MoMu Hackathon 2024: Breathing Life into Fashion’s Archives

This past weekend, MoMu Antwerp’s library became a pulsating hub of innovation as over 30 fashion and tech talents converged for the inaugural MoMu Hackathon. Organised in collaboration with Masjien, the two-day creative sprint challenged participants to bring MoMu’s extensive study collection—a treasure trove of over 2,000 historical and contemporary garments—to life using cutting-edge technology.

From Belgium to the UK, and beyond to Italy and France, a diverse cohort of multidisciplinary minds gathered in the heart of Antwerp. Designers, developers, data scientists, pattern makers, and storytellers were divided into four teams, each crafting a digital prototype that fused fashion heritage with futuristic tools. Guided by experts from MoMu, d_archive, Masjien, and other key partners, the results were nothing short of extraordinary.

“MoMu has a clear mission to cultivate curiosity about fashion and make it more accessible,” remarked Dieter Suls, Coordinator of the Dries Van Noten Study Center. “This hackathon perfectly embodies that vision.”

Among the standout projects was Tormented Love, a poetic 3D animation exploring the relationship between garments from different eras. By blending Illustrator, Blender, and other advanced tools, the team crafted a visual love story that was as innovative as it was emotive. Meanwhile, Rags to Riches redefined museum interactions, letting visitors chat with garments via QR codes and multilingual AI chatbots. Its Tinder-like recommendation system added a playful twist to personalised fashion experiences.

For those drawn to heritage preservation, Guardians of Archives transformed fashion archives into a global digital community. With immersive VR journeys, 3D-printed memorabilia, and a striking visualisation of a fencing costume from MoMu’s collection, this project showcased the power of collaborative technology. Finally, The Quintessential Victorian reimagined 1890s fashion, creating a digital “average garment” from data sourced across major museums—a triumph of AI and 3D design.

Over 48 intense hours, the hackathon embodied the spirit of co-creation—fusing high-tech tools with human ingenuity. Between moments of deep concentration, participants found time to bond over shared passions, ideas, and, of course, Belgian beers. The outcome? A testament to the boundless creativity that emerges when diverse disciplines converge.

For MoMu and Masjien, this hackathon isn’t just an event—it’s a glimpse into the future of fashion. With projects that make archives accessible, engaging, and interactive, the weekend underscored how technology can illuminate the past while shaping what’s to come.

“The technology stack available today is pushing endless creativity and efficiency. This was confirmed by the creative concepts developed by the multi disciplinary teams, using over 28 different technology platforms and software leading to amazing outcomes in only 2 days time.” Ann Claes, Techno-optimist at Masjien agency and co-organiser of the hackathon.

Article by @danieleverse

Courtesy of @ann_claes_24 @masjien.agency

Partners:

BAKERMAT - https://www.bakermat.net/

d_archive - https://darchive.io/

Digital Fashion Archive - https://www.digitalfashionarchive.com/

Howest - Cyber 3 Lab - https://www.cyber3lab.be/

Masjien - https://masjien.be/

MaxLab - AP Hogeschool - https://ap-arts.be/onderzoeksgroep/maxlab

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