It’s that time of the year of the Fashion Department’s graduation shows!

Until June 16th you still have the opportunity to admire the dress shape studies by the 1st Bachelor students (2012) from the Antwerp Fashion Department at MoMu Gallery.

The freshman year is composed around 3 principle artistic subjects. The most important course is ‘fashion design’. The other two principle courses are ‘graphic design’ and ‘tailoring/pattern design’.

For their first assignment in fashion design, students are required to produce a study of a skirt, which is subsequently executed in the ‘coupe’, or tailoring course. Their second assignment is the study and creation of a dress, which is produced in coloured poplin (a quality of cotton). the treatment and the various processes (pleating, folding, wrinkling, etc.) of the material, react according to the specific selection of fabric.

The design phase deals with the basic elements of the design process: line, form and volume, proportions, balance and rhythm, handling the material, movement, and the body in relation to design. In this assignment, the study of the sleeve, sometimes in combination with the collar, is particularly crucial. The emphasis usually lies on the dress as a form of apparel in relation to the body, rather than the dress as an object in itself.

For the student, conducting research is a very important part of developing his or her concept. students are first encouraged to study historical and ethnic designs. These pave the way to interesting studies of form, which will later prove essential in their future design trajectory.

The expo ‘VARIATIONS – Shape study of a dress‘ is free.