The 15th edition of the international FASHIONCLASH Festival took place in Maastricht, The Netherlands, from November 17th to 19th, 2023. This highly anticipated three-day event provided a vibrant platform for a new generation of designers and performing artists from all corners of the globe to showcase their creative prowess to a broad international audience.
Leaning on the pillars of exploration, stimulation, and co-shaping, FASHIONCLASH Festival aimed to uncover and celebrate current developments in the world of fashion while making them accessible and relatable to a wide range of people. The festival specifically catered to a generation of designers and artists who continually push the boundaries of their respective disciplines, seamlessly blending fashion, social design, and visual arts.
The festival program was thoughtfully curated through a combination of open calls for submissions and projects initiated by FASHIONCLASH itself, in collaboration with various organizations and talented makers. This inclusive approach ensured that a diverse and comprehensive selection of projects and talents were presented, reflecting the multifaceted nature of contemporary fashion culture.
To kickstart the festival, the New Fashion Narratives exhibition opened its doors at Bureau Europa in the Sphinxkwartier. This immersive exhibition was curated by a team of five independent fashion practitioners, who joined forces with FASHIONCLASH to explore and highlight the creative process underlying fashion. By shining a spotlight on the often unseen and hidden aspects of fashion creation, the exhibition sought to showcase the diversity of approaches and unveil the transformative power of fashion.
How would (re)sources from the past, act in the present and create context for the future?
“What happens during the creation process? What types of creative references get used and lost? What are the different collaborations required in order to make one’s final vision come to life? We would like to explore how multi-authorship is represented in fashion and how to unlock new perspectives by zooming in on the creative processes.”
Curators are: Enzo Aïtkaci, Chinouk Filique, Jonathan Ho, Lotte de Jager and Boris Kollar.
Participants: Annalie van Doorn, avoidstreet, Azalja van Dijk, Bastiaan Reijnen, BAYARTAEV, CHAEWON KONG, FRANK & Moritz Ernst, Fynnandmathis, Ivan Delogu, Jakob Hodel, Justina Semčenkaitė, Kelly Konings, KKJ, Maria Gilmen, Roxy van Kemenade, studio allesingebruik, Svatopluk Ručka, TANJA VIDIC, Teresa Carvalheira x Eunice Pais, Tevin Blancheville, Timothy Scholte/Mary-Ann.
Credits: Laura Knipsael
The festival also featured The CLASH House, a captivating showcase and development program for designers exploring the intersection between fashion and other art disciplines, particularly performing arts. Participating designers had the opportunity to delve into alternative methods of fashion creation and presentation, pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion norms. Through the guidance of theater maker Giovanni Brand and dancer and choreographer Laisvie Andrea Ochoa Gaevska, these designers were encouraged to experiment with unconventional presentation formats, promoting innovation and offering audiences a truly unique fashion experience.
At Lumière Cinema, the festival celebrated the art of fashion film, emphasizing its significance as a medium for designers and brands to express their ethics and aesthetics. The Fashion Film Program featured a meticulously curated selection of 41 films from different countries worldwide, offering a rich tapestry of perspectives, cultural insights, and storytelling approaches.
The festival also emphasized the Fashion Makes Sense participation program, which aimed to engage and involve various target groups, with a particular focus on young people. This ongoing program revolved around projects centered on social design, inclusion, education, and collaboration between professionals and aspiring talents. Notably, the festival showcased the finished results of several participation projects, including the impressive finale of ‘THE HOOOOOOODIE PROJECT,’ in which over 500 individuals, primarily young people, contributed their work over two years to create a hoodie with sleeves extending over 300 meters.
As the festival unfolded, various other engaging activities captivated attendees. From workshops on upcycling and mending garments to an interactive theater performance exploring fashion and sustainability, the festival program offered a multitude of opportunities for learning, engagement, and creative expression. Additionally, pop-up exhibits and installations showcased the fusion of fashion with other art forms while providing a platform for artists and designers to present their work.
FASHIONCLASH Festival is an initiative by the Maastricht-based FASHIONCLASH Foundation. Since its inception in 2009, the foundation has tirelessly worked towards the development and promotion of fashion culture through a myriad of projects both in the Netherlands and abroad. By providing a stage and support to over 1500 artists and designers hailing from diverse backgrounds, FASHIONCLASH has cemented itself as a driving force in the global fashion landscape.
To get a glimpse of the festival’s vibrant atmosphere and rich offerings, you can watch the captivating 2022 Aftermovie or explore the extensive collection of program highlights on FASHIONCLASH’s YouTube channel.
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