The Antwerp Fashion Museum is spotlighting the Antwerp Six in a brand-new exhibition co-curated by Geert Bruloot. Bruloot introduced the six Flemish designers to the world, gaining them entrance to the British Designer Show, the forerunner of London Fashion Week, in 1986. It’s an event they attended 5 times before each going their separate ways and presenting their creations in Paris. A quirk of destiny meant they all studied in Antwerp around the same time. Known as the Antwerp 6 they never really functioned as a group and were keen to put their own creations on the international fashion map. But, forty years on, what has become of them?
Dirk Bikkembergs is known for his sporty style and signature athletic sneakers. He brings famous athletes to the catwalk and designs the uniforms for top soccer club Inter Milan. In 2011, he sold the label that bears his name, which still exists today. “Bikkembergs himself is enjoying a quiet life after years of hard work,” Geert Bruloot notes.
Walter Van Beirendonck is the only one of the Six who currently still heads his own fashion house. His designs are typically very colourful, eccentric, and socially critical. He served as head of the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts for many years, until he decided to focus entirely on his own label in 2022.
Dirk Van Saene has always combined fashion and art. For instance, he often painted his designs by hand. He chose not to create a uniform brand aesthetic, thereby consciously remaining outside the fashion system. Today, he focuses on ceramics and painting.
Ann Demeulemeester is known as “the Poet of Antwerp.” Her style is androgynous, often black-and-white, and understated. In 2020, Ann sold her label, which continues to present highly successful collections in Paris to this day. Ann herself now focuses on ceramics and lighting design.
Dries Van Noten conquered the world with his label and stood out on account of his elegant style, unexpected colour combinations, and prints. In 2024, he stepped down as head designer and passed the torch to Julian Klausner, who had already been working for the house for years. The Dries Van Noten fashion house remains highly successful.
Marina Yee was known for her collages, reconstruction of vintage clothing, and upcycling avant la lettre. Yee retired from design relatively early on and focused on creating art and teaching. In 2018, she resumed designing clothing on a small scale. Last year, Yee passed away after a battle with cancer. Her partner, Rafaël Adriaenssen, continues her work today based on her many drawings.
Antwerp as a Fashion Capital
The “myth” of the Antwerp Six would not only launch the designers’ careers but also establish the reputation of the city where they studied. “They single-handedly put Antwerp on the world map as a fashion city and as a breeding ground for talent and creativity,” says Kaat Debo, director of the Antwerp fashion museum MoMu.
And the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts also grew into an international benchmark. Today, the fashion programme attracts students from all over the world. “Many young people come here to study because they want to be where the Six were trained,” says Debo. “That’s the best marketing the school could hope for.”
Brandon Wen, now creative director of the fashion department (and thus the successor to Walter Van Beirendonck, who left the post in 2022), feels the same way. “During the entrance exam, our students still name the Antwerp Six as their favourite designers,” he says.
Wen moved from Los Angeles to Antwerp to study at the Academy. “Even in the United States, the Six are a household name,” he explains. According to him, their impact lies primarily in their distinct individuality. “They all had a very personal vision; no one did the same thing. That focus on experimentation and individuality still forms the basis of the programme in Antwerp.”
Something in the Antwerp tap water
This approach is clearly paying off. The programme has since produced generations of designers who are making their mark worldwide. Alumni from Antwerp now hold top positions at numerous international fashion houses.
Examples include Raf Simons (Prada), Demna Gvasalia (at Balenciaga and Gucci, among others), Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski (Hermès), Haider Ackermann (Tom Ford), and Glenn Martens (Diesel and Maison Margiela).
“I’m often asked: is there something in the tap water in Antwerp that produces so much talent?” says Geert Bruloot, co-curator of the exhibition, with a laugh.
You’d almost believe it if you heard Brandon Wen. According to him, every designer or creative director from Antwerp is “exceptionally innovative.” “They are people who push boundaries and constantly question what fashion is and should be. They don’t just make ‘beautiful’ things but force us to look at fashion differently. And that started with the Antwerp Six.”
“The Antwerp Six ” from March 28 through January 17, 2027, at the Antwerp Fashion Museum.