Articles by Anna Roos van Wijngaarden
Anna Roos is a fashion journalist who, in a glamorous past, walked the catwalk herself. After studying business administration, she took up her pen to write about the business side of fashion, with a focus on sustainability issues. She has written for publications including ELLE, Dutch newspapers Het Financieele Dagblad and Het Parool and Lampoon Magazine, and in 2024–25 she wrote the regular column ‘Goed Gekleed’ in Trouw.
Old and new Belgian fashion on display: Antwerp Fashion Festival
Apart from the gong, it is completely silent in the dome of the Botanic Sanctuary in Antwerp. A humming sound fills the space. A high-pitched female voice begins, accompanied by a man playing exotic instruments. The first model appears in deep contemplation, arms crossed behind their back, gaze fixed on their feet. They are wearing loose-fitting...
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Brandon Wen, creative director of Antwerp's fashion academy: “I allow myself to be a little naive”
Brandon Wen succeeded the legendary Walter Van Beirendonck as the first non-Belgian and youngest head of department in the history of the Antwerp Fashion Academy. This year, the students he started with are graduating. FashionUnited speaks to him in Antwerp about his first cohort and the creation of his own debut collection. Wen has no time for...
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Seaweed fabric pioneer Keel Labs files for bankruptcy protection
Keel Labs, the US startup behind the first fabrics made from seaweed, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the North Carolina court on June 5. The company has an estimated ten million dollars in assets and one million dollars in liabilities. To produce Kelsun, biopolymers are extracted from seaweed and converted into threads through a...
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Counterfeiting proves costly for the fashion sector
European fashion retailers lose over 12 billion euros (13.88 billion dollars) annually on clothing and a further 2.7 billion euros on jewellery and handbags. This is according to research by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which enforces intellectual property. The EUIPO states that consumers are willing to pay more for ‘...
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Antwerp Fashion Talks: Botter and Klausner on fashion industry challenges
In the eaves of the Botanic Sanctuary, a former monastery now a five-star hotel in the heart of Antwerp, fashion fans and professionals have gathered for the annual Fashion Talks. The room is intimate with its pointed roof and wooden beams, especially when so full. It resembles a clandestine church. This is fitting, as Antwerp is something of a...
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From New York to Antwerp, fashion designer Kié Lee: “Loneliness allows me to focus”
Basel-born Kié Lee founded her label Kié Einzelgänger in New York in 2016, before relocating to Antwerp. Now in her 30s, she feels right at home among the spheres of Raf Simons, Ann Demeulemeester, and Jurgi Persoons. Parallels can be drawn with her own designs. Lee draws creative strength from solitude. It shows in the pervasive use of black in...
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Who was William Travilla, Marilyn Monroe's costume designer?
Exactly one hundred years ago, on June 1, 1926, Norma Jeane Mortenson was born in Los Angeles. She chose the name under which she would live on as a sex symbol, model, actress and singer herself on her thirtieth birthday. Marilyn Monroe christened herself an icon, but for her wardrobe, she needed William Travilla. What was the costume designer's...
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Fashion tech platform Vaayu acquired by Carbonfact
French sustainability platform Carbonfact has acquired its German competitor Vaayu Tech GmbH. The companies made a joint announcement today. The purchase price has not yet been disclosed. The acquisition brings the two largest decarbonisation tools for the fashion industry under one roof. Existing clients will migrate to Carbonfact. The combined...
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French upcycler Losanje receives 6.7 million euro capital injection
French company Losanje, which specialises in textile upcycling, has secured a capital injection of 6.7 million euros (7.79 million dollars). Upcycling involves reusing existing materials to create a new product, such as making a bag from a pair of jeans. This process increases the value of the residual product, turning textile waste into a...
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Behind the scenes of fashion conservation: A conversation with Cesar Rodriguez Salinas
After training as a general conservator, Bilbao-native Cesar Rodriguez Salinas specialised in textiles and fashion costumes. He applied his knowledge and keen eye to various European collections and museums, including the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, before settling at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag in 2018. Major exhibitions such as “Art Deco: Paul...
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