Acne's Marrakech Dream

The Marrakesh markers were there in the materials and the colours. Billowing djellaba-like elongated silk jackets, leather tassels on the shoes (on which more in a moment) and desert tones all referred back to the theme. A pink silk kaftan over crystal-embellished leather motorcycle trousers looked the way that every traveller hopes her exotic purchases will make her appear to her friends.

Acne has a several-season track record for lustworthy footwear, and this was definitely a shoe show. For LFW’s standout shoes, look to Acne. The flat varieties are leather-tasselled loafers and sandals; the taller options are leather booties with cutaway heels and a brogue sole stacked on a stiletto. (If it sounds like ground trod by Simone Rocha, it is, though more slickly done.)

Sure, some of the fabrics seemed unwieldy—sparkly, A-line PVC skirt panels looked tacked-on, and a pair of wide, midi-length orange trousers were the embodiment of every woman’s hip-widening nightmare. But the fantastic colour combinations and fresh styling lifted even the stiffer pieces. An absinthe-coloured jacket worn over a black, white and ochre dress with monochromatic shoes evoked the desert in a minimalist way. The mirrored runway and wall gave the entire production a slightly Studio 54 feel.

Oh—and the martini waiters dressed in head-to-toe denim, including bow-ties? They were lovely to contemplate as well.

See the collection here...