Acronym SS13: armed and ready

Acronym produces highly technical apparel with clear military influences using some of the most advance fabrics known to man. The stuff is pretty much the same from season to season with maybe the odd tweak here and there and the introduction of a few new designs. But essentially it doesn't date, which is a good thing when you get to find out the price tag.

It has been labelled urban armour and it's easy to see why. It's also easy to see where the company is based and produces the majority of its goods - it is German in style and construction. It could be nothing else. It is also reliably rugged, which is handy.

Acronym SS12: timeless futurism

With all this attention focused around heritage and workwear collections, I'm not sure if it's reassuring or worrying to see Acronym wheel out another collection which looks almost identical to everything else it has put out over the last few years.

The trouble is, as everyone else moves on from stark technical futuristic lines and leafs back through the scrapbooks of history to a more deconstructed time, Acronym's German roots really begin to show through.

But there are a couple of aspects which keep the Acronym name alive for me, such as the waterproof fabrics, the ergonomic fit and the  faultless manufacturing.

Via Freshness.

Acronym Fall/Winter 1112 video: what price protection?

ACR-FW-1112-M from ACRNM on Vimeo.
 What price would you put on concealed pockets, detachable pouches, jacket slings, techno hoods, expansion panels, quick release keyrings, 100% breathability and waterproofing?

Think of a number and Acronym will probably have doubled it. But then you do get to act out the part of ninja assassin  on your very own street corner.

And that, I'm sure you will agree, is priceless.

You can buy it here.

Acronym SS11: urban armour

You've got to hand it to the Germans. When it comes to efficiency they've got it sewn up, and you can take that quite literally in terms of Acronym.

The brand is known for its technical clothing which offers the sort of protection your average special forces unit would be quite happy to be deployed in.

And even though most Acronym garments won't see more action than a quick stroll down the pub, you know that if it really came to it, you would at least arrive warm and dry.

Now Acronym have taken a detour from their clothing production to produce a video to go with their spring summer 2011 collection, entitled Lightest Fastest Deffest Baddest. Their talents obviously don't stretch to film titles.

LIGHTEST FASTEST DEFFEST BADDEST from ACRNM on Vimeo.

In the bag: the backpack selection

Visvim Luminaria

I don't really know why I have been starting to think about backpacks. Maybe it's that mountaineering vibe that I've got going on right now, the boy scout survival thing coming out, in case I get stuck in a snowdrift on my way down to the train station.

We are after all supposed to be on the verge of the harshest winter for 31 years.

Whatever, I've been having a trawl around and found a few decent methods of transporting my sandwiches, and this year there seems to be a bit of an alpine vibe going on, which is nice.

Acronym 3A-7TS Tec Sys

Supreme 29th backpack

Yuketen triangle backpack

Errolson Hugh: the man who made Acronym

VISIONS OF VISIONARIES WITH ERROLSON HUGH | MADE from MADE Blog on Vimeo.
Acronym clothing is the sort of stuff you want to be wearing when the world is about to end. This is chain mail for the urban environment, black-ops wear for the street. Bring on the apocalypse.

One day Errolson Hugh, former designer for Burton snowboard wear and the likes of Nike, got a bit fed up with his garments failing to live up to expectations, letting in wind and water, that kind of thing.

So Acronym was born. And while these days a jacket might set you back the price of a decent second-hand hatchback, it will probably last longer, and look better.

This video by Made magazine in Berlin gives you an insight on the mind of Mr Hugh and how Acronym came about.

Acronym FW10 lookbook: Back in black

You know autumn has really arrived when Acronym roll out their collection for the year.

They don't really tend to push the boat out as far as variety is concerned - in fact to the undiscerning eye, this collection would look pretty much the same as those which have gone before it.

But that's the whole point. This is stuff that transcends fashion or fads, manufactured from materials which are supposed to look either forever new, or will wear in so subtly that they will take on a character all of their own.

Which is a god thing, because the price of Acronym has gone through the roof over the past few years. My version of the SS-J7C 3XDRY Softshell Contour Jacket circa 2005 cost me £369 I'm sure. This year it will set you back €660, which even taking exchange rates and inflation into account it quite a mark up.

It's a good job it lasts.



This year's Acronym collection is available now at The Glade

Acronym SS10 collection: Volcanic dust proof

Volcanic ash all over the place, nights spent lying on the floor of departure lounges - you need some pretty serious equipment to cope with this spring.

Luckily enough, Acronym have just released their 2010 spring summer collection, and as you might have guessed, it comes pre-proofed against pretty much everything nature can throw at you.

All techy fabrics like Goretex and Schoeller, and a few extra pockets to keep your urban survival kit nice and dry.

And just in case the lights go out, they've even thought of a solar charger for your phone.

Weather proof and disaster proof . All the same, best not get too close to any volcanos.

Available now at The Glade