Acie’s Cabinet
Acie’s CabinetMore Info
Handmade. Unique. Belgian.
Hi!
Welcome to Acie’s Cabinet.
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking your time to visit my website. I really appreciate it.
My name is Amber. I’m a bookworm, cat lover and potterhead; I’m a creative soul and am a fan of nordic noir (or ‘noir’ in general, really 😉).
In 2017 I started my small company Acie.
In this digital cabinet, you can find all manner of accessories for yourself, your house or your family and friends.
After having received multiple trainings (fashion design, historical costume, leather works and bookbinding), I combine different trades in unique items.
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There are certain choices I make for ecological reasons. In my personal life, this means I never travel by aeroplane (or, indeed, seldom travel at all), and in my professional life as well, I strive to have a low impact on the environment.
The number of items I produce out of one particular fabric is limited, and never will two accessories look 100% alike. Because I create items in small amounts, it is perfectly possible to create different kinds of accessories with one fabric. I design and make everything in my atelier in Belgium.
Most items are packed in upcycled boxes, and are shipped with pre-used packaging as much as possible.
Materials
The fabrics I use are purchased or designed in small amounts. Not only does this intensify the uniqueness of the accessories, it also means I have very little “waste”. I save all the scraps of fabric that are left from projects, to create new pieces with later on.
Furthermore, I buy from local shops and fairs and often go to factory sales, to rescue fabric that would otherwise be thrown away.
Linen is one of my favourite materials to work with. Linen is made from the fibres of the flax plant. This plant does not attract a lot of harmful insects, which means farmers don’t have to use pesticides to protect their harvest.
Flax needs very little water and produces a lot of fibres. Isn’t that just great?!
Leather is a material that is often not considered environmentally friendly. There are a lot of chemicals involved in the tanning process. However, there are a few steps we can take to make it a bit less harmful:
The leather I use to create bow ties with, are scraps from a shoemaking factory. The leftover pieces are too small to cut into shoe panels, but are perfect for the creation of bow ties! Zero waste fashion: check!
If I need bigger pieces of leather, I go to local shops to purchase leather that is already on hand. This means leather is never ordered or designed especially for me. Sometimes I even get the chance to find some second hand rescue leather, which always makes me very happy! The scraps from these hides are also saved to produce small items with, for example The Book Manager.
If leather is cared for properly, it will last many, many years. By buying less but better, we can all help a little in our ‘Save the planet’-mission!
Schooling
As mentioned above, I received multiple trainings:
Fashion design
Bookbinding
Leatherworks
Furthermore, I did courses in millinery, historical costume, and I learnt how to mend clothes.
I always continue to learn. I think it is important to keep improving your skills, and thanks to the combination of courses, I’ve learnt a few tricks of the trade. Or, rather, trades 😉.
Please roam freely! The pictures on this website show the kind of items I usually make. You can place an order in my webshop.
If you see an item you like, but would prefer a different colour or material, don’t hesitate to contact me for a custom order.
See you soon!
Amber
Escuyer
EscuyerMore Info
Our Story
Escuyer is the destination brand for anyone who appreciates well-crafted items for men.
Escuyer’s vision is a simple one; we aim to be the go-to destination for men who are looking for functional and esthetic accessories. And for the proverbial man who has everything Escuyer provides the perfect gifts!
Our mission is to offer simple, necessary, beautiful and qualitative accessories that will enhance men’s daily dressing experiences. When using our accessories we want men to feel confident because they know they are wearing a unique piece made by the best craftsmen in Europe.
– Concept –
Escuyer offers subscriptions of socks, t-shirts and underwear for men who want more free time and quality basics.
WHY
At Escuyer we believe that most men prefer to do other things with their free time than go shopping for basics.
The name Escuyer comes from ‘Esquire in old french. As in the Middle Ages the squire was there to help the knight, today the brand Escuyer is there to help men by offering them quality essentials and more free time.
HOW
Escuyer is more than a conventional underwear brand.
We offer men an internet-based subscription program that makes buying premium quality basics easy. By choosing a subscription you will save precious time and continually have fresh basics delivered at regular intervals.
Escuyer does not only offer a selected range of well-designed basic apparels, we also introduce our customers into a particular world with our own lifestyle, culture and interests.
WHAT
Escuyer’s essentials are designed to be elegant, simple and perfect for everyday use.
We offer a unique internet-based subscription that will allow you to save precious time and continually have fresh basics in your drawers delivered at 3, 4 or 6-month intervals. If you prefer not to subscribe, Escuyer‘s items can also be bought individually.
The extra free time can be used to read the diverse topics on our website as well as experiencing them in reality.
– Product –
Escuyer basics are elegant, simple
and functional.
Our basics are made of the finest cotton, which makes them very soft and comfortable. Perfect for the guy who appreciates the mix of a quiet, clean aesthetic and top quality.
Escuyer is designed in Brussels. We handpick the best quality cotton from South America and produce our accessories at a great family-owned factory in Portugal.
– Brand Identity –
Escuyer’s brand identity
has been selected as one of the best identity
of 2014 by the Design Museum of London.
