School

Royal Academy Of Fine Arts Antwerp

In accordance with the spirit of the times, a number of new departments were added to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts: graphic design, photography, jewellery design, ceramic arts and fashion design.

The fashion department of the Antwerp Academy sees fashion in the broadest sense of the word; as a form of expression of the emotions of our times. Clothing reflects society or, adversely, questions it. Fashion people are not a self-absorbed clique, but committed people who question prevailing concepts of ethics and aesthetics and take a stand for or against aggression, rejection, denial, helplessness. In fashion, there is a freedom of expression which can at times be shocking, alarming, astounding or tempting. The training provided by the fashion department stimulates innovation.

The approach is focused on experimentation, improvisation and formal innovation. The goal is that the students ultimately achieve an appealing synthesis of all these aspects, on the basis of the professional skills they have acquired. By nature, a designer has a limitless interest in the unknown and the new, a tendency that we stimulate in our students. All art forms feature on the curriculum: the history of art, the history of costume, film, literature and music.

Courses Overview: Undergraduate and Postgraduate

Bachelor in Visual Arts (Fashion Design)
Bachelor in Visual Arts (Jewellery Design, Gold and Silversmithing)
Bachelor in Visual Arts (Costume Design)
Master of Visual Arts (Fashion Design)
Master of Visual Arts (Jewellery Design, Gold and Silversmithing)
Master of Visual Arts (Costume Design)

Noteworthy Alumni

Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela are designers who graduated from the Academy in the beginning of the eighties, more recently, Veronique Branquinho, A.F. Vandevorst, Stephan Schneider, Bernhard Willhelm, Bruno Pieters, Tim Van Steenbergen, Peter Pilotto and NJAL's own Benjiwzw (Grimes pictured below wearing one of the designer's creation).

Life in Antwerp

Living in Antwerp means enjoying Flemish hospitality as well as taking part in the academic life. Paying a visit to other historically interesting cities such as Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Ypres and Leuven is higly recommended. Distances between cities are small and public transport is easy.

Antwerp itself has a lot to offer. It is the economic heart of Belgium thanks to its international port. Moreover, since the end of the nineteenth century it has been one of the most important centres of the diamond industry. Antwerp also features the Flanders Fashion Institute, one of Europe's leading fashion institutions.