Remember me
Patrick Robyn
Antwerp is about to reclaim its crown as the ultimate incubator of avant-garde design. MoMu, the Fashion Museum Antwerp, is opening its doors on 28 March for a monumental exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Antwerp Six.
Running until 17 January 2027, this retrospective offers the first comprehensive look at the designers who permanently shifted the global fashion axis. Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee emerged from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts with an ethos that challenged the Paris-centric luxury model.
Curated by MoMu director Kaat Debo, Romy Cockx and guest curator Geert Bruloot, the showcase unpacks the shared origins and fiercely independent trajectories of these six visionaries. “The Antwerp Six helped shape recent fashion history. We are immensely proud that we can bring the work of these six iconic designers together for a unique, in-depth view of their legacy and their influence,”says Debo.
Karel Fonteyne
The mythology surrounding their international breakthrough is the stuff of industry legend. Back in 1986, the group famously piled into a rented van and headed for the British Designer Show in London. Relegated to the top floor alongside bridal wear and far from the gaze of influential buyers, they took matters into their own hands. The designers printed out flyers urging attendees to ‘Come See The Six Belgian Designers.’ Their rebellious marketing tactic worked flawlessly, catching the attention of buyers from Barney’s New York and cementing their place in history. The press eventually dubbed them the Antwerp Six simply because their Flemish surnames were too difficult for international journalists to pronounce.
MoMu brings this rich history to life by displaying around 100 striking silhouettes sourced directly from the designers’ personal archives. Visitors will discover never-before-seen sketches, original show invitations and intriguing ephemera. Perhaps there will be a deconstructed suit by Demeulemeester alongside one of Van Noten’s richly patterned jackets.
The curation deliberately avoids framing the group as a single brand, choosing instead to celebrate six completely individual practices that blossomed within a supportive creative ecosystem. Their work was heavily influenced by the cultural shifts of the late 1970s and 1980s, absorbing the energy of London punk, New Romantic club nights and the disruptive visions of Japanese designers like Rei Kawakubo.
Bringing the designers together to share their contrasting memories of those early days was a rare and poignant exercise, particularly following the sad passing of Marina Yee late last year. To complement the physical displays, Hannibal Books is releasing a massive 400-page catalogue featuring contributions from renowned critics like Tim Blanks.
The legacy of the Antwerp Six lives on to demonstrate that true innovation relies on authenticity and a refusal to compromise. Discover more here.
photography. courtesy of Patrick Robyn, Karel Fonteyne, MoMu
words. Gennaro Costanzo
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