Welcome to the World of Happy Fashion!

In 2007 Arnhem Mode Biennale was HAPPY! From a fairytale world to raw and provocative, fashion took off on a delightful journey.

In 2007 Arnhem Mode Biennale was HAPPY! A new wave of fashion designers set the tone under this cheerful theme. ‘Fashion makes me high!’ exclaimed rising British fashion talent Carri Mundane (Cassette Playa). About 90 designers and artists created their ideal microcosms for the fashion biennale. Happy could be a spellbinding Disneyland, but could also be raw, risqué and provocative.

Every facet of joy and happiness was explored in the work of groundbreaking fashion innovators and established fashion creators alike, as well as in a cross-cultural mix that included music, film, dance, photography and the visual arts. ‘Music can be the impetus for a collection and can really get the ball rolling’, remarked Henrik Vibskov, who pushes the boundaries of fashion, theatre and music in his performances, which incorporate clothing he has personally creates. This Danish multi-talent is illustrative of the contrarian way in which the new generation of designers makes its creativity manifest: these designers break boundaries and display an aversion to trends (though they certainly set them). This generation’s self-willed individualism was reflected in the compilation of Arnhem Mode Biennale 2007.

Throughout the month of June, Artistic Director Piet Paris orchestrated an unforgettable happening with a plethora of sensory experiences staged at venues ranging from the Arnhem Museum of Modern Art to a former brickworks. Never before were garments by world-famous designers such as John Galliano, Maison Martin Margiela, Lanvin and Viktor & Rolf presented so imaginative in a museum setting. Their designs were exhibited amidst a garden landscape of sweet-smelling roses, butterflies and the tinkling of myriad musical boxes, as if it were a fashion heaven. A former brickworks on the banks of the Rhine had been transformed into the world of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, transporting visitors to the most fantastic landscapes, towards the end of the rainbow, where dresses by Rodarte awaited. Also part of this fairytale world of happy fashion was work by Dutch and international designers including Bernhard Willhelm, Jan Taminiau, Yoshikazu Yamagata and Sandra Backlund.

The second Arnhem Fashion Biennale presented fashion for delight as well as for contemplation.