In the lead-up to FASHIONCLASH Festival 2025, several open calls were launched to invite makers, performers, filmmakers, and interdisciplinary artists to take part in this year’s diverse program. The calls focused on collaboration, experimentation, community engagement, and exploring new narratives in fashion. Below is an overview of all six open calls that shaped the festival trajectory.
New Fashion Narratives – Residency
FASHIONCLASH has invited four fashion practitioners to co-develop the curatorial concept for a multimedia exhibition that will be presented at Bureau Europa during the festival in November.
The project kicked off with a four-day residency in Maastricht from 15 to 18 April 2025. During the residency, participants collaborated with the FASHIONCLASH team to explore new ways of curating, presenting, and contextualizing fashion. The ongoing process includes research, concept development, artist selection, and hands-on curatorial work. The project explores future fashion narratives, encourages polyphonic storytelling, and provides a platform for new voices in the field.
New Fashion Narratives – Collective Movements
This open call focused on makers and collectives working with fashion in relation to activism, participation, and socially or community-driven practices. Selected participants are currently contributing to the Collective Movements exhibition, which will be presented during the festival. The exhibition explores fashion as a tool for resistance and connection, and includes process-based work, co-creations, and multimedia outcomes such as garments, installations, performances, publications, and more.
The CLASH House
Five emerging designers have been selected to develop short performances at the intersection of fashion and the performing arts. Each participant is currently working on an interdisciplinary performance in collaboration with theatre and movement professionals.
The program supports experimentation in storytelling, inclusion, and presentation formats. It includes coaching sessions and production support, leading up to live presentations during the festival weekend in November.
Fashion Film Project – Bootcamp and Pitch
This educational and collaborative program is designed for early-career makers to explore fashion film. Following a one-day Bootcamp in Maastricht earlier this year, participants formed teams and pitched short film concepts. One winning team received a production budget of €5500 and professional guidance to realize their film. The completed film will premiere at the festival and be submitted to international fashion film festivals throughout 2026. Experience in filmmaking was not required; motivation and collaboration were key selection criteria.
FASHIONCLASH x Amarte
In collaboration with the x Amarte Fund, this open call supports three duos of artists and fashion makers. The project focuses on artists from disciplines not commonly linked to fashion, such as music, literature, immersive art, or public space.
The outcomes are currently in development and will be presented during the festival. Formats range from installations and performances to interactive works. The project encourages new interdisciplinary collaborations and meaningful audience engagement.
Fashion Film Program
FASHIONCLASH has invited filmmakers, designers, and artists from around the world to submit short fashion films for screening at the festival. Around 35 films will be selected for screening during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2025.
Five of these films will be nominated for the FASHIONCLASH Fashion Film Award. In addition, media partner KALTBLUT Magazine will select its favorite film for online publication.