Photo by Lonneke van der Palen

May 21, 2015

Maastricht, Netherlands – The planning committee of the FASHIONCLASH has announced the participants for this year’s 2015 event. Organized in Maastricht, the event has become one of Europe’s leading fashion platforms bringing international attention to rising designers.

This year’s event will take place in Maastricht from Jun 11^th – 14^th. The 4-day festival will showcase a full and exciting program featuring creative talent, exhibitions, fashion film, theatre and dance performances, pop-up stores, lectures, workshops and a dynamic.

Organized as the “GENDER Edition” theme, this year’s edition invites us all to celebrate the diversity and individuality, where it be provocative or conformist.

On this the committee says, “We have received a staggering amount of applications ranging from Europe to South America as well as Asia– the creative standard set by the applications exceeded our expectations. A summary of the chosen designers and a detailed outline of the program for the upcoming edition will be published in the following weeks. “

FASHIONCLASH believes that fashion as an art form can critically discuss current controversial issues, which are discussed in society. This year’s theme shapes the campaign and the overall festival but is mostly visible in the exhibition area, various performances as well as several locations situated in and around Maastricht city centre.

The concept of gender refers to sociocultural implications that define biological sex – simply put, the roles that differentiate between masculinity and femininity.

The organizers of the event feel empowered by fashion designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Dries van Noten or Givenchy, who have all broken the traditional gender stereotypes through their work. For instance presenting male’s skirts, which are still viewed as solely reserved for women, or the rise of unisex as the new androgynous.

“Even Selfridges has pioneered with a pop-up store offering genderless clothing. This has led us to imagine a world without gender. A world where all restrictive boundaries regarding gender roles and identities don’t exist. Is this a possible reality?”

Over the several days of the event, approximately 35 designers and artists of various nationalities are going to present their vision of gender during the FASHIONCLASH Festival Exhibition, which is situated next to the runway shows.

The 2015 edition will mark the 7^th year since the founding of this international and interdisciplinary fashion festival.

Supported by the city council, the FASHIONCLASH will also host a large delegation of international VIPs including global fashion media and representatives of numerous fashion weeks from Portugal, Serbia, the Czech Republic, etc.