As its name suggests, Escuyer is dedicated to serve and facilitate the life of the busy working & entrepreneurial man.
Modern Practice has created a visual solution based on the heraldic system. This typographic reinterpretation of heraldry is not only strongly linked to Escuyer brand’s name, but also conveys the brand’s world.
While the “typographic heraldry” stands for Escuyer’s refinement, its multiple variations translate the flexibility and adaptability of the brand towards its customers.
Escuyer and Modern Practice have been nominated for “Designs of the Year 2014” (Graphics’ category) by the Design Museum in London.
Basicsneed Sprl Rue Africaine 2 Brussels 1050 BELGIUM
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Ria’s hand-made hats
As a trained sculptor, Ria searches out different and surprising shapes, creating unique hats in her own style.
Which hat to choose?
A hat will fit on any woman’s head, but not just any hat. For each hat, we talk through the design with you to find the perfect hat to make your personal beauty shine through. We also mold the edges to give it that perfect finish. A hat that makes you look beautiful, complements the wearer and not the other way around.
Materials
Hat-making is a profession, a true craft. Felt, Sisal, Wool, Yarn and other fabrics; each requiring a different kind of preparation process to be then crafted using different techniques. Ria’s fashion training together with many years experince give her a natural advantage.
The approach
A hat worn for a special occasion requires a rather different approach than one that would be worn on a daily basis. A common starting point is taking a piece of material from the dress to be worn, with which Ria can start to colour match. A colour can then be used in just a piece, or for the whole hat. The shape, colour and fabric should form one entity.
Accessories
For those who aren’t really looking for a hat, Ria also designs various kinds of headwear (Tiaras, Diadems etc.) which are of course a must at any wedding.
Winter-hats
Besides winter-hats, each year Ria designs a selection of matching hat and scarf sets. The shape of which is of significant importance.
Sluizeken 29 Gent 9000 Belgium
Delphine Quirin
Delphine QuirinMore Info
The trunks belonging to Delphine Quirin’s grandmother were veritable treasure chests when she was a child. The dresses, suits and costumes that they contained would later go on to provide the future designer with an important source of inspiration. And already as a child, hats stood out above everything else as a thing of wonder.
History of Art studies completed later in life at the University of Liège left Delphine with a real store of data and a clear preference for the talents of artists as diverse as Vermeer, De La Tour and Edward Hopper.
After training as a fashion designer, Delphine set up her own design business in 1996 and started creating her first hats – unique and tailor-made creations essentially to accompany formal dress. She then opened a shop in the historic centre of Liège and continued to create the framework for what would soon become not just a business but an expression of her personality. Being open to a wide range of influences, she soon discovered knitting and this then gradually become her preferred production technique. She really played a trump card in Paris in 1999 when she drew attention to a mini-collection of gloves and scarves – and of course hats – created out of mohair and boiled wool.
Delphine had found her niche! She was now creating regular collections, and presenting and selling them at large trade fairs in several European countries, as well as in the US and Japan.
By following her instincts and desires, Delphine has reached her goal. She has elevated the hat back to its rightful position of elegance, saving it from the stagnation of long-produced designs. She has made it a practical and light daily accessory that can be worn in all circumstances. Delphine’s hats are a subtle mix of colours and designs, reflecting our own contemporary mix of cultures and ideas. And although they do not follow ephemeral fashion trends, they are in tune with the world around them and each piece tells its own story
Delphine is proud of her Liège roots and refuses to use industrial production methods. Her hats are made using traditional techniques by a small team of knitters, embroiderers and seamstresses, enabling her to oversee all the production stages, and at the same time, to take meticulous care in order to ensure that all of her knits are perfectly finished.
26, rue Pierreuse Liège 4000 Belgium
Anke Tacq
Anke TacqSint-Hadrianusstraat 29 Wijgmaal 3018 Belgium
Kristof Buntinx
Kristof BuntinxMore Info
Brussels designer Kristof Buntinx has already created a furore with his God Save the Queens shirts and gained international fame with a boxer short collection with which he targeted Russian anti-gay laws.
Protest and irony are therefore no strangers to Buntinx, but he also dresses Belgian celebrities in little bespoke gems just as much as he has children photographed as superstars. The exiled Sint-Truiden native has been working under his own label for more than a decade. An official introduction is called for!
Kristof Buntinx was born on 10 September 1975 in the Limburg town of Sint-Truiden. He quickly showed an interest in fashion and design and proceeded to draw from a model and attended sewing and pattern design classes. Buntinx completed internships with several major fashion labels such as Levis jeans and the Amsterdam fashion duo Viktor & Rolf.
His own image language
After his initial designs for the Cinderella Shop in Antwerp he sank his teeth into (and left his fingerprints on) a series of coffee mugs for Godiva. Soon Buntinx would tackle hats, a trick he was able to repeat in 2012 for Royal Ascot.
Shortly thereafter, the Pain clothing line followed, with its own photo series in collaboration with Stijn Vanorbeek. Still inspired by the world of image creation, Buntinx worked with filmmaker Ilke De Vries, this time to explore moving images. The film Vision was the result, in which the designer searched his own conscience by referring to a personal crisis.
