Meet…Thomas Persson

Name: Thomas Persson
Location: Paris
Occupation: Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director of Acne Paper
Company: ACNE

Thomas Persson is the editor in chief and creative director of Acne Paper. This twice-yearly publication is known for its cutting edge content, focused on an array of subjects ranging from fashion to history. Persson, who has held the title of editor in chief for 4 consecutive years, studied fashion journalism at Central Saint Martins before landing his gig at Acne Paper. Never having a celebrity on its cover, each issue centers around a given theme. Upcoming issue number 8 is centered around the topic of “Eroticism”. For a sneak peek of what we can expect….see below.

Since every issue is centered around a theme, what can we expect from the upcoming issue, centered around the notion of “Eroticism”?
Well, we have a wonderful line-up of features and interviews, all evoking a certain kind of forgotten erotic notion: the suggestive, elegant and seductive. The issue will hold the feeling of a woman’s sensuality rather than a man’s sexuality, if you know what I mean. It will celebrate the joy and inspiration in erotic photography, literature, art, fashion, and poetry.

Ever the busy guy, what does a typical day bring for Thomas?
They are usually rather different from each other but I usually start the day running in the park. It is a wonderful way to start the day because it clears your mind and you feel you have accomplished something before sitting down in front of your desk. I divide my time between Paris and Stockholm, two cities where life is very different from each other. In Paris there are always many people to see outside of work so I tend to go for lunch meetings, and then eat out in the evenings – it’s a lot about socializing over food, talking ideas, making plans. In Stockholm, I try to hang out as much as possible in our Acne headquarters because its the best, most fun and inspiring place in town! The office is where my best friends in Stockholm are and there is a lot of creative exchange within those walls. And then of course there is the endless ping-ponging of emails and too many dreary airports.

With the recent demise of various publications – what makes Acne Paper stand out?
So far we have made a point of not having a celebrity on the cover – simply because so many other magazines do this and we don’t see a particular point in looking like any other magazine. I think the format and paper and art direction is different than what I see around, and the whole structure too. We open with a portfolio of a certain theme rather than opening with advertisers, so I think as a reader you are instantly hit by the difference. We are not a magazine about news and consumer culture but aim to find angles and people that are intriguing so that it will give a rounded perspective to the theme we are uncovering. Our strong editorial point is to mix the historical with the contemporary and to present content that you perhaps won’t find elsewhere. I’m a big fan of Diana Vreeland’s mantra for Vogue in the 60s: “I want to give people what they never knew they wanted.”

With “Editor in Chief” under your belt for almost 4 years now – what do you do to keep Acne Paper fresh and innovative?
I think the theme, which varies a lot from each other, keeps each issue fresh and innovative. I think perhaps our choice of subject matters makes it feel fresh, but then again I have a friend who says I should rename the magazine to “Necrophilia Paper” because there are so many dead people in there!!! However, I love history and think it is so important to bring a sense of cultural heritage into our modern world. As a creative director, I try use the theme to put across a certain kind of world; a world with its own aesthetic, atmosphere, and color pallet. As there are so many different worlds out there, each issue hopefully feels like a new approach.

How closely do you work with the Acne Jeans design team throughout the creation and execution of each issue?
We work closely but not in a corporate way, it’s more about being with each other, talking about things that we have discovered or stuff that we have liked for a long time, and then it sort of all goes together in the design of the collections, in the magazine, in what occupies us basically. It’s a very informal approach, one with a lot of positive creative freedom. It keeps us on our toes.

What magazines are you a loyal follower of?
Growing up I was obsessed by The Face and i-D. I think I collected each issue throughout the whole 90s. Today I am more into Vanity Fair, The World of Interiors, the Vogues, The New York Times, and International Herald Tribune which I try to read every day.

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