Denim, reconsidered

Reconstructed panels, leather contrasts, expressive washes and a printed illusion.

Acne Studios 2023M Leather-Pocket Baggy Jeans, Dark Blue, leather pockets and metal rivets detail; reference photograph — Reference detailAcne Studios 2023M: cotton denim meets leather patch pockets.

Familiar fabric. New language.

Leather against denim: The 2023M brings black leather patch pockets and metal rivets to a dark blue cotton-denim base. The contrast becomes most apparent from the back.
Construction as design: Balenciaga’s Cut-Up jeans expose horizontal joins between denim panels. The seam becomes a visible part of the garment rather than a hidden connection.
A convincing illusion: Acne Studios’ SS25 Judda shorts print denim, chains and charms onto cotton canvas using an inkjet pigment process. The apparent hardware is part of the image.

The familiar five-pocket shape becomes a starting point for experimentation. Balenciaga’s Cut-Up jeans join contrasting denim panels with exposed horizontal seams, while Acne Studios’ 2023M places leather patch pockets against cotton denim. The 1981M and 2021M explore volume through different washes and leg shapes. Judda shorts go further: their denim, chains and charms are a trompe-l’œil print on cotton canvas. The edit brings those approaches together while distinguishing actual denim from its printed likeness.

References for this edit

Acne Studios 2023M reference Acne Studios 2021M reference Judda print and fabric reference