‘Show 2024’: Royal Academy of Fine Arts fashion students present designs

On Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 the students of the fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp presented their designs at the Waagnatie event centre in Antwerp.

The show was split up into three parts. During the first part of the show, the first-year and second-year bachelor students presented their projects. The presentation of the BA1 students and their project ‘historical costumes’ was accompanied by a professional dance performance, which highlighted dresses with a corset top above all.

The academy’s second-year students showcased a number of designs as part of the project ‘world costumes’. A mechanical deep voice announced the study year of each group of students and their names were projected continuously on a digital screen above the stage.

After a short break, it was time for the third-year students, who presented their final bachelor collections to the beat of a variety of musical genres.

Five Belgian graduates: Students Antwerp fashion academy showcase designs in Show 2024

During the final part of the show, the graduating master students presented their collections. As opposed to the first and second part of the show, the name of each master student was projected individually on the digital screen above the stage and the models had several minutes to showcase the looks created by each designer, including a variety of photo opportunities.

Among this year’s master students were five Belgian designers, including the 27-year-old Pommie Dierick. Last year, Dierick won both the Flanders Fashion Makers award for her final bachelor collection as well as being awarded the Rosier41 prize by the eponymous Antwerp high fashion multi-brand store. In addition, she has dressed several Belgian celebrities.

At the beginning of 2024, another Belgian graduate, Gabrielle Szwarcenberg created uniforms for the staff of Brussels Airlines using sustainable materials.

Eighteen master students graduate from the fashion department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp this month. The names of the five Belgian creatives are: Pommie Dierick, Guillaume Gossen, Sofia Rodriguez Rodriguez, Gabrielle Szwarcenberg and Margot Verstuyft.

The other members of the graduating class are: Uliana Dobrovskaya, Xuehu Zhang, Briac Tremolieres, Jinny Song, Sofia Hermens Fernandez, Mert Serbest, Yuhei Ueda, L’eo Emanueli, Ji-Eun Lee, Byeongho Lee, Rohan Kale Steinmeyer, Tim Wirth, Peiwen Mao.

Students will receive their final evaluations on June 29, a spokesperson for the Academy told FashionUnited via email.

A Belgian fashion academy known for its famous alumni

The fashion department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp is known for its successful alumni. The most well-known alumni are the individuals that are collectively referred to as ‘The Antwerp Six’: Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saenen and Marina Yee, who graduated from the academy in 1980.

Another well-known alumnus is Martin Margiela, a Belgian designer that graduated one year earlier than the Antwerp Six but is often associated with the collective. Balenciaga’s creative director Demna is another example and designer Haider Ackerman also graduated from the Belgian institute.

From June 29, the MoMu fashion museum will showcase how the Academy students each craft their own ‘creative universe’. The exposition will display sketches, silhouettes and books that students drew inspiration from to create their collections.