Modenatie - The Academy

In 1963 the Royal Academy of Fine Arts set up the fashion drawing department. Under the watchful eye of Mary Prijot, it quickly grew into a fully-fledged fashion academy, which soon became known as 'The Academy'. Many designers who graduated from there now enjoy international fame and have given Belgian fashion its own identity. There are two key moments behind this success: the rise of the Antwerp Six and the appointment of Linda Loppa, a former student, as head of the fashion department.

The Antwerp Six were a quirky group of designers. Together with Martin Margiela, who is not considered part of the Six, they made a name for themselves in the early 1980s with their rebellious views on fashion, averse to the commercial circuit. Suddenly, the whole world was looking at Antwerp.

In 1985, Linda Loppa became head of the fashion department. Partly thanks to her, the course now strongly focuses on individual expression and an international outlook. In 2006, she was succeeded by Walter Van Beirendonck. Year in, year out, The Academy still graduates a lot of talents from Belgium and beyond. It is one of the most influential fashion academies in the world. That is precisely why MoMu actively collects fashion from former students.