State of Fashion

What State of Fashion does

State of Fashion is an independent Dutch cultural foundation (Stichting State of Fashion) headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands, founded in 2018 on the legacy of the earlier Arnhem Mode Biënnale. The organization operates as both a year-round platform and the producer of a large-scale international public biennale held every two years, with editions drawing approximately 38,000 visitors in 2022 and ~60,000 visitors in 2024. Its core offering consists of the State of Fashion Biennale — featuring exhibitions, talks, workshops, and interventions curated by rotating international curator teams — supplemented by year-round Platform activities including the Whataboutery talk series, Walkaboutery tours, Open Calls for curators and contributors, podcasts, research collaborations, and educational programming.

State of Fashion serves a heterogeneous audience spanning the general public and fashion enthusiasts attending exhibitions and events, international fashion designers and makers participating through open calls, educational institutions booking guided tours, and fashion industry professionals and researchers engaging through conferences and network activities. The 2024 edition introduced a decentralized, four-city sister-city model (Arnhem, Nairobi, Bengaluru, São Paulo), and the 2026 edition adds ONsite residencies in China, Ghana, and Sri Lanka.

The organization's revenue model is a non-profit mix of structural public funding — including inclusion in the Dutch national basic infrastructure (BIS) since 2021 and ongoing support from the Municipality of Arnhem — combined with ticket sales (€7.95 adult / €4.95 discounted day tickets), partnership and sponsorship contributions from programme, education, and media partners, and ancillary revenue from guided tours and catering packages. Distribution occurs through direct public access at physical venues (notably Eusebiuskerk for the 2026 edition), the Weeztix ticketing platform, free digital content distribution via the website and podcast/video channels, and international partner venues in the sister-city network. The organization employs approximately 22 staff, is governed by a supervisory board chaired by José Teunissen, and maintains a Creative Advisory Council of international fashion curators and scholars.

Name

State of Fashion

Legal name

Stichting State of Fashion (State of Fashion Foundation)

Website

https://stateoffashion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

State of Fashion is a Dutch non-profit foundation based in Arnhem that organizes a biennial international public exhibition on sustainable fashion, complemented by year-round platform programming, educational tours, and an international partner network spanning 32+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnhem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public funding and subsidies: State of Fashion receives structural support from the Municipality of Arnhem and has been included in the national basic infrastructure (BIS) of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science since 2021. Additional funding comes from various cultural and creative industry funds.
2. Ticket sales and admission fees: Revenue generated from sale of exhibition day tickets (€7.95 adult, €4.95 discounted), multi-entry tickets, and performance tickets. Guided tours are sold separately at €85/group plus admission.
3. Partner and sponsorship contributions: Partnership fees and contributions from programme partners, education partners, funding partners, and media partners contribute to operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

State of Fashion is a non-profit cultural organization that operates a biennial large-scale public event (the State of Fashion Biennale) held in Arnhem, the Netherlands, dedicated to presenting alternatives to the current fashion system and exploring sustainable and honest fashion. Beyond the biennale, it runs a year-round platform offering symposia, artistic projects, research collaborations, educational programmes, podcasts, guided tours, and an Open Call programme for international curators, contributors, and makers.

