When one steps out of Hasselt train station, it may seem the entire city is alive with ULTRAMEGALORE, the new fashion and art exhibition curated by Belgian model Hannelore Knuts at the Mode Museum in her hometown. A large white billboard of Hannelore in Vogue Paris greets you on the adjacent street, followed by a long procession of yellow flags lining the high street.

Upon entering the museum, Hannelore’s face is no less evident (rather, very much more so) and quite rightly so in a retrospective project such as this, celebrating a decade-long modelling career and a colourful personal journey alongside it.

Hannelore by name, ULTRA-MEGA-LORE by nature.

The 800sqm Mode Museum has had no exercise of minimalism wrought upon it, but an explosion of colour, light, sound and film that overwhelms in its small details and larger visual impact alike. Impossible to describe and document in one story, A BLOG will feature three days of ULTRAMEGALORE, beginning with fashion and running through the art and photography elements, for a holistic view of the entire exhibition.

From the entrance hall and a life-size Hannelore on the cover of Vogue Italia December 2005 to the attic room creaking with mannequins and magazines, Hannelore has unearthed a ten year legacy in the fashion industry with an impressive archive of her personal garments, and couture pieces borrowed from the designers closest to her. From the first garment – a Maison Martin Margiela artisanal leather waistcoat – to the final dress – a Christian Lacroix ceremonial wedding gown – each piece is imbued with a ‘Hannelorian tale’, whether it be a piece she wore in its catwalk debut or something her beauty and charisma inspired as a muse.

Above: Maison Martin Margiela artisanal leather waistcoat.

Above: Christian Lacroix wedding dress as worn by Hannelore.

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With a face that captured the shift in classical beauty and a turn towards more avant-garde models, Hannelore’s fierce lust for life coupled with her dashing looks – a pointed nose, strong chin and big, bright eyes – became an instant hit with a slew of designers across the world. From Belgian designers like Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten, to Paris stalwarts such as Azzedine Alaïa and Jean Paul Gaultier, Hannelore quickly became a regular fixture on their runways and in their campaigns. With some, Hannelore became more involved than just a model, becoming a muse and even collaborator on projects – particularly with Azzedine Alaïa and Haider Ackermann.

As such her personal style has become an intermingled mix of all these disparate aesthetics, resulting in a fluid femininity that is roughed up with a rock-star edge and a colourful eclecticism. The garments on show are a rare mix of new and old pieces, from established designers to younger names, from New York to Paris and back to Antwerp. The variety and scale is imposing: ranging from piles of designer shoe samples straight off the catwalk, to playful costumes worn by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, fanciful couture looks from Lacroix, eveningwear from Hermès, and t-shirts from Bernhard Willhelm.

Downstairs the fashion is separated into designated rooms (for those designers who Hannelore holds nearest and dearest), and upstairs the attic holds the majority of the archive, with little rhyme or reason to its colourful chaos. Despite a loose colour and thematic grouping, visitors are left to scour through a haphazard mix – piece after piece of personal belongings and borrowed archives –  with the unusual sights of a stepped wooden Hussein Chalayan skirt circled by high heels, a Haider Ackermann jacket casually draped over a vintage television set, and mannequins wearing Prada or Rick Owens surrounded by smashed shards of mirror on the floor. If not pure high fashion, it is certainly pure Hannelore, and she makes no apologies for that.

See our fashion photo gallery below, with art and photography to follow in the coming days.

Azzedine Alaia:

Jean Paul Gaultier:

Haider Ackermann:

Artwork by Haider Ackermann with accompanying song “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone.

“Birds flying high, you know how I feel. H.”

Hussein Chalayan:

The attic and beyond:

Above: Bernhard Willhelm tee shirts.

Above: Costume designed for the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O by Christian Joy.

Above: Maison Martin Margiela bead waistcoat over Ann Demeulemeester dress, Haider Ackermann wrap neck dress, VPL padded shift dress.

Above: Hermès Spring Summer 2006 dress, as worn by Hannelore Knuts in the show.

Above: archive Yves Saint Laurent red dress and cape, in the Juergen Teller room.

Above: A selection of personal and borrowed archives, including a leather hooded jacket by Ann Demeulemeester and the green 3-d print parka and dress worn by Hannelore in the Prada Fall Winter 2004 show (far right).

Above: A selection of personal and borrowed archives, including a python jacket from Revillon by Rick Owens (far left), star corsets by Francesco Scognamiglio (centre) and lace pants bodysuit by Haider Ackermann (far right).

Top image: Hannelore Knuts in Jean Paul Gaultier by Jean Baptise Mondino, Fall Winter 2004.