Her Majesty Queen Máxima opened the State of Fashion Biennale 2026 in Arnhem on May 13. This opening marked the start of an edition that sheds light on the hidden systems behind the fashion industry.
Available to Promise
No finished product on the runway – just fashion’s footprint
In Available to Promise; Hidden Systems, Shared Futures, the focus is not on the garment itself, but on the processes surrounding it. The Biennale explores how fashion is shaped by production, logistics, technology, and labor, and examines how these systems might change.
ONsites
Regenerative production in Sri Lanka, the impact of climate change in China, and textile flows in Ghana
International ONsites shed light on the lifecycle of fashion, from raw materials to use. In Sri Lanka, Fibershed Sri Lanka focuses on restoring local textile chains, resulting in a unique dress born of regeneration and women’s craftsmanship. In Northeast China, the chuān project, in collaboration with fashion retailer JNBY, investigates clothing practices in extreme cold and border regions. In Ghana, the Kantamanto Market—the world’s largest secondhand clothing market—symbolizes the power of reuse. In Arnhem, this translates into a meter-high wedding dress as an impressive installation in the exhibition. Together, these projects demonstrate how fashion emerges in direct relation to location, climate, and community.
About State of Fashion
State of Fashion is a fashion program that explores alternatives to the current fashion system. It explicitly and transparently highlights the connection between fashion and the social issues and challenges of our time. At its core is the question: how can fashion and textiles contribute to a better world?
The Biennale spans Arnhem, with the Eusebius Church as the main venue, along with Rozet, Museum Arnhem, the Ondernemerslab, and Focus Filmtheater.
State of Fashion 2026 | Available to Promise
Arnhem
14 May – 28 June, 2026
stateoffashion.org
Photography opening: Eva Broekema
