Acne Studios Singapore juxtaposes frankness and fragility with glass
Located beside the iconic rain oculus at the South wing of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, one can easily peer into the glass box that is the Acne Studios store, akin to looking at “a glass box of curiosities”. This reflects Creative Director Jonny Johansson’s narrative of contemporary craftsmanship. Signature elements of the brand’s design language, like clean lines and bareness, are also conveyed here.
Acne Studios collaborated with Swedish design studio Halleröd to conceptualise the store’s interior. The result: A transparent room with visible construction. But there’s more than meets the eye. While minimalism makes the first impression through the store’s physical form, function reveals itself subtly with the glass panels’ modular system, assembled in the style of Meccano.
Inside Acne Studios Singapore’s glass box
Inside the store, pops of colour appear as blob-like organically-shaped seats designed by furniture designer and Acne Studios’ longtime collaborator Max Lamb. These quirky accents adopt the unconventional silhouettes from the brand’s SS23 collection. Also, Lamb created their unique shades using hand-dyed batik fabrics. Furthermore, this concept extends to the store’s windows, exhibiting a hollow wall filled with bundles of matching fabrics.
“Minimalist tech aesthetic,” architect Christian Halleröd described of the store. Other fittings here also give the space its identity. From the speckled grayscale rug by Knut, high-gloss Marmorino walls, and industrial Radiator light system designed by Benoit Lalloz, to the custom mannequins from Daniel Silver, everything is carefully curated.
The British sculptor also gave ‘life’, or character, to the sculptures by naming them Khadija, Jody, and Valerie. Crafted in plaster, they greet visitors after bathing in a glossy black finish.
Ready to wear Acne Studios?
Currently, Acne Studios Marina Bay Sands is giving shoppers a preview of their upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 ‘Donna’ collection through the store’s glass displays alongside a showcase of the brand’s signature Musubi bag. SS23 commemorates Acne Studios’ 10th year of showing its collections in Paris. Inspired by celebratory occasions of weddings and romance, Johansson contrasts sweet pastels with cardinal red, chocolate brown and inky black for this playful collection. The full SS23 offerings will be available from March 2023 onwards.
Also on the racks is the 2023 Chinese New Year collection. Designed in collaboration with artist Apollinaria Broche, this follow-up partnership sees the birth of a “lucky rabbit” named BUN BUN. This capsule consists of homeware, jewellery such as necklaces and earrings, and a series of enamel sculptures.
Source: Lifestyle Asia
