FashionClash Festival has once again proven its role as a catalyst for contemporary fashion culture. The sixteenth edition of the festival, which took place from Friday November 15 to Sunday November 17 in Maastricht, did what it promised to do: making unexpected connections between people and their ideas.
FashionUnited had the opportunity to experience the festival, with access to all exhibitions, film screenings, performances and participation projects. Below is an overview of the highlights of this leading event, known for the unexpected connections between fashion, people, (performance) art and culture.
The Clash House in St. Anne’s Church
FashionClash Festival kicks off with fashion exhibitions from The Clash House in St. Anne’s Church. On this Friday evening, artistic director Branko Popovic emphasizes the importance of building bridges between disciplines and cultures, a mission that the non-profit organization has been pursuing since 2009. Popovic notes that since its founding, Maastricht has been a city that literally and figuratively builds bridges: the Sint-Servaas Bridge connects the city across the Maas. The city is also located at the crossroads of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. In addition, the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992, which many people see as a unifying force in Europe through the establishment of the European Union.
Wim Hillenaar, the mayor of Maastricht, speaks in the Sint-Anna Church about the importance of FashionClash for the city. Maastricht, a city full of culture, but at the same time FashionClash is one of the few organizations in the city that helps fashion practitioners discover the unexpected in themselves and the world around them.
Hillenaar says he is proud of the organization, which, with several development programs, of which The Clash House is one, offers designers the opportunity to focus on building bridges between fashion and other art disciplines, especially the performing arts. The opening of FashionClash festival offers a glimpse into fashion as a form of storytelling. The designers were supported by theater maker Nadîja Roza Broekhart and dancer and choreographer Laisvie Andrea Ochoa.
Presenting The Clash House on Friday evening in a church where another service takes place on Sunday morning may be unconventional. At the same time, it shows that fashion can also be presented in alternative environments. The opening on Friday, November 15 is just a foretaste of the many clashes that the weekend will bring.
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New Fashion Narratives in Bureau Europa
The power of collaboration comes to life in the exhibition ‘New Fashion Narratives’ at Bureau Europa. The exhibition plays on the concept of the game ‘Exquisite Corps’, a game where each participant takes turns writing or drawing something on a sheet of paper, folding it to hide the contribution and then passing it to the next person for a new addition. This way of collaboration was clearly expressed by a shoe carpet, made from all kinds of different types of shoes.
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New Fashion Narratives offers artists and the current generation of designers a platform to jointly explore new perspectives and stories in fashion. The program emphasizes that fashion is not tied to traditional materials, but rather offers new possibilities by using alternative fabrics. The result is an inspiring exhibition that emphasizes the collaborative nature of fashion.
From artists to researchers and designers, the works in the exhibition are a fusion of different perspectives and practices.
Fashion Film Awards & Premiere
On Saturday, November 16, the finalists for the FashionClash Festival Fashion Film Award 2024 in of Kaltblut Magazine Award screened in Lumière Maastricht. The selected films provide a visual look at fashion culture, each with a unique approach to storytelling and aesthetics.
Shamean impressive film about fashion and conformism by Hadi Moussally, won the top prize. In addition, the film won Donkomi by Selko Figa, a critical film about the global fashion industry, the Kaltblut Magazine Award.
The jury, consisting of experts from the international fashion and film industry, was impressed by the way the films dealt with themes such as identity, culture and fashion. The films deal with topics such as conformism and globalization in a way that differs from the fashion films of the current media landscape.
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Performances in Exhibition Space Mariastraat 13
The Mariastraat 13 exhibition space is located in the heart of Maastricht, between shopping streets and the Maas. This place offered space for various performances and exhibitions during the festival.
The exhibition ‘cid’ is a collaboration between performance artist Hicyilmaz Kaan and fashion designer Ulkuhan. Together they show how digital technology not only influences fashion, but also the wearer themselves. The exhibition, which uses mirrors to literally hold up a mirror to visitors, takes a critical look at topics such as narcissism and the associated selfie culture.
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Fashion Makes Sense in Center Céramique
The participation program ‘Fashion Makes Sense’ in Center Céramique provided space for participatory fashion workshops that focus on social responsibility and sustainability. The program offered space for education, but also for interaction, where visitors were actively involved in the future of fashion.
For example, visitors could attend various exhibitions and workshops, including the Pop-up Atelier and Fashion x Craftswho started a dialogue about the impact of fashion on the environment. In addition, there was room in Center Céramique for the Repair Café organized by the Clean Clothes Campaign. This offered visitors the chance to repair their clothes and learn more about sustainable fashion practices, such as upcycling.
Another example in which the visitor was activated to think and participate is TexTiles, an art project in which everyone can express his or her personal view or vision of Europe with textiles. “The goal of TexTiles is to have so many textile tiles to completely cover the square outside Center Céramique,” says Popovic. He adds: “The project is inspired by the dimensions (40 x 40 cm) of the tiles on Plein 1992. The different tiles next to each other on the square will be an impressive demonstration of diversity on the site of the square that takes its name from the Maastricht Treaty.”
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The after party
FashionClash has once again proven to be an important organization where fashion, art and culture come together. The festival facilitates unexpected connections and at the same time motivates fashion makers to think critically about the importance of building bridges for the future.
The festival’s afterparty concluded the three-day fashion festival, where artists, performers and fashion professionals came together to celebrate FashionClash. The afterparty was presented by theater producer Samuel Valor Reyes and combined fashion shows by Nnaej Studio, Tessa van den Eeden and Max Niereisel with performances and music by DJ Frandy Perez, underscoring the festive nature of the festival.
Source: fashionunited.nl
