On Wednesday 2 September, Lichting 2026 took place in the iconic Passage of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, marking the 20th edition of the platform that spotlights the Netherlands’ most promising design graduates. Bringing fashion, art and performance together beneath one of Amsterdam’s most recognisable landmarks, the evening celebrated both Lichting’s two-decade legacy and the new generation of designers shaping the future of Dutch fashion.
By extending its reach through an open call to graduates, Lichting continues to establish itself as an epicentre for a new generation of design voices, offering a rare glimpse into the future of fashion. Each participant brought a distinct narrative and technical approach, from theatrical character-building to sculptural tailoring and textile-driven experimentation, proving once again the breadth of creative excellence emerging from the Netherlands.
Arthur Wagenaar was chosen as the winner of Lichting 2026 for his collection MONK’S PRACTICE, translating the endless repetition and rediscovery of the creative process into clothing. Inspired by the idea of monnikenwerk — work that is never truly finished, but continuously revisited, reformed and made anew — Wagenaar looked inward, treating his own creative practice as a monastery of sorts. Book pages were layered, burned at the edges and transformed into sculptural forms, while structural dresses and natural-dyed hats obscuring the models’ eyes created a striking sense of ritual and introspection. Rather than striving for perfection, the collection embraced the value of repetition, patience and imperfection, offering a quiet reminder to return to one’s own ideas and keep creating.
The Jury Report
This year’s international jury brought together leading voices from across fashion, culture, media and the creative industries.
Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter (Creative Directors of BOTTER), Suzanne Leeuwen (Curator and Conservator of Jewellery at the Rijksmuseum), Stefanos Constantinou (Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships and General Manager for Amsterdam & Paris at Highsnobiety), and Timi Letonja (Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Numéro Netherlands) deliberated on the presentations and collections before reaching a unanimous decision.
Lichting 2026 Participants
Teun van Doorn, Domi van Gils, Casper Naafs, Stasha Pigkou, Julia Verberne, Arthur Wagenaar, Milou Schreuder, Giulio Zahnd, Storm Nijhuis, Jillian-Blair DeRose
Images by Resa Steenvoorden