Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp celebrated in 2013 two milestones: the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its founding and the fiftieth anniversary of its celebrated fashion department.

To mark the occasion, the school and Walter Van Beirendonck, who heads the fashion department, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a magnificent exhibition, ‘Happy Birthday Dear Academie’, and a book, ‘Fashion / Antwerp / Academy / 50′.

Prominent among the projects is ‘Antwerp Icons’, which puts the work of the Academy’s most acclaimed fashion graduates (Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester and Dirk van Saene among them) on 12 billboards throughout the city. image above with clothes of Dirk van Saene is one of twelve.

Styled by Dirk Van Saene, with makeup by Inge Grognard and photography by Ronald Stoops.