Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp

Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1663, continues to shape contemporary fashion through its rigorous education model, producing alumni like the Antwerp Six and Martin Margiela. This year’s Master’s graduates presented collections during the Antwerp Fashion Festival, a four-day event celebrating the Academy’s legacy alongside a tribute to Walter Van Beirendonck’s 40-year career. The festival featured debut shows, talks like Julian Klausner’s (Dries Van Noten’s creative director), and citywide activations centered on the Antwerp Six exhibition at MoMu Museum. The festival’s highlight was the marathon showcase of 16 student collections, judged by designers Olivier Theyskens, Francesco Risso, Saul Nash, and artists Luc Tuymans and Carla Arocha, alongside Academy faculty. Theyskens noted the Academy’s resistance to industry trends, praising its focus on research and creative integrity over trend-chasing. Risso highlighted the school’s coherence from first-year classrooms to graduation runway, calling its teachers’ commitment and humility exemplary. The strongest collections stood out for their deep, obsessive research, transforming sustained focus into ‘light, generous, and deeply human’ work, according to Risso. The jury emphasized the Academy’s ability to cultivate individuality, with students presenting introspective, confident bodies of work. This year’s graduates reflect the institution’s enduring resilience, producing innovative fashion despite shrinking resources and industry uncertainty. The Academy’s influence extends beyond fashion, with graduates like makeup artist Peter Philips and painter Luc Tuymans further cementing its reputation. The festival underscored Antwerp’s role as a global creative hub, where adversity fuels artistic excellence. The event closed with a celebration of the next generation, proving the Academy’s timeless relevance in nurturing bold, original voices in design.