The Stars Have Aligned — Acne Paper Is Back
Acne Studios is resurrecting its in-house print edition, Acne Paper, as a biannual book-magazine hybrid.
After a seven-year hiatus, the publication is relaunching with its 16th issue, with the Age of Aquarius serving as a jumping-off point for the 508-page creation, available now on Acne Studios' website.
In case you were wondering, the Age of Aquarius is not just a song by The 5th Dimension. To astrologers, the phenomenon calls for a reevaluation of the status quo — a concept that certainly fits into our current climate, beleaguered by global warming and increased awareness of social inequality.
As a sign, Aquarius represents community, humanitarianism, and innovation. In line with these values, Acne Paper 16 features figures including activist and author Djamila Ribeiro, ecologist Sam Gandy, and Hilton Als of The New Yorker.
The volume also includes fashion editorials styled by the likes of Lotta Volkova and Ib Kamara, along with profiles on artists such as Nam June Paik and Melanie Bonajo.
The issue's dust jacket — a vibrant rendering of the astrological signs — was designed by Yousef Sabry, a 23-year-old artist from Cairo.
Back in June, Acne Paper was commemorated in a coffee table book compiling the title's back issues from 2005 — the year of its inception — to 2014.
According to Acne's chief executive, Mattias Magnusso, the company decided to pause Acne Paper to avoid the publication becoming too repetitive.
The latest issue certainly brings a fresh new look to the publication. Instead of abiding by its cover format of yore, a sparse portrait of a cultural figure (past examples include Fran Leibowitz and Mikhail Baryshnikov), Acne Paper 16 goes conceptual with Sabry's surreal interpretation of the star signs.
