Text by Al Mulhall
The world of £5, coffee table perfect magazines is a competitive one especially when they’re A3. As with all tote bag sized, high-fashion publications, you’ve got to sift through the pretentious tosh to get to the good stuff but when you do its well worth the cost and the weight. As is the case when it comes to Acne Paper, a bi-annual publication that has joined the ranks of other established style titles that keep the fashion pack clucking.
With contributors such as Paris Vogue’s Carine Roitfeld, Mario Testino, Azzedine Alaia, Steven Meisel and Julie Verhoven (and that’s just naming a few) you’d think Acne Paper would have been created by a gaggle of skinny, Balenciaga clad Parisian fashion editors. Whilst it has been produced by a team of creatives with their pulses firmly on the high-fashion pulse, Acne Paper shares its brand with one of the world’s most sought after denim turned fashion labels, Acne.
A well received mainline and collaborations with the likes of Lanvin have moved the brand from denim favourite to noted label in no time. So how could it be then that a brand could produce its own, decent magazine that speaks for fashion as a whole and not just itself? "The format of a magazine is what allowed us to reflect what inspired the brand and by doing so created a world around Acne" explains Thomas Persson of Acne HQ "It started off as something quite low key and fun but has turned out to be a highly successful publication."
Elite distribution, top models and fashion’s hottest talent have obviously helped when it comes to getting people talking about Acne Paper. Sure, you can spot Acne products throughout each seasonal issue but Acne Paper is there for the joy of fashion, meaning other labels get a look in throughout. It's not just about clothes either. Have a flick through an issue of the paper and it’s like scoring an afternoon in the Central St.Martins library. Interesting, provocative fashion articles are a plenty and interview subjects range from top name intellectuals to topless models.
"For us, it’s very much about mixing history with contemporary’ says Thomas ‘merging high and popular culture, young and old, not to mention having a personal voice is important to us" and whilst Acne sits amongst fashion best, Acne Paper isn’t about stuffy luxury; ‘We aren’t about bling or showing off. We have a rather subtle aesthetic. It’s sharp and cutting edge but still relevant to peoples lives"
With a solid, experienced team separate to the design studio working on Acne Paper (in Paris of course) exactly what goes in to producing an issue? "It starts with a mood and a set of aesthetics" Thomas explains "When I edit, depending on what the issue is based on, I have a friend’s house in mind. Would it fit in there? For our new issue on Eroticism, we wanted to question porno chic in fashion and help return to sensuality in a good, romantic way."
Don’t expect any Terry Richardson then. Porno chic or tradition, Acne Paper has covered it in their themed issues and with its loyal readership and fashion hardcore covers, the publication has come in to a light all of its own. Have a peek and you might even forget what funds it. Its own clothing label of course. After all, how fabulous would it be if all magazines had their own collections to boot?
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