how belgian fashion changed the world
The Belgians: An Unexpected Fashion Story opens up at Bozar and examines the DNA of the country’s fashion.
photography marina faust
The Antwerp Six (or the so-called 6 + 1) all emerged from the fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the 80s and went on to create the best of contemporary Belgian fashion: Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Walter Van Beirendonck, and of course Martin Margiela who joined his fellows from time to time.
Maison Martin Margiela, spring/summer 96. Photography Marina Faust
But it didn't stop there, with Raf Simons, Kris Van Assche, Anthony Vaccarello, Olivier Theyskens, Véronique Branquinho and more all going on to make individual impressions on the fashion world. The exhibition The Belgians: An Unexpected Fashion Story, which opens today at Bozar in Brussels, looks at all of the broad and brilliant talent coming from the country and explores it through nine themes: Heritage, New Styles, Portraits, Laboratories, Vocabulary, Love Story, Limitless, Worthwhile, Nouvelle Vague.
The exhibition runs until 13th September at Bozar in Brussels.
Ann Demeulemeester spring/summer 1982. Photography Patrick Robyn
Raf Simons spring/summer 98. Photography Ronald Stoops.
Maison Martin Margiela spring/summer 91. Photography Ronald Stoops.
Credits
Text Oscar Heliani
