Bernard Depoorter
Bernard Depoorter
Info
Luxury Couture – Prestigious Ready-to-wear . A Style in honor of “Women.” a world of mystery, where austerity and fragility intertwine. A mystical, ghostly, monastic atmosphere. In secret castles of many years, in the reflection of the mirrors and the strangest yet tender memory of Empress Sissi. This is the sphere in which evolves Bernard Depoorter. His creations give back to the woman of today her elegance and purity. He draws silhouettes that emphasize small waists and long legs enhanced with endless stilettos.
Rue du Béguinage 39 Wavre 1300 Belgium
Info
VALERIE BACART
VALÉRIE BACART IS A HIGH-END CLOTHING BRAND, MADE IN MONS.
Valérie Bacart was for many years at the head of a museum institution dedicated to textile arts. Holder of a Master’s degree in Art History coupled with a seamstress diploma, she decided to create her own clothing brand.
Valérie Bacart is a brand that develops clothes designed from “dormant stocks”, these high-end fabrics, made for designers but remained unsold.
The collection is created from timeless models which, once revisited, are available as unique pieces.
The clothes are made in limited quantities because the brand’s desire is to respect a production rhythm on a human scale. Each garment is hand-sewn by the designer in her workshop.
Wearing Valérie Bacart means choosing artisanal know-how and expressing your preferences for quality and respectful work.
Valérie Bacart lives in Mons in Belgium. In parallel with the development of her clothing brand, she teaches the history of textile art in a higher art school.
Info
UNRUN is a high-end sustainable activewear brand, founded and designed by Olympic Champions with an eye for detail and an impeccable fit. As hands-on experts, we have an unrivalled knowledge of how sportswear must feel, move, breathe, and look. Additionally, all pieces are tested and approved by a group of elite female athletes, making them a true testament to craftsmanship.
From a sweat at the gym to the drill of daily life, we’re on a continuous quest to create the most versatile garments, withstanding every workout
Avenue Reine Marie Henriette 101 Brussels 1190 Belgium
Sarah Josis
Sarah JosisInfo
Sarah Josis studied fashion design and journalism in Brussels, her home town. After a post-master’s degree at S Mode in Paris, the young designer started working for major fashion houses such as Burberry and Joseph. It was only natural that she wanted to start her own business in Brussels.
In a desire to keep a line in phase with her time and her creative desire, the designer has developed a line for weddings, minimal and timeless.
WOMEN OF CHARACTERHer latest collection is anchored in an era where the modern woman combines strength and softness. From an early age, Sarah Josis has always been surrounded by women of character who have inspired her creative evolution. Seeing her grandmother elegantly wear a jacket with a clean cut, masculine and almost committed to her time, was the reason for this collection launched from its centerpiece, the masculine-feminine jacket proposed for a resolutely modern marriage.
In a society where the impression of being against the current, the designer wanted to carry more than just a collection but a movement of words, an ode to union where each piece carries the wish to defend a sustainable future and where we are one with the ecological and ethical values in which the designer believes. Marriage becomes a strong symbol where the garment takes on a minimalist look with clean but straightforward lines. Each fabric, whose material is designed to be combined with a certain colourful future, allows us to project ourselves towards more than just a single event.
Xandres
XandresInfo
ABOUT US
READ OUR STORY
Xandres has enabled women to shine in elegant simplicity for more than 50 years. Effortlessly chic but refined, timeless but refreshing, designed with sophisticated details and an iconic quality: Belgian, sustainable fashion to cherish.
Fashion is a form of self-expression, an extension of our emotions. Every design that carries our label is made to convey a sense of self, perfect for everyday activities and important occasions.
We are a brand with a strong belief in sustainable pieces that eventually become wardrobe favourites. Elegant fashion we love to live in, tailored to ambitious, inspiring women of character.
Xandres celebrates femininity. Diversity is our beauty ideal, which is why our collections range from size 34 to 56, so every woman can count on the perfect fit, fabric and design.
Make every moment your own.
FITTING & CRAFTSWOMANSHIP
To us, femininity extends beyond clothing, beyond collections. It’s about identity, it doesn’t fit into a box. Diversity makes us stronger, and that is reflected through an authentic story in which every body, every size, every mindset is beautiful. A story in which we rebel against beauty ideals and support every woman’s self-confidence and personality.
That’s why you’ll find our clothing in every size, from 34 to 56, every item designed with the same attention to detail. By making small adjustments here and there in the designs, we can guarantee the perfect fit for every figure and let it come into its own beautifully. This tailored approach ensures that no one is limited by a lack of choice, that no one has to feel excluded. Because we are all Xandres.
INNOVATION
Xandres is investing in a better future, where quality and sustainability go hand in hand. We are developing a plan to make our entire production process as sustainable as possible, from yarn and fabrics to the garment in your wardrobe, and long after.
The Xandres Lab was founded to innovate and experiment. On the one hand, we draw up strategies for recycling our clothing and look for the right partners to complete the cycle. We gave new life to unsold items and materials from previous seasons in limited-edition capsule collections.
On the other hand, the Xandres Lab runs recurring projects in which we join forces with sustainable designers or brands. We give pioneers a platform and learn from them. This is how we move forward together, it’s a win-win situation.
