The first segment of the Antwerp Royal Academy student fashion show was a series of historical costumes designed by the first year students (I love that every year gets to show something at the show!). Each student is assigned a historical figure or character which ranged from Queen Elizabeth 1st to a typical Edwardian lady in morning dress. I think the point of the excercise is to undertake traditional techniques of dressmaking (something that the Antwerp Academy prides itself on) and to also understand the past before embarking on individual projects. It’s an excellent way of knowing where each garment comes from and provides a sturdy foundation on which to build each designer’s own path. As a history graduate, I feel that history should act as a constant check for the present and obviously affects our actions today. The presentation itself was also rather mystical to watch as this plethora of historical figures all wandered slowly around the stage. The colour palette used was also all a uniform neutral shade so it gave the effect of eerie ghosts walking amongst us.
