The Antwerp Six return to MoMu, 40 years after rewriting fashion history

Back in the hazy days of 1980s London, a group of six Belgian designers arrived to show off and sell their radically new styles. They were billed as the Antwerp Six. Now, 40 years on, MoMu (Fashion Museum Antwerp) is devoting a show to the work and impact of the group: Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee, who collectively put Antwerp on the fashion map.

The Antwerp Six, although very different in their stylistic language, were united by pragmatism, ambition and a belief that a team can make a bigger impression than going solo. They chose the British Designer Show as the launch pad in 1986. ‘You had the post-punk movement; you had the New Romantics. London really was a centre for innovation, for youth culture, which was also inspiring the Six,’ says Kaat Debo, director of MoMu. ‘I think fashion was also ready for something new,’ she adds.

Their ‘newness’ ranged from Demeulemeester’s languid gothic garms to Van Noten’s elegant textile-rich ease, Van Beirendonck’s provocative street style and Bikkembergs’ new-wave tailoring – yet the Six were unified by their passion for craftsmanship. ‘They never collaborated on collections in a creative or artistic way. Yet they studied together, influenced each other and inspired each other,’ says Debo.

Belgian fashion at that time was known for mid-tier contemporary clothing, but not for ‘designer’ fashion, and the Antwerp Six grew out of a state initiative to boost the country’s emerging creative capital. ‘The Belgian government came up with a five-year programme, which was a kind of Marshall Plan for the industry. It founded an institution called ITCB (Institute for Belgian Textiles and Clothing of Belgium) to develop this plan, and one of the ideas was to foster young talent and matchmake that talent with manufacturers through a competition called the Golden Spindle Contest,’ Debo says. For the Six, that meant high-profile campaigns, editorial and professionally produced collections that met the high standards of luxury. They were soon picked up by retailers including Barneys in New York, and Whistles and Browns in London. A guerrilla runway show at London’s Westbourne Studios cemented their reputation. Today, the fashion department at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts is one of the most renowned in Europe, spawning talent including Raf Simons, Meryll Rogge, Julie Kegels, Demna Gvasalia and Haider Ackermann. They too benefited from the Antwerp Six’s impact with Dirk Van Saene and Walter Van Beirendonck holding professor positions.

Around 80 designs are on display, alongside memorabilia, video and photography. ‘I hope that the show will also bring attention to the importance of building ecosystems in fashion. The system has to come up with new recipes,’ says Debo.

The Antwerp Six, 28 March 2026 until 17 January 2027, MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp