The CLASH House Sint-Annakerk
The opening show of the 16th edition was dedicated to fashion performances with The CLASH House. This is a showcase and development program for designers who focus on crossovers between fashion and other art disciplines - especially the performing arts. These designers explore alternative ways of making and presenting fashion. This year’s participants: Megan van Engelen, Julia Burak, SHIFT Studio, bzrkna and Paula Dischinger, received a coaching program in which they were supported by theater maker Nadîja Roza Broekhart and dancer and choreographer Laisvie Andrea Ochoa. Theater maker Giovanni Brand was responsible for the overall direction of the evening.
Danata Shaikenova from bzrkna presented the performance “DID I”? an emotional journey through the fragmented landscape of personal experiences, where the body becomes both frame and fracture. In “Berry”, Megan van Engelen explored romanticized childhood memories through various fashion items and a blackberry bush that is related to a broken family. In addition to the performance, the fashion film for “Berry” also premiered. Under the name SHIFT studio, Ana Krgović explored the universal journey of personal transformation through five stages: life, pain, suffering, transformation and rebirth. Inspired by the philosophy of self-transformation, the performance “Pieces of You” explored how confronting and overcoming profound obstacles can lead to significant growth, self-discovery and ultimately wholeness. With "Human Herd”, Paula Dischinger asked whether man is a herd animal, and translated this into everyday human performativity through actions such as running, walking, and following each other. It highlighted the battle of the individual versus the group. On Sunday morning 17 November, the performance was repeated again in public space, where the group of performers moved like a flock of birds across Plein 1992. Polish Julia Burak concluded The CLASH House with 'Ate and left no crumbs', a celebration of body diversity and a statement against prejudices about how overweight and obese people are perceived.
Opening Night Sint-Annakerk
The festival opened spectacularly on Friday evening 15 November with the performance program The CLASH House at a very special location, namely the still consecrated St. Anne's Church (Sint-Annakerk) in Maastricht. Under the guidance of Aya Noël, it was a memorable evening where the art of fashion brought reflection and emotion. Speeches were held by FASHIONCLASH directors Branko Popovic and Els Petit-Carapiet, theatre director Noah Janssen and the Mayor of Maastricht, Wim Hillenaar.
During the opening, two performances were shown that were developed from the Amarte x FASHIONCLASH project. The first image of the opening was 'eight', the installation performance by Taiwanese drag artist and designer Naza Løtus and costume design duo The Nightmare Disorder. A performance that transforms costumes into narrative media, combining fashion and drag to create a unique blend of cultural stories and artistic expression. With 'I SEE YOU SEEING ME' by designer Katharina Spitz in collaboration with poet/artist Manka Menga, questions are asked about being a woman, the desire for rituals and the location of the physical body in space and time. Manka and Katharina are inspired by women who, through their resistance to societal norms, have earned a place in both the history books and in the hearts and minds of society.
The Sint-Annakerk location was a conceptual connection with and a preview of “Heiligdomsvaart” Maastricht (holy procession). FASHIONCLASH was asked to organise the main program of the procession in June 2025. Inspired by the theme of “Heiligdomsvaart” 2025: 'Be a bridge builder', a catwalk was built over the altar in the shape of a bridge. This is metaphorical for the various bridges or clashes that FASHIONCLASH is building between fashion, people, disciplines and society.
Open call The CLASH house 2024
The CLASH House is a showcase for a radical new generation of designers who focus on crossovers with fashion and other art disciplines. Participants are challenged to experiment with presentation forms in which storytelling, immersive experiences, and inclusivity are central.
For the 16th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival, The CLASH House will take form as a performative presentation, consisting of 5 performances with a clear narrative. Each performance will be co- directed and produced by FASHIONCLASH.
With The CLASH House, FASHIONCLASH provides each selected participant with a coaching trajectory to develop interdisciplinary showcases, by experimenting with presentation forms. The aim is to contribute to the renewal of the discipline and the creation of unique experiences for the audience. It’s important that you are willing to continue further develop the outcome of your performance, in collaboration with FASHIONCLASH and an external co-producer.