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Critical Fashion Conference at MACRO Rome Explores the Future of Fashion

other · 2026-04-26

The 'Critical Fashion' conference took place at MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome from June 5 to 7, 2024, under the curation of Dobrila Denegri. This event highlighted the importance of education in fostering critical fashion, showcasing avant-garde creations. Denegri, who served as a curator at MACRO between 2002 and 2008, described critical fashion as a vibrant area that encompasses sustainability, inclusivity, and technology. Matthew Linde referred to it as 'bad-mannered fashion'. The conference brought together global figures to explore the relationship between fashion, art, and education. Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato is committed to nurturing young talent through a foundation. Denegri called for support for emerging practitioners and plans to establish a think tank inspired by the conference's themes.

Key facts

  • The Critical Fashion conference was held at MACRO in Rome from June 5 to 7, 2024.
  • The conference was curated by Dobrila Denegri, an art historian and curator.
  • Denegri previously curated conferences and exhibitions at MACRO from 2002 to 2008.
  • Matthew Linde described critical fashion as 'bad-mannered fashion' that cannot be dominated by rules.
  • Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato participated and is creating a foundation to support young designers.
  • The conference aimed to connect different disciplines and foster collaboration between art, education, and industry.
  • Denegri cited the 'Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.)' project as inspiration.
  • Billy Klüver was the engineer behind E.A.T., which united artists and engineers in the 1960s-70s.
  • Denegri plans to create a think tank and a larger project with institutional support next year.

Entities

Artists

  • Dobrila Denegri
  • Matthew Linde
  • Yuima Nakazato
  • Alexander McQueen
  • Yohji Yamamoto
  • Billy Klüver

Institutions

  • MACRO – Museo dell’Arte Contemporanea di Roma
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Rome
  • Italy

Sources