COMPANY: ACNE STUDIO'S
YEAR: 2016
DURATION: 10 WEEKS
OVERVIEW
I immersed myself in the exploration of what blackness can truly embody, weaving that deep understanding into the very fabric of the color patterns and designs for Acne Studios' Fall 2020 collection. From this experience, I created the SWARTT acronym: "Seeing With Ancestry Right True Time’’, to honor black history while imagining the future.
I put together a lookbook that blends daring designs, rich colors, and bold textures, all grounded in meticulous study of print techniques.
To bring this vision to life, I organized a photoshoot at Rotterdam’s harbor, an important site of Black history and heritage for Dutch Black communities, adding depth and meaningful context to the project.
PROBLEM
In 2016, the fashion world was still largely focused on traditional ideals of beauty and superficial representations. While diversity was beginning to be recognized, it often lacked the depth and meaningfulness it truly deserves. Regarding blackness, there was a tendency to see it through a limited aesthetic lens, overlooking the rich and complex realities that lie beneath.
The histories of black ancestry, the deep connections to places like the Rotterdam port, and the personal, lived experiences of Black individuals were often overlooked in the visual narratives of high fashion.
There was a real need for stories that honestly reflect that identity is multi-faceted and unique. Blackness should be celebrated in all its diversity, showcasing the vibrant, intricate tapestry that it truly is and encouraging understanding and appreciation in all its fullness.
SOLUTION
Placed in an environment that carries historical echoes, making the images engage in a quiet dialogue with themes such as migration, heritage, and personal identity. By focusing on seeing with ancestry through time, the lookbook demonstrated that blackness is not a single story but a mosaic of individual truths. My design, location choice, and visual direction combined to form an innovative framework that was still rarely used at the time, making the lookbook an early and meaningful contribution to a more inclusive way of viewing fashion.
I have designed multiple looks for the collection, provided suggestions for material use, and created four all-over prints.
