“THE SIX”, DIRECTED BY REINER HOLZEMER: A LOOK INTO THE ANTWERP SIX
In the early 1980s, Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee put Belgium on the international map of the fashion world, becoming a revolutionary collective, The Antwerp Six. Experiencing 1980s fashion as a period of new beginnings: first Italian and French, and later primarily Japanese designers opened up entirely new perspectives for them.
After 40 years, the work of the six designers is brought together in a retrospective exhibition at MoMu, to explore what does this encounter reveal about their bond, differences and the story that we, as the public, have built up around them over the years.
Directed by Reiner Holzemer, THE SIX explores the myth surrounding the Antwerp Six, presenting archival footage and recent conversations with the designers. Often portrayed as a close-knit group, united by a shared vision, they were above all friends who supported one another and, whilst engaging in productive competition, aiming to pursue their highly diverse artistic paths. THE SIX is a film about creativity and innovation, a story of rebellion and friendship, inspiration and rivalry.
“Last year Geert Bruloot, one of the curators of the MoMu exhibition about The Six, called us to ask if I would like to make a film with them. My answer was an immediate ‘yes’. I am convinced that this film will fill a crucial, missing link in fashion history. The Six played an important role in that history, but little is known about how they worked together as a group and how they inspired each other. The public often has an inaccurate picture of this.
… Two of these voices are female, which is still rare in the fashion industry. With Ann and Marina, I want to explore how they found their way in a male-dominated sector. In this way, this film simultaneously debunks a myth, portrays six unique visions, and pays tribute to an era in which creativity prevailed.”
