“Come As You Are”: Laetitia Bica’s Bold New Fashion Photography Exhibition

If you’re into fashion, self-expression, or just love discovering new creative energy in Brussels, you won’t want to miss “Come As You Are”-the latest exhibition by acclaimed photographer Laetitia Bica. This isn’t your typical fashion show: it’s a vibrant, unapologetic celebration of authenticity, individuality, and the power of coming together.

Authenticity, Unfiltered

For Laetitia Bica, “Come As You Are” isn’t just a catchy title-it’s a manifesto. Known for her refusal to conform to norms or box others in, Bica’s work is all about freedom and self-expression. Her photography bursts with color and emotion, born from real, human encounters that are as artistic as they are personal.

This exhibition dives deep into both individual expression and the collective spirit. Each image tells a story-sometimes intimate, sometimes wild-about beauty, difference, and the human body. For this brand-new series, Bica photographed 15 unique personalities, each styled by 25 Belgian and Brussels-based designers.

The Exhibition: A Creative Playground

For a month, Laetitia Bica turned MAD Brussels into her creative playground. Her pop-up studio wasn’t just a place to take pictures-it became a space for experimentation, connection, and pure artistic freedom. Nothing was planned in advance; everything was about the moment and the people in it.

Her models? A mix of dancers, drag artists, DJs, makeup artists, and actors-all bringing their own energy and identity to the shoot. Bica’s approach is totally collaborative and intuitive, blurring the lines between performance and reality. Each shot is a world of its own, and together, they paint a bold, pluralistic vision of beauty and selfhood.

Expect contrasts: punk meets kitsch, drama flirts with poetry, and every image is a visual adventure. The models wear pieces from standout designers like Eunji Oh, Julien Houdremont, and Tom Van Der Borght, transforming Belgian fashion into a second skin. Makeup, performance, and special effects push the boundaries even further, spotlighting each person’s individuality.

Meet Laetitia Bica

Born in Liège and trained at ESA Saint-Luc, Laetitia Bica is a force in the world of photography, fashion, and visual arts. Her career spans editorial work, music videos, and collaborations with designers, musicians, and choreographers. She’s shown her work at major festivals and biennials across Europe, including Circulation(s) in Paris, BIP in Liège, UNSEEN in Amsterdam, and FOTODOK in Utrecht. In 2023, she was named “Changemaker of the Year” at the Belgian Fashion Awards.

Bica’s creative process is all about research and experimentation. Whether in residence at Villa Noailles in Hyères, RAVI in Liège, or Het Huis in Utrecht, she fuses visual exploration with immersive installations. Her work constantly questions the links between art, environment, and social issues, creating images that reveal what’s often hidden.

Her visual language is unmistakable: bold colors, new textures, and portraits that feel like they’re from another world. Her art is both sacred and subversive, drawing on themes of transformation, chaos, and the sea as a metaphor for life’s ever-changing flow.

Who’s Involved?

“Come As You Are” features designs by:

Adam Denzler, Carla Lazaro, Chloe Ucedo, Clara Besnard, Eunji Oh, Etienne Madamet, Flora Miranda, Florent Seligman, Igor Dieryck, Hortense Tillet, Jessica Cotte, Julien Houdremont, Kais Masood, Luna-Isola Bersanetti, Manlio Fasce Fernandez, Marie Scerri, Marguerite Tenot, Mauricio Cabrera Lozano, Maud Brunstein, Muriel Nisse, Pauline Haumont, Peiwen Mao, Sander Bos, Tom Van Der Borght, and Judith Trefaut.

With models including:

Arno Verbruggen, Naomi Waku, Morphae, Drag Couenne, Christina Guieb, Catherine Mattelaer, Daphne Agten, Nançy Naser Al Deen & Mbunga Kongi Milka, Nour Beetch & Nicky Lapierre, Alice Forsberg, Alexandra Siebert, and Patricia Cala from Ateliers Indigo.