The Antwerp Fashion museum, better known as MoMu, has a reputation for putting on excellent temporary exhibits, and their latest one, Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair, is no exception. They have put together a beautifully curated collection of furniture and home decor pieces, as well as garments, from different ages. Going from thoughtful vignettes to recreating entire rooms that look like they belong in a (high) fashion magazine.
This makes the exhibit well worth a visit for enthusiasts of historical fashions, including steam- and dieselpunk fashion aficionados. The collection includes several beautiful Victorian- and Jazz-era gowns.
The exhibit brings together contemporary and historical pieces in sometimes surprising ways. The addition of vintage photographs of artisans going about their work, as well as slices of daily life and models, adds another layer of interest. Not just for those interested in fashion and interior design, but photography as well. Making this an expo a little bit of everything — while still telling a coherent story, which is not an easy balance to strike.
As for mobility, MoMu has an elevator to all levels, and while I visited using a cane, not a walker, I was under the impression it wasn’t impossible to move without issues throughout all of it. They also did their best to provide seating throughout most of the exhibit, although it looked like this wasn’t possible everywhere within the available space due to the way the various displays and pieces were organized. They definitely did put in the effort. I would suggest visiting outside of the busiest hours for maximum comfort.
In short, this is an expo I can definitely recommend. If you find yourself in Antwerp this summer with a hankering to visit a museum, give this one a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The exhibition is on until August 3.
