Acne Paper #20 - Golden

Acne Paper was first launched as a biannual magazine that had a brief but remarkable life (2005 – 2014). Fashion spreads were just one element in an editorial mix that focused on culture in the broadest sense, with a keen eye on how the past informs the present. Narrated by a timeless theme explored through photography, art, literature and creative writing, Acne Paper published the work of top level contributors from different generations and was admired for its elegant art direction and high production values.

Published by Acne Studios and edited by Thomas Persson, Acne Paper was never a brand magazine in the conventional style. While the fashion stories featured clothes from multiple brands, the editorial topics ranged from 15th century tapestry to LGBTQ culture, from master painting to street photography, from theatre to sculpture, from dance to meditation.

Following the launch of the Acne Paper Book in June 2021, Acne Paper returned in 2021, reimagined with a new design direction: expanding to 500 pages, a revised format and higher production values. Noteworthy for both its design and interdisciplinary editorial approach where the past informs the present, Acne Paper continues to focus on culture in the broadest sense, exploring an eclectic variety of subjects through photography, fashion, art, literature.

In this issue:

Acne Paper’s twentieth-anniversary edition, Golden, is not only a celebration of our editorial journey from 2005 to 2025, but more symbolically a reflection on a creative project that, at least for us, is worth its weight in gold. In this issue’s collection of fashion stories, essays, interviews and art portfolios, we invite you to explore our golden theme, a subject that has both shaped and reflected humanity for millennia.

In a time when uncertainty looms and shadows stretch long, we have chosen to surround ourselves with the warmth of hope. The stories within these pages celebrate a brightness that reaches across history and throughout the world – from the mysteries of ancient civilisations to the most imaginative artistic creativity of today.

Gold, both the colour and the material, has served as our guide – a thread weaving through our written and visual editorials, be they humorous or poetic, personal or academic, godlike or very human.

The cover sets the tone: Actress and model Raya Martigny photographed by Szilveszter Makó. Each contributor to this issue, whether a rising star or an established master, has poured their vision into this shared theme, creating a mosaic of inspiration that speaks about transformative power.

Highlights include fashion stories by Sarah Moon and Patti Wilson, Leslie Zhang and Audrey Hu, Sharna Osborne and Robbie Spencer, Paul Kooiker and Beat Bolliger, Vidar Logi and Edda Gudmundsdottir, Julia Hetta and Emman, Rafael Pavarotti and George Krakowiak, Julien Martinez Leclerc and Katie Burnett, Szilveszter Makó and Lisa Jarvis.