Kappa Goes High-Fashion in the New Acne Studios Collab
Written by Sharon Makanjuola
When two seemingly opposite fashion forces collide, magic often follows. That’s exactly what happened when Acne Studios, the Stockholm-based house known for its avant-garde minimalism, joined hands with Kappa, the iconic Italian sportswear giant. The result? A visually stunning, culturally rich collaboration that’s already shaking up the Spring/Summer fashion scene and redefining what it means to fuse streetwear with luxury.
The Acne Studios x Kappa collection feels like a nostalgic love letter to early 2000s sportswear, reimagined through the lens of high-concept Scandinavian design. With Acne’s signature sleek aesthetic and Kappa’s unmistakable retro sport DNA, the capsule is anything but basic.
The collection features a wide array of jerseys, performance-inspired tops, footwear, bags, and accessories, all infused with a slightly dystopian, tech-sleek aesthetic. The jerseys are where the fusion truly shines. Each piece carries Kappa’s iconic logo, stretched vertically along spines or across shoulders, paired with Acne’s subtle branding in muted placements. Some designs nod to classic football kits but are updated with digital flame motifs that fade from hems upward, creating a bold sense of movement and energy.
Palette-wise, the pieces dance between icy pastels and utilitarian neutrals, a tribute to both brands’ roots. There’s something distinctly Nordic about the cool greys and seafoam greens, yet undeniably Mediterranean in the confident cuts and athletic silhouettes. Whether it’s the flame-tipped coral jersey or the full-length long sleeve with a spine of Kappa logos, each garment feels designed not just for wear, but for performance as fashion.
The man featured in the Acne Studios x Kappa campaign is none other than Tricky, a legendary figure in British music and one of the founding fathers of trip-hop. Born Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws in Bristol, Tricky first rose to prominence in the early ’90s as a collaborator on Massive Attack’s groundbreaking album Blue Lines. But it was his own solo debut Maxinquaye in 1995 that solidified him as a revolutionary voice, haunting, genre-defying, and unafraid.
Tricky’s presence in the campaign is not just a style flex–it’s a statement. Known for his raw authenticity and countercultural edge, he embodies the exact kind of rebellious spirit that this Acne Studios x Kappa collaboration channels. By featuring Tricky, Acne taps into a deeper cultural current, one that speaks to legacy, rebellion, and the beauty of nonconformity. Tricky
isn’t your typical fashion model. He’s not polished or performative. He’s lived-in, iconic, and deeply influential in underground music and art scenes around the world. His voice, gravelly and intimate, still defines the mood of a generation that never played by the rules.
This collaboration lands at a time when fashion is blurring the lines between performance, lifestyle, and art. Acne Studios, with its cerebral design sensibility, gives Kappa a refined polish. Kappa, in turn, injects a burst of athletic energy and nostalgic charm. Together, they bridge gaps between streetwear, runway, and sport, creating a collection that works for skaters, models, and fashion editors alike.
There’s also a clever sense of irony here. Acne Studios, once the go-to for clean minimalism, which is embracing bold logos and graphics. Meanwhile, Kappa, known for its mainstream sports appeal, is being elevated into the realm of high fashion. It’s a balancing act that could have easily felt forced but instead, it comes across as natural, stylish, and deeply collaborative.
