MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp

A bit pricey at €8, especially since the permanent collection includes fewer than 50 garments with only light descriptions—mostly just the designer names for each piece. I would’ve loved to see more interpretation and context. The on-site screening film was good—informative, I learned a lot about the Antwerp Six!

It was my first visit to a museum related to fashion. I found that people in Antwerpen are very fashionable, so I visited this museum. A receptionist welcomed me so kindly. Building design is very modern and nice, locker is free, toilet is clean, cafe and merchandise shop are so good. I watched two exhibitions, permanent and temporary. Both of them were worthy seeing. Exhibition is not that big, so there was no museum fatigue. It was such a nice time.

Next time, please involve Western cultural perspectives beyond Western whiteness, not as surface tokens, but as artistic and curatorial peers. Or don’t suggest an exhibition is a universal exploration when it isn’t. White girls are beautiful, but not the only kind of beauty. I came to see 'Girls : Boredom, Rebellion and In Between' as a Sofia Coppola fan and was excited about the theme. If this exhibition had been framed more as an exploration of white girlhood, iconography and visual culture, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed. While the artwork had diversity and a clear narrative, the film and photography sections felt painfully narrow. The selection largely centered white girls as the "face of girlhood," repeating a tired pattern where white cultural institutions decide who is allowed to be beautiful, iconic and seen. The show borrows Coppola’s visual language (which itself draws from Japanese shōjo cinematic style and a wider Asian lineage of girlhood interiority), yet erases that genealogy, recenters white girls, and includes only token images of non-white subjects framed through poverty or assimilation- “Look, she wears barrettes too.” The film lineup made this clear by being overwhelmingly white: German schoolgirls, French classics (shown twice), white American tomboys, white girls shopping, European aristocracy, blond girls undressing in nature. Meanwhile, non-white girls were shown either approximating western beauty ideals (shoplifting is implied) or reduced to street-child tropes and aestheticized suffering (a Senegalese movie). Each film is a work of art. Context is the issue. If the intention was poetic beauty, dream, fashion and explorations of girlhood and rebellion in cinema, why not include iconic films like Daughters of the Dust (which inspired Beyoncé's "Lemonade"), Spirit of the Beehive, Papicha, or Blue Gate Crossing? There is a vast cinematic history of tender, interior girlhood made by rebellious filmmakers from Europe and around the world. The interviews and voices of real girls were literally placed facing the exit doors.

Such a cool museum, the permanent exhibit about the Antwerp 6 was super interesting and exciting. The staff were very friendly and helpful!

an amazing museum! if you’re interested in fashion, this is a must see spot for antwerp. the current masquerade and makeup exhibition is huge and incredibly well done. make sure to check out the stupid show too! only 8€ for those under 26. there is a great gift shop too!

The ticket bracelet in recylced tissu is a very nice and "fashion" way The exposition related to Plais Stocklet is impressive, the thought of art creation in a whole, not only the clothing, and every item revolving around the particular design and theme, whole integration thinking!

We visited yesterday and I found the permanent exhibition disappointing. Very few actual exhibits and the rest on video. Quite hard to read the captions on the wall opposite the exhibits thanks to the dim lighting and small , narrowly spaced print. As with many museums these days, a bit of a triumph of style over content. There is unfortunately no temporary exhibition at the moment with which to compare the permanent one.

MoMu, Antwerp's Fashion Museum, offers a captivating exploration of fashion's past, present, and future. The friendly staff was happy to answer my questions and explain the layout, which includes a temporary exhibition space, a permanent collection, a cafe, a shop, lockers, and restrooms downstairs. During my visit, the temporary exhibition delved into the world of Congolese artist Baloji, drawing inspiration from his film "Augere." It was a fascinating blend of cultures and a testament to Baloji's artistic talents across various disciplines. The permanent exhibition is a treasure trove of fashion, showcasing iconic pieces from renowned designers. The displays go beyond just the clothing, providing insights into the designers' creative processes. Some pieces were strikingly bold, while others showcased a more subtle brilliance in design. The museum's popularity was evident by the steady stream of visitors browsing the various exhibits. MoMu is a must-visit for any fashion enthusiast or anyone curious about the artistry and inspiration behind clothing.