Walter Van Beirendonck: Dream the World Awake

Overview

For a man who has dressed Bono in giant, clawed boots; heads the fashion department of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and once reserved the front row of his show for his extensive toy collection, Walter Van Beirendonck was surprisingly understated as he introduced his fantastical exhibition, Dream the World Awake. Dressed in jeans and a suit jacket with a pair of fluoro Nikes and a single teardrop pearl earring (obviously), Van Beirendonck was notably gracious despite the slew of fashion journalists frothing at the mouth at the incredible edit of his 30-year career surrounding us. After a brief explanation of the layout and structure, Walter turned to one of the technical staff, asking, “Now, can we pump up the music?” and reality was left at the door.

Installed within RMIT's spectacular new Design Hub, the building’s inaugural exhibition Dream the World Awake is undoubtedly one of the best fashion exhibitions that Melbourne has had the pleasure of hosting. Originally curated and shown in Antwerp’s MoMu Fashion Museum, Van Beirendonck’s creations are not of this world, belonging to a psychedelic, alternate universe where gender is fluid, colour is law and humour is religion.

Wandering through the exhibition is like taking a tour through the interior workings of Van Beirendonck’s mind. A towering, 8-metre-high wall plastered with images and objects of inspiration faces a tiered, rotating display of over 70 pieces, spanning from his grad collection to present. The adjacent space features mesmerising video works of innovative fashion shows (including a particularly amusing video featuring dozens of W&LT clad male models line dancing) and linking the two rooms is a multi-level display of Walter’s large collection of toys and figurines. It’s the best theme park you ever went to, combined with the weirdest dream you’ve ever had.

Undoubtedly, an exhibition of this calibre and conceptual prowess is an incredible feat for RMIT, Melbourne, and even the Australian fashion industry. But putting aside the fact Van Beirendonck is one of the world’s greatest avant-garde designers, or that this is the first time the exhibition has shown outside of Antwerp, perhaps what the most important part of Dream the World Awake is its ability to inspire and excite anybody who passes through it.

Through his art and creative practice, Walter Van Beirendonck reminds us that the fashion needn’t be so serious or inaccessible in order to be revered. The exhibition is an invitation to exit what is perhaps a conditioned state of mind, melting boundaries of convention and saturating viewers with a flood of inspiration. Now, can we pump up the music?