“Khayal” is an intimate exhibit of the Antwerp designer Jan-Jan Van Essche, currently on display at MoMu, the city’s fashion museum. The installation takes over the ground floor space of the museum. It begins with Van Essche’s calligraphy-based drawings that guide you into just one room, where the designer has created an installation highlighting ten key silhouettes that embody his work. The space unfolds gradually as you walk around a wooden construction resembling traditional Japanese architecture, with custom made mannequins that reflect the designer’s earthy West-meets-East approach. The serenity of the space gradually takes over, reflecting the serenity of Van Essche’s designs as reflected in the handmade natural fabrics, indigo dyes, and loose silhouettes. Van Essche has created his own world, conducive to contemplation and slowing down time, and by the end of your visit the world outside will fall away.
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KHAYAL: A Time And Space for Everything. On display at MoMu, The Fashion Museum in Antwerp, until August 6th, 2025.