EDGE champions the gallery and museum venue as a new era of exposition for emerging designers, offering a platform that not only showcases innovative talent but also fosters engagement between artists and the audience. Fashion designers are artists, blending creativity and craftsmanship to express their unique visions. Shows can be curated with a collective vision of both a historical context and a relevance to contemporary culture, allowing viewers to appreciate the evolution of design while critically examining its place in today’s society. This dynamic approach encourages dialogue about the interplay between fashion, art, and social commentary, making each exhibition a thought-provoking experience that inspires future generations of creatives.

Mode Museum (MoMu), the fashion museum of the Province of Antwerp, Belgium, is an example of showcasing the work of contemporary designers. Founded in September 2002, the museum collects, conserves, studies and exhibits the work of Belgian contemporary fashion, due to the rise of a group of Antwerp-trained fashion designers during the Eighties and Nineties (Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, A.F. Vandevorst, etc.).  

Unravel: Knitwear in Fashion (2011) exhibited a wide variety of exquisite knitted garments and accessories from across the last centuries. There was a mix of pieces by national and international designers and labels, historic couture pieces, as well as more avant-garde and cutting edge pieces by established designers and newcomers on the international scene. This show was an example of combining an historical perspective with up-and-coming designers.

This is Part II of a three part series.

Feature image: The Antwerp Six, 1985 © Photography: Patrick Robyn, Graphic design: Victor Robyn.