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The Antwerp Six: A 40-Year Legacy of Fashion Innovation
FASHION / 2025-11-11
- The Cradle of Talent: Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp & The Six
- Marina Yee: The Most Mysterious Soul & Sustainability Pioneer
- Walter Van Beirendonck: The Rebellious Poet of Color & Concept
- Ann Demeulemeester: The Soul of Poetic Dark Romance
- Dries Van Noten: The Master of Prints & Layered Elegance
- Dirk Bikkembergs: The Fashion Athlete from Runway to Football
- Dirk Van Saene: The Artist and Nonconformist of Fashion
- The Antwerp 6 + 1: The Era Linked with Martin Margiela
The MoMu Fashion Museum in Antwerp confirmed over the weekend that legendary designer Marina Yee passed away on Saturday at the age of 67.
As one of the legendary “Antwerp Six,” she, along with Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, and Dirk Bikkembergs, redefined avant-garde Belgian fashion in the 1980s, leaving a lasting impact on the global fashion scene.
The Cradle of Talent: Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp & The Six
In the 1980s, fashion was still dominated by Paris haute couture and Milanese authority. Yet in the seemingly quiet corners of Belgium, six young designers staged a silent revolution with sewing machines and ideals.
They graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, which, since the 1960s under Mary Prijot’s leadership in fashion and costume design, had become one of Europe’s most avant-garde design schools.
In 1986, the Six self-funded a minibus to transport their collections to London Fashion Week. With no budget or fame, only imagination and rebellious spirit, their show stunned the European fashion world.
No one could pronounce their names correctly, so the media gave them a new label: The Antwerp Six. From that moment, the direction of fashion shifted.
Marina Yee: The Most Mysterious Soul & Sustainability Pioneer
As the most enigmatic member of the Antwerp Six, she was known for poetic tailoring and reconstructive concepts. In 1986, she founded her label Marie, blending vintage reconstruction with philosophical ideas.
Long before sustainable fashion became a trend, Yee created luxury garments from reconstructed and recycled fabrics, emphasizing that “clothing has a soul.”
Signature style: deconstructed reconstruction, soft materials, sustainability, and craftsmanship.
Ann Demeulemeester: The Soul of Poetic Dark Romance
Her designs are like poems worn on the body, weaving freedom and solitude between black, white, and gray, often inspired by literature and music, particularly poet Patti Smith.
Signature style: poetic black & white, gender fluidity, minimalism with soft tension.
Dries Van Noten: The Master of Prints & Layered Elegance
As the most balanced and internationally respected member, Dries is renowned for prints, textiles, and mixed-material designs. He blends Eastern and Western cultures—from Indian embroidery and Indonesian batik to Japanese kimono inspirations—bringing craftsmanship into modern structures.
Signature style: layered prints, cultural fusion, understated luxury.
Dirk Bikkembergs: The Fashion Athlete from Runway to Football
Dirk combined sports and fashion, being among the first designers to put footballers on the runway. In the 1990s, his brand symbolized strength and speed, pioneering luxury sportswear.
Signature style: athletic lines, military cuts, leather and metallic touches.
Dirk Van Saene: The Artist and Nonconformist of Fashion
His creations are artistic acts rather than products. Recently focusing on painting and ceramics, he extends character and narrative through clothing, reflecting a cross-disciplinary artistic spirit.
Signature style: deconstruction, artistic tailoring, nonconformity, cross-media creation.
The Antwerp 6 + 1: The Era Linked with Martin Margiela
Although Martin Margiela was not officially part of the Six, he emerged in the same era and is referred to as “The Antwerp 6+1.”
He had a long relationship with Marina Yee, and his early designs were influenced by her. He founded his brand in 1988, becoming the first among the seven to reach the international stage, inspiring the Antwerp Six to start their own labels.
The Antwerp Six was not a brand or an official group, but six individuals with strong, distinctive styles.
In 2026, MoMu will host the 40th-anniversary retrospective of the Antwerp Six, illuminating their story once again.
The young rebels who rose between sewing machines and dreams continue to inspire generations.