Product overview

State of Fashion is a cultural organization operating as both a platform and event producer. The core offering is the State of Fashion Biennale—a large-scale public event held every two years in Arnhem featuring exhibitions, talks, and interventions on sustainable fashion themes. Complementing the biennale is a year-round Platform offering symposia, artistic projects, podcasts, and educational programmes. Key sub-products include the Whataboutery talk series, Walkaboutery tours, and Open Call programmes for curator and contributor selection. The organization also offers visitor services through guided tours and packages at the Eusebius Church venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State of Fashion Biennale A large-scale international public event organized every two years in Arnhem, presenting exhibitions, talks, workshops, and curatorial interventions that explore urgent fashion themes and sustainable alternatives to the current fashion system. Attracts tens of thousands of visitors per edition.
• Platform Activities Year-round programming including symposia, artistic projects, research initiatives, social collaborations, educational programmes, podcasts, learning pathways, and inspirational visits connecting fashion with societal issues.
• Whataboutery Series
• Guided Tours & Group Packages
• International Fashion Conference A specialized conference engaging fashion professionals and creative practitioners in discussions on solidarity, sustainability, and systemic change in the fashion industry, offered in hybrid format.
• State of Fashion Digital Catalog Free online publications documenting each biennale edition, available in Dutch and English, featuring participant information, videos, podcasts, and background materials on the curatorial themes and projects.
• Open Call Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• State of Fashion Biennale attracts ~60,000 visitors per edition, with previous editions drawing 38,000+ visitors (2022).
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Fashion Alliance (EFA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EFA is a membership-based alliance founded in 2022, in which international fashion and textile organizations share experiences and drive change in their sector. State of Fashion has been a member since its inception in 2022. More than 32 countries are connected to this network.
• Engage4BiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Engage4Bio is a European project strengthening the circular, sustainable bioeconomy and sustainable regional development. State of Fashion is a consortium partner alongside WUR, Kiemt, The Green Metropolitan Region, Province of Gelderland Circular, and ArtEZ. State of Fashion participated in co-creation sessions in 2022 and collaborates on analysis and follow-up plans for circular and bio-based textiles and fashion.
• Culture.FashioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Culture.Fashion is an open and values-driven network bringing together people and organizations from the Dutch fashion and textile industry to create a future-proof fashion sector. An initiative from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. State of Fashion is a member of the core group (one of five catalysts) from the start, having organized two large network meetings in Arnhem City Hall.
• Taskforce FashioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Taskforce Fashion is a multidisciplinary and research-based partnership of FASHIONCLASH, M-ODE, and State of Fashion, commissioned by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie. The partnership explored the transformative role of fashion in relation to social issues and sustainable futures through experiments and residencies (2017–2021).
• Mode Partners 025coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMode Partners 025 is a collaboration of Museum Arnhem, ArtEZ University of the Arts, Rijn IJssel Creative Industry, State of Fashion, and Fashion + Design Festival Arnhem (FDFA). The partnership focuses on a fairer and sustainable fashion and textile system, addressing major sustainability challenges in the fashion and textile industry regionally, nationally, and internationally. Supported by the Municipality of Arnhem.
• NEWTEXECO (New Textile Ecosystems)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEWTEXECO is a research group in which ArtEZ, Saxion, and Hogeschool van Amsterdam join forces to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable textile value chain, with design as the main pivot. State of Fashion is a consortium partner and will host a large networking event during the Biennale. The initiative runs for eight years, focusing on circular textiles meeting functional and aesthetic conditions.
• Fashion RevolutionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFashion Revolution is a global activist NGO. State of Fashion 2022 was curated by Fashion Open Studio, an initiative of Fashion Revolution, in collaboration with the NOT____ ENOUGH Collective. Fashion Revolution is also a media partner.
• ArtEZ University of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtEZ is a key institutional partner, contributing to the NEWTEXECO research consortium, Mode Partners 025, and the Creative Advisory Council. The institution's international reputation in fashion education supports State of Fashion's positioning. ArtEZ is also a founding partner of the Arnhem Mode Biënnale (2003) and the birthplace of many Dutch fashion designers.
• Museum ArnhemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum Arnhem is a partner in Mode Partners 025 and a venue for Biennale programming. The museum hosted installations as part of the State of Fashion 2024 Biennale (Ties that Bind) alongside the main venue Rembrandt Theater and Rozet.
• Fashion + Design Festival Arnhem (FDFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDFA is a partner in Mode Partners 025. For State of Fashion 2024, FDFA organized an Open Call for Arnhem-based makers, selecting five Arnhem makers (Hankyul Jeong, Collectief Raven, Batuhan Demir & Ülkühan Akgül, Sophie Roumans, Bas Kosters) to create new work responding to the Biennale's themes.
• DPG MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDPG Media is listed as a media partner of State of Fashion, providing media exposure and audience reach across its portfolio of media brands.
• Rozet (Arnhem)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRozet is an Arnhem cultural venue used as a Biennale location. It hosted Bureau Ruimtekoers ateliers and maker workshops during the 2024 Biennale, and activities including the screen printing installation by Farah Fayyad.
• VPRO TegenlichtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVPRO Tegenlicht collaborated with State of Fashion for a 'Uit de Kleren' meet-up during the 2024 Biennale, screening their documentary on sustainable fashion pioneers and engaging in discussion with the co-curators and EU Parliament member Lara Wolters.
• Creative Advisory CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Creative Advisory Council is a permanent instrument that monitors and provides input on artistic quality. Members include Akanksha Kamath (journalist), Christina H. Moon (Parsons), Samata Pattinson (BLACK PEARL), Hanayrá Negreiros (curator/scholar), Sunny Dolat (curator), Kallol Datta (clothes maker/researcher), Rachel Dedman (V&A), Louise Bennetts (designer/researcher).
• SaxionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaxion is part of the NEWTEXECO research consortium alongside ArtEZ, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, and State of Fashion as consortium partner, working on sustainable textile value chain research.
• Hogeschool van AmsterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHogeschool van Amsterdam is part of the NEWTEXECO research consortium alongside ArtEZ, Saxion, and State of Fashion as consortium partner, working on sustainable textile value chain research.
• FASHIONCLASHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFASHIONCLASH is a partner in Taskforce Fashion alongside M-ODE and State of Fashion. The Dutch fashion platform also collaborates with State of Fashion within Culture.Fashion and the European Fashion Alliance.
• M-ODEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerM-ODE is a partner in Taskforce Fashion alongside FASHIONCLASH and State of Fashion, commissioned by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie. The collaboration explored fashion's transformative role in relation to social issues and sustainable futures.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MoCADA / ModeClash equivalents (Fashion Open Studio): Fashion Open Studio is an initiative of Fashion Revolution organizing designer studio events focused on sustainability. It curated State of Fashion 2022, evidencing deep partnership and overlapping open-call biennial-format engagement with emerging designers.

