In spring 2026, the MoMu, Fashion Museum in Antwerp, will host a landmark exhibition celebrating six of Belgium’s most influential fashion designers. For the first time, a single show will bring together the creative legacies of Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, and Marina Yee—collectively known as the Antwerp Six. This large-scale retrospective will highlight the impact they have made on the international fashion landscape.
Timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of their international breakthrough in 1986, the exhibition will trace the group’s historic journey from their shared roots at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp to their rise as global fashion pioneers. That year, the six designers loaded their collections into a van and drove to London to present at the British Designer Show. Despite being assigned to a little-visited upper floor, their bold creativity attracted the attention of major buyers, including Barneys New York, ultimately putting Antwerp on the global fashion map.
The upcoming exhibition will offer a comprehensive exploration of each designer’s individual path, while also examining the collective cultural momentum they created as a group. It will include early student work, signature pieces from throughout their careers, and reflections on their continued relevance in the contemporary fashion world.
“The Antwerp Six helped shape recent fashion history,” said MoMu Director Kaat Debo. “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.”
The guest curator of the exhibition is Geert Bruloot, founder of the cult Antwerp shoe boutique Coccodrillo and a key figure who accompanied the designers to London in 1986. Bruloot brings first-hand insight into the origins of the group’s rise. MoMu’s in-house curators, Kaat Debo and Romy Cockx, will also oversee the project.
The exhibition is scheduled to run from March 28, 2026, through January 2027. Further details, including related events and programming, will be announced via MoMu’s official channels in the coming months.
What began quietly in the 1980s as a shared pursuit of creative expression has grown into a global legacy. This retrospective offers an unparalleled opportunity to rediscover the spirit, innovation, and influence of the Antwerp Six—designers who reshaped the narrative of fashion through bold vision and collective force.
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