Artist’s blood
Between 2008 and 2010 Buntinx focused on hats and a full line of accessories.
Triggered by his own life and personal developments, language associations and puns took up an increasingly important place in his work. Like any true-blue artist, Buntinx also creates from an inner drive. “I have always been crazy about fashion, but designing also proved to be beneficial for my mental health. It is my “therapy with a capital T,” the designer states.
Once Buntinx found his way, an increasing number of opportunities came up: in 2011 the Toga 125 Fashion Awards and a fashion show in which his design Ceci n’est pas un Advocaat shone. That same year Modo Brussels, the MIAT in Ghent and Hong Kong Design week also followed. A prominent fashion watcher from the UK even called Buntinx the most eccentric fashion designer of the Modo Brussels event.
The future is now!
Loved by the international fashion blog scene, Kristof Buntinx does not shun controversy. For example, he came up with a series of socially committed designs such as his answer to the Antwerp rainbow controversy, the God Save the Queens T-shirt’, his Russian boxer shorts, which even reached the American media and the crown jewels for King Philip.
During the last festive period Buntinx surprised friend and foe with a range of crisis jewellery, which questions material luxury. The Christmas dresses designed by Buntinx for Dana Winners’ Christmas tour and for Marlène de Wouters, the presenter at the Queen Elisabeth competition earlier in 2013, were, on the other hand, downright luxurious.
Kristof Buntinx certainly aims to let his designs speak for themselves in 2015.
Stay tuned!
Herman
HermanMore Info
About
Since 1874, Herman Headwear has been a Belgian and international benchmark in terms of variety of hats and accessories. Our products cover a wide range of styles and models: caps, beanies, berets, chapkas, straw, felt or leather hats etc. Each year, we offer summer and winter collections for the whole family.
We launched our online sales site to give everyone access to our products. Building on a tradition passed down from father to son for over a hundred years, our main ambition is to share with you the love of a world we know well: that of the hat.
A world with varied atmospheres in which we invite you to stroll. Whatever your style – elegant, classic or fashion – and whatever the weather – rain, snow or sun – you will find the product that suits you on our site.
Rue Jean Meunier 6 Wellin 6922 Belgium
Gillis Modistes
Gillis ModistesMore Info
La Maison Gillis, a boutique of both class and character, is situated in the historic centre of Brussels.
Founded a century ago, it has preserved the techniques and the savoir-faire of its ancient milliners.
It is here that Sylvie Gauthier will offer her advice and make a hat to your taste and ultimate satisfaction in the adjoining workshop (studio).
Some of her creations can also be seen in Paris, Lille and London.
Additionally, la maison Gillis makes hats for the theatre, advertising, movies and historical re-enactments.
17 rue du Lombard Brussels 1000 Belgium
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MEET THE FOUNDER
WHO IS HIDING BEHIND THE PROJECT 1971?
This high-quality Belgian fashion brand was founded by current Creative Director Christelle Loozen.
With over twenty years’ experience as a freelance denim product developer for both national and international brands and designers, Christelle is now ready to take up her own challenge through her brand 1971, offering an exclusively-designed original, high-quality and ethical product, one that is as original as it is a ‘revival’.
‘I’m passionate about fashion and I always have been. Through 1971, I am offering clothes inspired by my childhood memories, my experience of motor sports, and my unconditional love for denim.
My clothes are designed to fit most people, providing a casual yet trendy touch. With my many years of experience, I have been able to source the best sustainable yarns and fabrics from across Europe.
I’ve made the decision to work with the same European suppliers I have already worked with over the last 15 years. We share the same goals and overall vision, leaving no room for compromise when it comes to product quality, environmental impact, and the provision of good working conditions for our employees.’
We choose only the finest materials and best factories to make our timeless products, with the hope that they will last you many years, even decades.
Our prices are calculated as precisely as possible, while our partners, from workers to stores, are paid the right amount, with each and every possible cent reinvested into the local economy of each country.
We believe in a fair economy that works for the everyday.
Gerard-Sart 1 Dalhem 4606 Belgium
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Le Sanglier
Le Sanglier is a workshop devoted to the creation of leather products that are completely handcrafted and unique. These creations are mainly dedicated to vegetable tanned leather. This type of tanning gives some of the most robust leathers and the most conducive to patina by their simple use. Perfect combination between the durability of a product and its unique and lively side.
Our products.
By purchasing a Le Sanglier product, you are offering yourself a durable and personal object made in a unique way. Then you will be alone in control.
Le Sanglier products are generally guaranteed for life for normal use. Scratches, scrapes and general patina are not covered by this warranty.
Ordering your products
The aim of this workshop is to devote itself as much as possible to personalized creations. This is why, sometimes, I ask you to participate a little more than on other e-shops where all the products are directly sold as is. It is often possible via the choices offered to personalize your future goods (color, sizes, types of buckles, etc., type of leather, etc.) or even to contact me in order to offer things that are not on this site. That’s what’s exciting.
It is your idea that feeds my new creations. You can also participate in what you buy.