And the MoMu Award Goes to... Floran Polano
Each year, MoMu honours the work of two Master’s students from the Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp with a prize for outstanding graphic quality. One of this year’s winners is Floran Polano, with his graduation collection Embraced Me, Strangled Silk.
What inspired your collection?
FLORAN POLANO: "The safety and fleeting beauty of youth. The collection tells the story of growing up – but in reverse. By escaping into childlike memories, I give shape to a longing for protection from the demands of adult life. In my final year at the Academy, I felt the ‘real’ world knocking at the door. That brought on a wave of nostalgia. It felt like the right moment to look back and reflect. The collection is not only an escape from adult responsibilities, but also my attempt to respond to them."
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How did you translate that inspiration into wearable garments?
FP: "The pieces are designed to twist asymmetrically around the body, like a parental embrace. I wanted them to hold the wearer in a way that feels both emotional and physical. They ‘lovingly’ hold you, while also constraining you – just as parental support can be both comforting and, in subtle ways, restrictive."
FP: "By working with asymmetry and draping, I highlight that feeling. The garments are tender, yet never lose their structure. Construction was essential to achieve this. Most silhouettes have an inner framework, such as crinolines and shoulder pads, which give shape to the soft, flowing fabrics. The fine wools and textiles evoke warmth and intimacy."
The MoMu Award always recognises collections with a strong graphic quality. How does that aspect shape your creative process?
FP: "Drawing helps me enter the right mindset. It allows me to set the mood of a collection early on. That initial phase – when everything only exists on paper – is often the part I look forward to most. The narrative collages and drawings guide me later in shaping the emotional landscape of the collection. I love that every fold and drape in the final garments can be traced back to a hand-drawn line on paper."
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Floran Polano's collection imagery is on display at MoMu Café from now until July 2026. Make sure to read our interview with Annaëlle Reudink, the second MoMu Award winner.