Broad incumbents

• Pitti Immagine: Pitti Immagine organizes major international fashion fairs (Pitti Uomo, Pitti Filati, Pitti Bimbo) in Florence. Comparable as a long-established fashion event operator with international reach, though focused on commercial trade shows rather than cultural discourse.
• London Design Festival: London Design Festival is a major annual design and cultural event distributed across venues in London. Comparable as a large-scale city-anchored public cultural festival, though broader in scope than fashion-specific programming.

Direct peers

• Design Indaba: Design Indaba is a Cape Town-based platform running an annual festival and conference on design and creativity. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary cultural platform organizing large-scale public events with international reach and curatorial depth.
• Global Fashion Agenda: Global Fashion Agenda is a Copenhagen-based non-profit that organizes the Global Fashion Summit and drives industry action on sustainability — directly comparable to State of Fashion's mission of advancing sustainable fashion discourse at scale.
• Fashion Revolution: Fashion Revolution is the global activist movement for a cleaner, fairer fashion industry. It curated State of Fashion 2022, evidencing deep partnership and overlapping mission around sustainable fashion advocacy and public engagement.
• FASHIONCLASH: FASHIONCLASH is a Maastricht-based Dutch fashion platform organizing a biennial festival, showcases, and labs for emerging designers — closely matching State of Fashion's biennial platform model, Dutch base, and Taskforce Fashion co-membership.
• Fashion for Good: Fashion for Good is an Amsterdam-based global initiative scaling sustainable fashion innovation through partnerships, accelerator programs, and a museum-grade visitor experience. Comparable as a Dutch-headquartered sustainable fashion platform with international reach.
• MOMU (ModeMuseum Antwerpen): MOMU is Antwerp's fashion museum curating exhibitions on fashion design, sustainability, and contemporary practice. It overlaps with State of Fashion on exhibition-driven discourse about fashion culture and sustainability in the Benelux region.
• Centraal Museum Utrecht: Centraal Museum in Utrecht maintains a notable fashion collection and curates fashion exhibitions. Overlaps with State of Fashion in cultural fashion exhibition programming within the Netherlands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stateoffashionNL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-of-fashion
• Instagraminstagram.com/stateoffashionnl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about State of Fashion