecting great things from Acne, but what materialised in the concrete surroundings at the Old Sorting Office exceeded our expectations tenfold. We were ushered to our seats, cocktails in hand and finding it hard to contain our excitement by the vast space filled with a buzzing audience.

Linking the season with Acne Paper, the collection took cue from surrealist photographer Andre Kertesz. Shoe leather was used to create stiff, structural jackets and dresses that paid no attention to the shape of the robotic models, except on occasion when they were drawn in harshly to the waist by an oversized belt.

Coats with extended shoulders hid bulky, high neck jumpers and drowned the models in mounds of material. Stealing away our attention was neon-coloured, laced up heels, appearing beneath cotton-bonded trousers.

The colour palette was as utilitarian as expected of Acne – natural tones of pink and beige were juxtaposed against an occasional flare of bright colour.

Pieces ultimately stuck to Acne’s minimalist signature style and could be easily transferred straight from the catwalk into our wardrobes. That is if our bank balances would allow it.

Words: Millie Cotton