Jonny Johansson's world has been invaded by droids. As the father of six- and three-year-old sons who are obsessed with The Clone Wars cartoons and collectible figures as only small boys can be, he shrugs, "We have to watch it and play it all the time. It's sort of embarrassing, but that's where my inspiration comes from—always close to home." Not so embarrassing, actually, since the domestic goings-on at Johansson's house in Stockholm this winter happen to have landed Acne's Fall collection plumb in the center of Planet Fashion's current sci-fi-tinged fantasies. Led by Iris Strubegger, the models who flew into London for the show had spray-painted foreheads and greasy glitter around their eyes and stomped onstage wearing cartoonish boots with Lego-like soles, dressed like some postapocalyptic alien militia.
The vibe gave Johansson a formula to upgrade cool Nordic streetwear to a fashion level—drapey fatigues, banana-shaped pants with zippered ankles, jumpsuits, oversize sweaters, and scarves wrapped as hoods. The most outstanding piece: a rough-hewn patchworked, primitive-looking long-haired jacket that was a grunge-luxe upgrade of Acne's best-selling aviator shearling. It could easily be taken for fur, but as Johansson put it, "Nope. All sheep. They brush them these days."
