FREEDOM PARADE 2022/2023
On Saturday, July 30, 2022, Piotrkowska Street in Łódź became the setting for an energetic fashion spectacle during the Freedom Parade. After a 20-year hiatus, the event returned to the city, and the main stage was filled with collections curated by Tomasz Armada, a Polish fashion designer
Armada was inspired by the earlier Freedom Parade from 2002, which was a significant movement among Academy of Fine Arts students and underground circles. Now, years later, the younger generation of designers had the opportunity to make their mark on the history of the parades by presenting their collections on the main stage. Armada decided to turn this into a unique and fascinating spectacle with an educational element.
The parade’s main stage featured music, a dancing crowd, as well as fashion and voguing. Tomasz Armada curated this show, presenting not only his own work but also collections by young, niche designers. Among them were Maszyna—Nikodem Płaczek, Holy Spells, Alicja Tkaczyk, Kamil Wesołowski, Robert Geserick, and Klaudia Markiewicz.
The energy and aesthetics of the 2000s were central to this event. Armada wanted the show to be a captivating spectacle while also serving an educational purpose. The models not only presented the clothing but also interacted with the audience, encouraging them to dance.
The choreography was created by Madlen Revlon, a performer and pioneer of voguing in Poland. The host spoke about the tradition of voguing, its roots in LGBT+ culture, and the meanings of the various categories.
Tomasz Armada presented a preview of his latest collection, “Glamslur.” The garments in this series, handcrafted by the designer himself, not only draw on a particular aesthetic but also serve as an expression of his personal experiences, crises, and attempts to identify his emotions. It is not just a fashion collection, but a form of occupational therapy, as the designer himself described it. As a Łódź native, he feels proud to have been able to present this collection at the Freedom Parade, demonstrating that fashion can be not only beautiful but also rich in meaning and history.
July 30, 2022—Curator and organizer of the shows on the Freedom Parade’s Main Stage, together with choreographer Madlen Revlon, premiere of the Glamslur collection
Fashion Moves Freedom Parade 2023
It’s time to look back on that magical moment when Piotrkowska Street in Łódź became a runway for fashion full of freedom and queer expression. It was an extraordinary project curated by designer Tomasz Armada. The message was clear: to create a space where everyone, regardless of gender, orientation, or identity, could feel liberated, empowered, and confident.
The Łódź Freedom Parade, revived after 20 years, not only marked the return of the electronic music festival but also became a venue for fashion, dance, performance, and, above all, freedom. This year’s parade slogan, “Taste the Freedom,” set the tone, and the anthem “The Speed of Love” by the duo Penera gave the event a unique rhythm.
Tomasz Armada curated the fashion segment of the parade, once again joining forces with choreographer Madlen Revlon, the mother of Polish ballroom. Together, they have already produced many artistic projects, and the “Fashion Moves” project was one of the most spectacular.
Armada invited young, often debuting designers, and dance performances highlighted the outfits. The event was intended to be an interpretation of freedom and emancipation through art.
A key element of the shows was the inclusion of emerging designers, each inspired by their own vision of freedom. Filip Kozak took a stand against homophobia by creating something visually striking that served as a protective armor. Lil Slay, the founder of House of Slay, presented a collection full of color, freedom, and playfulness, serving as an expression of creative freedom.
The next pair featured Zuza Gontarczuk and Maja Bączyńska, both inspired by the strength of women. Gontarczuk experimented with national symbolism, while Bączyńska, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, created designs reminiscent of Jacquemus’s work, based on nostalgic memories.
The final pair consisted of Tomasz Armada and Pat Guzik, a designer from Kraków. Their works combined local elements with experiments in upcycling.
The runway show also featured a ballroom dancer and drag queens. Himera, one of Poland’s most recognizable drag queens, and the extravagant and inspiring Lava XXX added even more color and expression to the fashion-and-dance performances. The event was a truly unforgettable blend of art, music, and fashion, the essence of which was experiencing freedom through this unique edition of the Freedom Parade in Łódź.