Antwerp.Fashion Festival Looks Back on a Successful First Edition

More than 100 fashion projects turned Antwerp into a city-wide celebration of fashion

©CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS PH ANASTASIA VANDOORNE

Antwerp, 9 June 2026

With thousands of visitors, great national and international press interest and enthusiastic reactions from designers, fashion brands and partners, the organisers look back on the first edition of the Antwerp.Fashion Festival with satisfaction. For four days, Antwerp provided the backdrop for a unique celebration of fashion, creativity and entrepreneurship, reaffirming the city's position as an international fashion city.

More than 100 participating designers, brands and venues
More than 50 international journalists, buyers and recruiters visited the festival
Currently counting more than 26,253 visitors, who visited the more than 100 locations in the city

Organised by Flanders District of Creativity and the City of Antwerp, in collaboration with MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp and with the support of EventFlanders, the festival celebrated both Antwerp’s rich fashion legacy and the new generation of designers shaping its future.

"With the Antwerp.Fashion Festival, we wanted to bring a multi-layered experience, bringing together fashion business, creativity, education, heritage and community. Our ambition is to take fashion out of the traditional context of fashion weeks and open the doors generously to the general public. On the other hand, we also wanted to present to the professional audience, journalists, buyers and influencers from home and abroad, the unique talent of the current generation of designers. The high turnout, the positive reactions from visitors and the special energy present during the festival confirm the success of this first edition," said the organisers.

Great interest from public and press

Over four days, the festival attracted a diverse audience of fashion lovers, professionals, students, tourists and curious Antwerp residents. Visitors discovered a rich route through the city, with fashion as the connecting factor between culture, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The media also found their way to Antwerp in droves. National and international journalists reported on the festival and paid attention to both the established values and the new talent that took centre stage during the festival. The presence of international press once again confirmed Antwerp's appeal as a creative and fashion-oriented destination.

"A top event like the Antwerp.Fashion Festival is an absolute added value to further strengthen Flanders' international appeal. It shows the creative strength of Flanders as a destination and creates a unique experience for both domestic and foreign visitors. The fact that the festival attracts such a large audience and international press confirms the potential of such events and the enthusiasm of all partners involved. We are therefore proud that we were able to support this from EventFlanders."
Leen Gysen, administrator-general of Tourism Flanders

Positive feedback from the industry

Participating designers and fashion brands speak of a particularly valuable platform to present their work to a wide audience. The festival not only offered visibility, but also created new encounters between designers, press, retailers, professionals and consumers.

The wide spread programme across different locations in the city was particularly appreciated in this respect. Making fashion visible in shops, galleries, museums, studios and public spaces created a dynamic interaction between the city and its creative sector.

Antwerp as a dynamic fashion city

The Antwerp.Fashion Festival was part of a special fashion year for Antwerp, coinciding with the celebration of forty years of the international impact of Antwerp fashion. Alongside the expo on The Antwerp Six at MoMu, the festival highlighted the contemporary generation of designers and fashion brands.

This combination of heritage and innovation was a common thread throughout the programme and underlined what makes Antwerp unique today: a city where fashion history, creative experimentation and entrepreneurship continue to reinforce each other.

"Antwerp proved once again in recent days that world-class fashion does not only belong in Milan or Paris, but also on the Scheldt. The exhibition of beautiful designs and Antwerp entrepreneurship did not remain behind closed doors either: it took place in the center of the city, accessible to the people of Antwerp. The success of this first edition, and hopefully not the last."
Els van Doesburg, mayor City of Antwerp

"Over the past few days, the result was there for everyone to experience at more than 100 locations, from shop windows and galleries to iconic spots in the city. Above all, the festival made visible what sets Antwerp apart all year round: the unique combination of larger stores, independent retailers and the many creative designers that our city boasts. No other shopping city has that advantage."
Koen Kennis, alderman for medium-sized businesses and tourism of the city of Antwerp

Foundation for the future

The successful first edition confirms the potential of the Antwerp.Fashion Festival as an annual or biennial platform for the fashion industry and as a public event that makes fashion accessible to a wide audience.

The organisation thanks all participating designers, fashion brands, partners, venues, volunteers and visitors who contributed to this first edition.

"The enthusiasm we have seen from visitors, designers, partners and press over the past few days gives us enormous confidence for the future. This first edition has shown how much support there is for a city-wide fashion festival in Antwerp. We look forward to building on this in the coming years. "
Pascal Cools, Managing Director at Flanders District of Creativity

About the festival

Antwerp.Fashion Festival is organised by Flanders District of Creativity and Stad Antwerpen, in collaboration with MoMu - ModeMuseum Antwerpen and with the support of EventFlanders.
The festival also thanks its partners: Porsche, INNO, dgtgroup, De Standaard, MAC, Keune, KATOEN NATIE, The Phoebus Foundation, Hannibal Books, Indaver, Bôtan Distillery and Martini
More information: antwerpfashionfestival.be or via the contacts below
More photos in the press file or via the contacts below

Stefan Ceunen

Lead PR & Communications Manager, Flanders District of Creativity

Liesbeth De Maeyer

Woordvoerder & Coördinator Pers/PR/Partners, Stad Antwerpen