Antwerp might not be the first city that springs to mind when thinking of fashion – but you might be surprised to hear that it should be. This Belgian city has a long history of crafting seriously high-quality – not to mention trendy – threads.
So, it’s a great place to head to if you fancy a fashion-focused break. What’s particularly nice about it is that it often features on mini cruises (find out more here), which means you can make your trip ultra-stylish by having a long weekend cruise break!
Antwerp’s fashion credentials
You may well be wondering what Antwerp’s fashion credentials are – after all, it’s hardly as well known in the fashion world as places like Paris and Milan. But, its ties to the world of stylish clothes go all the way back to the Middle Ages, when it was at the heart of the textile industry.
For centuries, Antwerp typically followed Paris’s lead when it came to fashion. For instance, if we fast-forward to the early days of the 20th century, Antwerp often received patterns from the French capital which it reproduced to give the locals the latest fashions. Now, it’s worth remembering that clothes were more tightly controlled back then – not everyone had access to all kinds of clothes, and designs were closely watched. In fact, Antwerp was lucky to get those Parisien patterns – locations closer by often missed out because they were viewed as direct competition.
The city only really found its own style in the second half of the 20th century – but it did so with aplomb. A particularly prolific time was the 1980s, when a number of great designers emerged – including Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck – who came to be known as the Antwerp 6.
Today, there’s great diversity in terms of what local designers are producing – but they all share a passion for creating unique clothing and a respect for technical skills.
Upcoming fashion events in Antwerp
There are some great events worth checking out in Antwerp over the coming months, especially with the city celebrating the 350th birthday of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and the 50th anniversary of the Academy’s Fashion Department in a series of events known collectively as Happy Birthday Dear Academie.
These include an exhibition at MAS, which runs until January 26th. Created by fashion designer and member of the Antwerp 6 Walter Van Beirendonck, along with museum director Dr Paul Huvenne, the display asks a lot of really interesting questions about art and fashion.
Another Happy Birthday Dear Academie event is running at MoMu until February 16th and celebrates the Fashion Department as being one of the world’s most prestigious fashion programmes. This display clues you into the history of the department using a combination of footage and photos, and you’ll find out about the careers of some of its most successful students.
It’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled when you’re out and about on the streets of Antwerp, since a fringe event called Antwerp Icons will be running until February 16th. This will form a series of billboards that display pictures of creations by famous fashion designers, and you’ll be able to spot them throughout the city centre.
Photo credit: antwerp
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