A fitting room is more than just a place where you try on clothes. It’s a space where doubt, curiosity, and self-image come together. What will you wear? What will you leave hanging? And what do those choices actually say about who you are?
Drawing on that familiar situation, costume designer and theater artist Sam Beddegenoodts developed SEW WHAT, a new theater production for young people ages 10 and up, produced by MoMu. The production stemmed from an open call by MoMu and is a collaboration with hetpaleis.
Inspired by the breakneck pace of social media and the fleeting nature of fashion trends, SEW WHAT invites a young audience to take a fresh look at the clothes they wear every day and at the influence of fashion and media on their self-image. With a distinctive visual language, the costume takes center stage.
How did the idea for SEW WHAT come about?
The idea actually came to me while I was doomscrolling on TikTok. I noticed how quickly the algorithm started showing me more and more content centered around consumption. That got me thinking about how incredibly fast trends follow one another these days. Because of social media and microtrends, everything seems to be constantly changing. I found it interesting to explore the impact that constant stream has on young people who are trying to develop their own identities through clothing.
Why did you choose the fitting room as the starting point?
A fitting room is a very familiar place where much more happens than just trying on clothes. It’s a space where you make choices, have doubts, and take a look at yourself. That’s exactly why it seemed like an interesting place to start the story. Everyone knows that feeling.
What role does clothing play in the search for identity?
For me, clothing has always been a way to discover myself. That includes making the wrong choices and going through embarrassing phases, but that’s exactly how you find out what really suits you. Today, that search has become much more complex. Young people are faced with so many choices that deciding what to do is getting harder and harder. Still, for me, fashion remains above all a playground for experimentation.
rehearsal footage SEW WHAT - (c) Annelies Van Lierde
What fascinates you about the relationship between fashion, self-image, and social media?
I feel that fashion, self-image, and social media are almost inseparable today. As soon as you mention one, the other two quickly come into play. It’s precisely that interplay that fascinates me. I’m interested in how that constant stream of images and trends influences the way we view ourselves and the choices we make.
Why do the costumes take center stage?
As a costume designer, I always start with visual imagery. For SEW WHAT, I wanted to avoid the show becoming a list of terms like “microtrends” or “greenwashing.” Instead, the costumes tell the story in an accessible way. This allows even young audience members with no prior knowledge to get completely swept up in the performance.
What do you hope young people will take away from the performance?
I don’t want to tell anyone they have to stop buying clothes. That’s not the point. Above all, I hope young people will take a moment to reflect on the choices they make and learn to recognize trends for what they are: trends. Fashion is something to play with and a way to discover yourself, but it’s also valuable to ask yourself every now and then why you actually like something, and for whom you’re making that choice.
SEW WHAT will premiere on November 20, 2026, at hetpaleis. This will be followed by public performances on November 21 and 22, after which the production will go on tour
SEW WHAT is a MoMu production, in co-production with PerPodium and in collaboration with hetpaleis. Special thanks to Rebels Kunstplatform Man OverBoord. This production was made possible with the support of EventFlanders.
