Annette Kölling
Annette KöllingMore Info
Annette graduated 2007 at the Royal Academy of fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium.
Since then, she has worked for major fashion and design houses within Europe.
After living eleven years abroad, Annette moved back to Germany in autumn 2013.
Settled in Berlin she is expanding her ladies shoe collection internationally.
LETTESTR.4 Berlin 10437 Germany
Gigue
GigueMore Info
Gigue is a Belgian fashion brand with a decidedly feminine signature. The collections, known for colour, print and sophisticated details, include ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories. The looks exude spontaneous elegance, are superbly tailored and feel fabulous due to the high-quality fabrics. When designing the ever contemporary-chic collections, Gigue designer Audrey Wyckmans is inspired by her respect for a form of casual style, interior design, travel and art.
The looks exude spontaneous elegance and feel fabulous.
Each season is centered around 4 or 5 themes which can be easily combined. Gigue will not give in to radical style overhauls. The collections flow seamlessly into one another, nonetheless they are perfectly in tune with contemporary fashion trends.
Headquartered in Antwerp, Gigue now boasts a distribution network of brand stores, shop-in-shops and more than one hundred fifty multi brand stores, both in Belgium and abroad.
Gigue’s history dates to the beginning of the 1980s when founder Jo Wyckmans introduced the preppy look in Belgium with his ‘A Different Dialogue’ collection. In 1991 he founded Gigue and instantly put the label on the map, by earning the title ‘Designer of the Year’.
Around the year 2000 Gigue evolved with the arrival of designer Audrey, daughter of the founder, and her ultra-feminine collections. For about 25 years now, Gigue has remained true to its identity.
Gigue has always devoted considerable attention to its image. Since the label was founded, top photographers and up and coming international models have worked for Gigue, giving brand images and catalogues that extra special touch. The Gigue clothes and models are always portrayed in a very natural way without excessive make-up or glitter.
Head office Boomsesteenweg 12/1 Aartselaar 2630 Belgium
Dries Van Noten
Dries Van NotenMore Info
Biography
Born in Antwerp in 1958, Dries Van Noten is the third generation in a family of tailors. At the age of 18, Dries entered the fashion design course of Antwerp’s Royal Academy. On graduating, he began to freelance as a consultant designer before starting his own collection of menswear in 1986. Since its beginnings Dries Van Noten has presented collections for women and men for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter each year. He
celebrated his 50th fashion show in 2004 and 100th fashion show in 2017.
In June 2008, the Council of Fashion Designers of America honoured Dries Van Noten with its International
Designer of the Year Award. 2014 began with the grand opening of Dries Van Noten, “Inspirations”, a first
ever exhibition featuring his designs and influences at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Another
configuration of the exhibit moved to Antwerp in 2015. In July France decorated Dries Van Noten with the
honour of ‘Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.’ In October 2016, Dries Van Noten wins the Culture
Award from The Province of Antwerp for his contribution to Culture.
In June 2018 Puig entered the capital structure of Dries Van Noten as majority owner. The designer remains, over the long term, a significant minority shareholder and continues his role as chief creative officer and chairman of the board.
2019 saw Mr Van Noten collaborate with world renowned fashion designer Mr Christian Lacroix on his
collection for Women, Spring/Summer 2020. In June 2020, and September 2021, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has again nominated Dries Van Noten for its International Designer of the Year Award.
Q&A with dries van noten
When did you know that designing clothes was your path & passion?
There was a certain logic to my choice as my family had been involved in fashion and the garment business for generations. My father created one of Belgium’s most innovative retailers of ‘Pret-a-Porter’ and my grandfather was a tailor. I inherited my love of garment making, its traditions and rituals, from these men and my mother. Family immersed me in the craft and skill of fabrics, impassioned me with the power of flair and style for women and men that fired my quest to explore and question the subjectivity of “beauty” and the role it would play in my life. My family was very supportive and encouraged me to continue its fashion tradition. I regularly accompanied my parents to Paris and Milan on their many buying trips for collections. Though they had imagined I might take over the retail business, that I was passionate to become a fashion designer came as a great surprise to them.
What is your design signature?
I see a garment as a singular item of excellence that is part of a larger story told, firstly, within a designer’s vision for a collection and ultimately as part of the final wearer’s expression of their style through their wardrobe. My joy is to create a garment that fuses and balances beauty, craft and function, a garment that can perform well and continue in time to become part of life’s story. I enjoy juggling with colours, textures and light in a way that evokes rather than provokes.
Where do you come up with your best ideas?
The spark of inspiration for the narrative a collection rarely ever comes in the same way. The initial idea can sometimes come quickly and remain constant throughout the design process… occur on a walk in my garden, encountering a painting or the life and work of an artist. It can be something rarefied or ordinary, for example, suddenly looking at something that has surrounded me every day and seeing it in a different way that inspires. It can be a photograph in a book or a magazine, a re-read passage in a loved book, a conversation with friends or my design team or a piece of music. For other collections the story is more of a journey, deliberate, considered, and evolves through time and the design process. Anything can be that spark that ignites the creative process. What I have learned is that one recognises the spark when it happens, it may not be too planned, be ‘of its time’ and is more emotional than cerebral.
