Designers announced for the Open Call programme in collaboration with FDFA
State of Fashion and Fashion + Design Festival Arnhem (FDFA) are proud to announce the designers selected for the 2026 Open Call programme at Rozet, in Arnhem. We are excited to share that out of 37 applications to this year’s Open Call; Youngjin Choe, Harm Coordes, Mirte Engelhard, Karin Mientjes (Collective Works), and Lisette Ros will present newly developed work as part of the State of Fashion Biennale 2026 | Available to Promise; Hidden Systems, Shared Futures. The exhibition is free to visit throughout the Biennale, from 14 May to 28 June 2026 in Rozet.
The Open Call invited designers and makers with a connection to Arnhem to respond to the Biennale’s 2026 central question: What promises can still be made within fashion’s systems today? Submissions explored themes such as Develop, Distribute, Hype, Experience and Transform, addressing both the visible and invisible structures that shape fashion and society.
Following a careful selection process by a jury representing State of Fashion, FDFA, Rozet, ArtEZ, Rijn IJssel, and Museum Arnhem; Youngjin Choe, Harm Coordes, Mirte Engelhard, Karin Mientjes (Collective Works), and Lisette Ros were selected to develop new work for the State of Fashion Biennale 2026 edition. Their projects will be showcased at Rozet during the Biennale, and for the first time in this edition, the designers will also have the opportunity to bring their work to life through a one-off performance, activation, or show in Arnhem’s historic underground cellars — turning these atmospheric spaces into hubs of surprise, dialogue, and experimentation.
Selected designers
Youngjin Choe
Youngjin Choe explores fashion as a form of meaningful storytelling and emotional communication, rather than simply garment-making. Rooted in deeply personal narratives of childhood, pain and healing, his work translates inner experience into powerful silhouettes, thoughtful material choices and expressive use of light. By combining traditional Korean design with Western clothing languages, he creates layered reflections on identity and transformation that resonate in one-on-one encounters with the audience.
Designers announced for the Open Call programme in collaboration with FDFA
Harm Coordes
Harm Coordes works at the intersection of fashion, performance and participation. His practice explores clothing as something to be experienced collectively rather than viewed as a finished object. Using reused materials and playful, wearable forms, his work invites audiences to engage physically and socially, creating shared moments that are humorous and approachable.
Mirte Engelhard
Mirte Engelhard works with textile, memory and participation to create intimate, experiential installations. Her practice explores moments of transition and uncertainty, using layered fabrics that carry personal and collective histories. By inviting others to share stories of change, loss and transformation, her work becomes a shared space for reflection, where the in-between is not something to overcome, but something to inhabit together. During the Biënnale, this approach unfolds into a quiet yet powerful installation that grows from individual memories into a collective expression.
Karin Mientjes (Collective Works)
Karin Mientjes werkt op het snijvlak van grafisch ontwerp, textiel en ruimtelijk werk. In haar praktijk ziet zij beweging niet als een visueel effect, maar als een wezenlijk onderdeel van het materiaal zelf. In haar nieuwe werk onderzoekt zij hoe textiel sporen draagt van arbeid, circulatie en herhaling, en hoe deze processen het modesysteem door de tijd heen vormgeven. Met een kinetische en interactieve installatie nodigt zij bezoekers uit om zelf in beweging te komen en hun eigen gedachten en reacties toe te voegen. Zo groeit het werk stap voor stap uit tot een collectief geheel en wordt mode zichtbaar als een gedeeld en voortdurend proces.
Lisette Ros
Lisette Ros is a conceptual and performance artist who uses the body as a tool, source and medium to research behavior, identity, ancestry and (invisible) narratives. Her work weaves personal, cultural and embodied histories into collective experience.