Have you ever imagined Marie Antoinette at a rodeo? Sure, it’s a far-fetched pairing, but that’s the beauty of fashion: bringing seemingly disparate influences together to create something entirely new.
Madame Antoinette has found herself once again back in the spotlight with the opening of an exhibition at the Petit Trianon celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s seminal, macaron-tinted film Marie Antoinette. It seems only fitting, then, that the queen should make her way into Acne Studios’ Spring/Summer 2027 wardrobe — though with a decidedly more rugged edge.
As the brand continues its three-decade-long reign over denim experimentation, creative director Jonny Johansson takes the exaggerated silhouettes of the French court and collides them with rebellious codes. Titled Denim Hystoria, the collection brings together traditional courtly dress, cowboy references and the unmistakable attitude of the American West.
Dramatic skirts are paired with tight tank tops that gleam like skin-tight patent leather, alongside equally snug jeans and pointed cowboy boots. Elsewhere, they are layered over leather moto-inspired capri pants, while sweaters riff on the polished proportions of a twin set. White and blue motifs recalling Chinese porcelain decorate white-denim Canadian tuxedos, giving the collection an unexpected decorative flourish.
The accessories, however, are where the fantasy really takes hold. Princess-like portraits appear on XXL pins and arm cuffs, while belts are finished with buckles resembling miniature frames lifted straight from Versailles. And the shoes? Well, the silky mules are surely what Marie Antoinette’s wettest of dreams were made of.
Words by Martin Onufrowicz
