The following photos were taken in the surroundings of the entrance located at Mutsaardstraat, the main campus.

The campus is a classical building with a courtyard, the surroundings are typical regular Antwerp centre looking streets: gray, three to four-floor row houses, tram tracks and not much greenery.

For the most part the students dressed the part, whether they went full on new age punk or designer, the look was thought about. I mentioned this to one student and she told me this tendency fades the longer they are here:

"By the time you are in your final year it's mostly black and white. I get it though, makes thinking about what to wear easier in the morning".

This day was an intro for the whole school and its degrees, including fashion. They trickled in by differing amounts, somewhat timid and nervously for the unknown journey alone or already in a party of three.

The Margiela Tabi shoes were quite present and thrift finds, a curious contrast.

What stood out that day were the delightful 'bird of paradise'-colours of Nancy's eyeshadow. I found Kyrylo’s pendant of the flower with a bullet hole catching, since it was during this period the war with Ukraine and Russia was on full swing. A grim reminder of what else is going on outside the bubbly bubble of fashion sometimes. It shows once more a statement so subtle can be big.

Many people wore clothes owned by their parent, grandparent or made by hand in certain patterns to reference their heritage and homeland. A unique mix of old and new tailored specifically to their taste. Recycled & renewed fashion seems to be rediscovered.