ACNE Studios Founder Casts 11-Year-Old Son To Star In Womenswear Campaign
There are plenty of fashion trends that are tough to get on board with, but some really do take a bit of getting used to.
Take Swedish fashion house ACNE’s new AW15 ad campaign, for example. Rather than choosing a fully-grown, and fully-fledged, model or celebrity to star in it, the brand’s co-founder Jonny Johansson chose to cast his 11-year-old son, Frasse. Do we detect a strong dose of nepotism or is there a deeper meaning to his selection?
It’s a bit of a bizarre choice, considering Frasse definitely doesn’t fit the age and gender demographic that the line he’s modeling is aimed at. No 11-year-old’s we know could afford the brand’s designer clobber – not many adults twice or three times Frasse’s age could either, come to think of it.
So casting his son is definitely strange. But maybe that’s a good thing, argues Johansson. A glimpse into the gender-bending future of fashion, perhaps.
“I’ve seen this new generation’s attitude to fashion where the cut, the shape and the character of the garment is the crucial thing, rather than seeking approval from society or to follow set norms,” he explained in a statement.
“I immediately pictured Frasse, since he embodies this new breed to me. I asked him and I’m happy that he wanted to be a part of the campaign.”
Mixing fashions that traditionally “belong” to either a man or woman is nothing new – androgynous style seems to get more popular by the day – and blurring the boundaries has always appealed to the designer, whose brand’s name is an acronym for Ambition to Create Novel Expressions.
Whatever the thinking behind the casting choice, there’s no denying that young Frasse looks every inch the mini model in the campaign. Shot by Viviana Sassen, the schoolboy dons a number of wool coats, flared trousers, metallic heels and some seriously statement nose jewellery. But it’s the boxy leather bags that we really want to get our hands on…
Whether or not the imagery will make women rush out and buy the gear Frasse’s modeling remains to be seen, but it’s definitely a campaign that catches the eye - and sparks conversation.
What do you make of the photos? Tweet us at @YahooStyleUK.