Is there a difference between style and fashion?
Of course, style comes from within..
What colour or fabric would you never use?
None actually! Often, challenging myself to work with colours, fabrics, or forms that I have disliked and bringing them into a collection can be an important aspect of the creative process.
What is beauty?
The idea of beauty is supremely subjective and very personal. Time also plays a role when our view on what is beautiful to us evolves. A flower, a building or a garment can be a thing of wonder for one while leaving another completely indifferent. What was beautiful to us even recently may be ugly today. Luckily, all designers have their own eye on and language of beauty.
What is ugliness?
It resonates in the same way as beauty for me. It is exciting when the formerly ugly becomes beautiful.
Timeline
- 1981 Dries Van Noten graduates from Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp
- 1986 Dries Van Noten started his first own collection of menswear after working as a freelance consultant designer
- 1989 Flagship store opens in Antwerp, Belgium
- 2004 50th Show
- 2007 Paris store opens at Quai Malaquais, Paris France
- 2008 Dries Van Noten wins Internation Designer of the year at CFDA awards./ Dries Van Noten Sacred “Royal Designer for Industry” from the RSA Trustee Board in London
- 2009 Flagship store opens in Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan/ Stores opens for the men at Quai Malaquais, Paris, France
Dries Van Noten Induction to The “Galerie Des Eminents” By The Flemish Chamber Of Commerce (Voka)
Dries van Noten is gifted a gold medal by The Flemish Royal Academy of Belgium
Dries Van Noten Is Honored With the “Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion” By the Couture Council of the Museum at Fit In New York - 2010 Dries Van Noten Is Invited To Preside Over the 25th Edition of the “Festival International De Mode et De Photographie” of Hyres, France
- 2013 Olfactory portrait by Frederic Malle with The Nose Bruno Jonanovic
- 2014 xhibition at The Musée Des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France
A book that accompanied his exhibition at Musée des arts Décoratifs in Paris, France - 2015 Dries Van Noten is decorated by Jack Lang of the medal
Opening of Dries Van Noten Osaka - 2016 Wins Culture Award from The Province of Antwerp
- 2017 An intimate portrait into the life, mind and creative heart the designer
A book in two volumes that depicts and documents his first 100 collection and Fashion shows
In recognition of his career as fashion designer and his contribution to the Cultural life of his native land - 2018 DVN enters in partnership with Puig as Major Stakeholders
- 2019 Collaboration with Mr Christian Lacroix
- 2020 Nominated by The CFDA for International Designer of The Year Award
Stores opens in Shanghai, China
Flagship stores opens in Los Angeles, USA the first Dries Van Noten store in the Unites States of America
Godefriduskaai 36 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
More Info
Anne Poesen (BE) has a passion for shoes and bags.
Studying architecture at university made her look at designing bags and shoes from another perspective, pushing her to go beyond the boundaries of classical shoe and bag making, to explore new materials and to look for clear concepts and pure shapes…
Amerikalei 158 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
Nico Uytterhaegen
Nico Uytterhaegen
n.d.c. made by hand
n.d.c. made by handMore Info
SIMPLICITY, QUALITY, CONSTRUCTIONAL KNOW-HOW,
ORIGINALITY, EXQUISITE FINISHING
INDIVIDUALISM
n.d.c. made by hand was created in 2001 by two friends passionate about shoes. Unable to find the shoes they really wanted to wear, they launched the brand to fulfil their personal need.
n.d.c. made by hand immediately opened a new dimension in men’s and lady’s footwear, offering luxurious materials, comfortable lasts and rejuvenated classics. The collections aimed to be appealing to a wide range of customers — trend setters, luxury lovers, quality freaks, etc — who are in pursuit of understated individualism.
NOM DE CODE
The brand name nom de code — or ‘code name’ – reflects our conviction that the strength of the brand is the product itself. Four key factors define every n.d.c. made by hand collection: simplicity, quality, originality and constructional know-how.
HAND CRAFTED
All of our shoes are hand-crafted by the best European artisans using only carefully selected hides from Italy’s expert tanneries. Our passion for footwear is reflected in the use of quality materials, traditional shoe constructions — blake, goodyear, sacchetto, espadrille, etc — and exquisite finishing techniques. We do our best to turn every pair into a hand made work of art.
Flagship Store 36, rue Léon Lepage Brussels 1000 Belgium
More Info
The Chica Chico brand was founded in 2015 by Olga Lazareva and is one of the rare producers of children’s shoes in Belgium that still owns the entire creative and productive part.
All Chica Chico collections are designed in Belgium and produced by hand from A to Z in two factories in Spain and Portugal.
All shoes and linings are made of exclusive Italian and Spanish quality materials, which guarantees a high quality and finish. The soles used are light, flexible and flexible and ensure a high wearing comfort.