#5DECADESOFXANDRES
FASHION COMPETENCE
50 years of know-how, experience and passion translate into our timeless, strong designs. A story that started with ’the perfect trousers’ and boutique clothing under the Andres name, when a new generation breathed life into the family business in 1968. Andres bridged the revolutionary gap between commercial brands and haute couture, thereby supporting women’s self-confidence and personality.
Luxurious but accessible clothing, complementing fashion trends with timeless beauty, imbued with authenticity and quality. That essence has remained unchanged.
In the nineties, Andres was transformed into Xandres, the iconic brand we are today. A long tradition inspired by femininity followed, and the first Xandres stores opened their doors in Belgium and the Netherlands. Xandres has since grown into an internationally respected fashion house and is still evolving. Proud of our roots!
Nijverheidsstraat 20 Destelbergen 9070 Belgium
Conscious Antwerp
Conscious AntwerpInfo
Hello! Meet CONSCIOUS ANTWERP, and what we stand for.
If you love beautiful and sustainable clothing design as much as we do, you’ve come to the right place. Conscious Antwerp is a new clothing concept created and designed with an eye for both style and sustainability from start to finish. By combining the principles of ‘ethical and sustainable business’ ( which is a very interesting course at UA by the way!) with a passion for quality and design Conscious Antwerp was transformed from dream to reality.
Our mission is to deliver beautiful, high-quality and timeless items with a luxurious yet casual appearance, which you can wear with proud and without guilt!
We deliver this promise by producing locally and with a sustainable use of materials. The reason we chose this more costly manner is because we consciously want to produce fair clothing with a minimal CO2 impact. Now you know that your clothing is not only unique in design but also in value. 😉
Our vision is to become big by staying small, so we don’t do any harm.
Our mission and vision tell our values, but they also determine the external features of our clothing such as shape, color, texture and dimension. The pieces are unique in appearance due to the combination of the leftover materials and the simplicity and longevity of the designs.
‘Only great minds can afford simple style’
Rijnkaai 20 bus1 Antwerp 2000 Belgium
Info
ABOUT IREENE
Ireene is a belgian clothing brand founded by interior architect Marie Soufflet. Her
minimalist yet comfortable proposal is focused on a timeless style, a sustainable way of production and high quality materials. The design of the clothes, not tied to any temporary trends, is meant to be a possible answer to fast fashion, offering mostly unique and long lasting pieces for a daily casual elegance.
slowfashion
Using only high quality upcycled fabrics from Italy, our handmade collection is designed and manufactured in Brussels by a small and local network. The reduced series crafted for each season allows for a constant evolution and renewal throughout the year.
details do matter
The essential shape of our clothes is reinforced by the straight cut of the models based on the « less is more » idea. The apparent minimalism is highlighted by ribbons, invisible openings or pockets and outside stitching. These subtle details invite us to understand the creative process in a surprising way.
genderfluid
We want to distance ourselves from the classic gendered fashion by designing mostly unisex clothing. We ditched traditional clichés in favor of a playful and mixed collection, offering anyone to create their own identity.
cité du sureau 17 Brussels 1000 Belgium
Info
About Comme ça
Ladies, you certainly recognize this: the magical feeling of your new dress. The ultra-soft fabric, perfect fit and radiant colours. But after a few washes, that dress often loses its shine. Not so with the comme ça collections! This colorful fashion for mothers and daughters excels in top quality and affordability and is also purely Belgian.
Stylish fashion
Comme ça designs 2 new collections for women every year. From casual tops and trousers for your leisure time to classy outfits for work, Comme ça has it all. In between, we also perfectly adapt our collections to current trends and let it surprise you by adding her own style: feminine silhouettes, stylish prints and beautiful colours.
For real women
Clothing for real women is pre-eminently the common thread through the fashion label. In our team we have ladies with different sizes and styles. Every new collection starts from there. Comme ça makes clothes from size 34 to 50 that take feminine shapes into account. Our trousers, dresses and blouses accentuate your strengths and hide the minor flaws that you see, so that a woman shines at any age. The delivery of the test collection is therefore a great and exciting moment. Our team fits and tests all new pieces to ensure fashion that fits every body.
Affordable top quality
Dress up, not down, but at a fair price. Comme ça creates affordable fashion for you. We only select strong and durable fabrics and swear by a perfect finish. Surprising look thanks to the easily combinable top and bottom pieces. We therefore offer original and striking eye-catchers that are produced in limited numbers. Enthusiasm and passion float above each piece and we are happy to pass that feeling on to you.
KASTELEINSSTRAAT 11B KRUIBEKE 9150 Belgium
Info
Since the appointment of Glenn Martens as Creative Director of Y/Project in 2013, the Paris based label has combined conceptual and inventive detailing with playful proportions and a witty take on historical references.
At the core of Y/Project, Martens has since established an emphasis on individuality and independence. Fusing the energy of the street with thought-provoking silhouettes, his unique take on interpreting masculinity and femininity blends eccentric references with unisex looks that transcend versatility.
In June 2017, Y/Project won the esteemed ANDAM Grand Prize, one of the most respected recognitions in fashion worldwide. And in September 2017, Glenn Martens was selected as one of the Business of Fashion’s 500 people shaping fashion globally today.
Martens’ contemporary expression has created a fascinating narrative for the brand, leading to an impressive period of growth earning both critical acclaim and commercial success. Y/Project has solidified its position within the luxury market with over 150 stockists.
Dries Van Noten
Dries Van NotenInfo
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