Global Fashion Hub: FASHIONCLASH Festival’s Celebratory Opening

Welcome, to post 1 of our fashion festival review, where we dive into the electric atmosphere of our favourite festival — the FASHIONCLASH Festival — now in its 16th iteration! Maastricht once again transformed into a vibrant hub of creativity, celebrating the dazzling intersection of art and the culture of fashion. This festival is not just an event; it’s vital for the city and emerging young artists eager to make their mark on the world.

Over a dazzling weekend, more than 100 designers and artists from over 20 countries showcased their visionary work, capturing the essence of contemporary fashion and identity. The involvement of over 100 young talents through FASHIONCLASH’s participation program, Fashion Makes Sense, further highlights the festival’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of creatives. Through workshops, co-creation projects, and performances, these promising artists gained invaluable experience that fuels their passion for fashion.

Spread across 13 captivating locations, the festival offered a plethora of exhibitions, performances, workshops, lectures, and screenings — a true feast for the senses! Not to mention, the electrifying afterparty transformed into a spectacular showcase celebrating fashion, dance, spoken word, and the vivid spectrum of identity expressions.

Mark your calendars for the next edition, set to take place from November 14 to 16, 2025. This upcoming three-day festival promises to unveil an exciting new generation of designers and performing artists, offering them a unique platform to reach a broad international audience. Expect a program rich in exhibitions, performances, dialogues, workshops, and film screenings that collectively explore and celebrate contemporary fashion culture. True to its ethos, FASHIONCLASH ensures accessibility for all through ticket sales and free events.

The Grand Opening Night @ Sint-Annakerk

The festival kicked off spectacularly on Friday evening within the sacred walls of the St. Anne’s Church, a setting that enhanced the significance of the performances. Under the artistic direction of Aya Noël, attendees were immersed in an unforgettable evening that blended fashion’s artistic prowess with deep reflection and emotion. The opening night featured insightful speeches from FASHIONCLASH Directors Branko Popović and Els Petit-Carapiet, theatre director Noah Janssen, and the Mayor of Maastricht, Wim Hillenaar.

The stage was set with two captivating performances birthed from the Amarte x FASHIONCLASH collaboration. The first act, “eight,” showcased the enchanting installation performance by Taiwanese drag artist and designer Naza Løtus, accompanied by the innovative costume design duo, The Nightmare Disorder. This performance masterfully transformed costumes into a narrative medium, highlighting a unique blend of cultural stories through fashion and drag.

The emotional journey continued with “I SEE YOU SEE ME,” a collaborative piece by designer Katharina Spitz and poet Manka Menga. The duo courageously explored themes of womanhood, ritualistic desires, and the embodiment of space and time, deeply inspired by resilient women who have carved out their legacy in both history and society’s consciousness.

The architectural backdrop of Sint-Annakerk created a conceptual preview for Heiligdomsvaart Maastricht, with FASHIONCLASH curating the main program for the holy procession in June 2025. Echoing the upcoming theme, “Be a bridge builder,” a bridge-shaped catwalk was built over the altar, symbolizing the various connections and clashes that FASHIONCLASH fosters amongst fashion, community, disciplines, and overarching societal narratives.

The CLASH House @ Sint-Annakerk

As we further delved into the opening night’s festivities, The CLASH House program emerged as a compelling showcase for those designers eager to explore the crossover between fashion and other art forms, particularly the performing arts. Featured designers included Megan van Engelen, Julia Burak, SHIFT Studio, bzrkna, and Paula Dischinger. With the guidance of theatre maker Nadîja Roza Broekhart and choreographer Laisvie Andrea Ochoa, these artists received vital support in honing their craft.

Danata Shaikenova of brzkna took the audience on a poignant exploration with her performance, “DID I?”, which traversed through the delicate terrain of personal experiences, intertwining bodily frames and fractures in a deeply personal narrative. Megan van Engelen’s “Berry” channelled nostalgic childhood memories, with fashion items and a blackberry bush drawing parallels to her experiences of family fragmentation. Alongside the live performance, she also premiered her fashion film “Berry,” further enriching the narrative.

Ana Krgović from SHIFT Studio’s “Pieces of You” delved into the five stages of personal transformation, inspired by self-transformation philosophies, presenting a compelling journey through life, pain, and ultimately rebirth.

In a thought-provoking inquiry into our collective nature, Paula Dischinger’s “Human Herd” examined human performativity through the lens of social interaction and individuality, replicated on the streets of Maastricht the following Sunday morning as performers moved like a flock of birds across Plein 1992.

Lastly, Julia Burak closed the show with her striking performance, “Ate and left no crumbs,” which resonated with a powerful celebration of body diversity, challenging societal stereotypes surrounding body image and weight perceptions.

The FASHIONCLASH Festival is a resounding testament to the creativity that thrives in Maastricht and stands as an essential platform for young artists to flourish. We are beyond excited for what’s next and can’t wait to see how future generations continue to innovate and inspire!

All photos by Laura Knipsael @lauraknipsael
visit www.fashionclash.nl. or follow via www.instagram.com/fashionclash_festival

Feat. 

Aya Noël @ayawnoel
Naza Løtus @dragboinaza
Katharina Spitz @kathakathak
and poet Manka Menga @mankamenga
Megan van Engelen @meganvanengelen
Julia Burak @julia_burak_fashion
SHIFT Studio @shiftstudio__
bzrkna @bzrkna
Paula Dischinger @dis.paula