All models are handmade with great care and always inspired by the latest trends.
Terre Bleue
Terre BleueMore Info
Terre Bleue philosophy
Terre Bleue is a stylish, Belgian casual chic collection that makes women, men and kids feel good and that gives them confidence and trust in life. Modern clothing that looks and feels natural. Since 2002 Terre Bleue is linked to young, active and dynamic women that are fashionable and strive for balance, authenticity and joy of life. Men have found their way to Terre Bleue as well. Our mens collection offers a pleasing mix from stylish and adventurous, from classic to tough. It is the ultimate brand for the fashionable epicure.
Children also love Terre Bleue. The sparkling colors and nice models correspond precisely with their world, and thanks to the excellent quality they can carefree play and enjoy.Our collections are easy to combine within the different themes and with the rest of your wardrobe. You can wear Terre Bleue to any place and occasion. At work, on holiday or even to festive events; every moment is a Terre Bleue moment. Small or tall. Man or woman. With Terre Bleue you are exactly who you are. Welcome to the world of Terre Bleue!
Terre Bleue history
The Belgian label Terre Bleue was established in 2002 and is part of the company Duror/Two Faces, a flourishing family company runned by Dirk Perquy who represents the third generation. Recently his son Peter joined the company so that the tradition is assured. The roots of Terre Bleue go back to 1938. Maurice Perqui, his wife and his brother Jozef established the Perquy-Braet company. It was a wholesale in textile products; especially caps, scarves and stockings. A strong brand demands its own boutique that reflects the total image of the collection. That’s why Terre Bleue opened its first concept store in Ghent in 2004. More boutiques would follow soon. The former kids collection CF Company, that was the inspiration for the Terre Bleue womens collection, was renamed Terre Bleue in 2008.
Since the summer of 2009 the Terre Bleue universe expanded with its own men’s collection. Since then Terre Bleue has become a real family brand.The number of boutiques is growing and the gamma is always enlarging. To establish a total look, Terre Bleue launched a women and kids shoe collection in 2010 that is intensively connected with the clothing collection. With the Spring collection of 2012, the boutique in Knokke was the first to be transformed into a new shopping concept. Shortly after that, the 12th Terre Bleue boutique opened its doors in Nieuwpoort; a family store that is designed according to the new concept.In the same year the brand also celebrated its 10th birthday! Grow continues in 2013.
‘s Gravendreef 24 Nazareth 9810 Belgium
Retro Verso
Retro VersoMore Info
About
Welcome to Retro Verso! My name is Charlien and I would love to tell you how this store full of cheerful and colourful clothing was created.
Immediately after I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Fashion Technology, it was itching to start my own clothing line. I could make the rugs myself, but unfortunately there was no budget for a physical store. This online store was created in 2013.
The starting points would certainly be quality and exclusivity – after all, nothing beats seeing people walking around in your self-designed, handmade dresses. In addition, a maximum of 10 pieces were made per model.
There was not much budget for advertising, but I could no longer keep up with the number of requests – especially customization. Unfortunately, manual work does not scale at all and soon I was faced with a real dilemma; outsource production or change tack. For example, I decided to look for colourful brands that I was going to sell through my webshop.
Fortunately, at that time I was able to use a fitting room and some display space in my parents’ shoe store so that my customers could try on clothes. Retro Verso, the shop-in-shop was born. Some time later, it seemed a good choice to leave the building entirely to Retro Verso.
In August 2017, the physical store opened, completely in the vintage style, on top of the web store.
Retro Verso now sells brands that you all know: 4 Funky Flavors, Froy & Dind, King Louie, Le Pep, Mademoiselle YéYé, Sugarhill Brighton, Blutsgeschwister, …
To this day I do everything myself: running the physical store, the webshop, purchasing, accounting, and most importantly for me: putting a smile on people’s faces 😉
Happy shopping!
Greetings,
Charlien
Vrijheidsstraat 1A bus 12 Denderleeuw 9470 Belgium
Young Levels
Young LevelsMore Info
We are young entrepreneurs, willing to deliver high levels of quality. We are creative minds that stand for playful professionalism. We believe that independence drives personal and professional growth.
Our mission is to empower young and ambitious people through means of design. We aim to provide those who are ready to take big steps in life, got the perfect shoes to do so.
It all started with Dieter, who spend his young life working hard to pile up his savings in order to achieve his dream and become an entrepreneur. One of the reasons for becoming an entrepreneur was his desire for independence. As a risktaker and creative mind, he felt that he was never going to be satisfied with his nine-to-five job. Now our first design sneaker has launched and not only is he paving the way of his own independence, he wants to create opportunities for other young and ambitious minds.
By proving design fashion and creating opportunities for young and ambitious minds, we strive towards a world where working independent is the norm. We believe that working for yourself where hard work really pays of is a life worth living and that everyone must be able to have this opportunity.
Fletersdel 52 Genk 3600 Belgium