Shops selling shoes with a Belgian Twist for women
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There once was …
More than 60 years ago, the couple Roger and Simone Decremer-Persoons started the production of luxury slippers in Tildonk. In the 1970s they changed direction: they started a wholesale shoe business and opened a first modest shoe shop under the church tower – the stepping stone to what would later become Carmi. Today the company is led by their eldest son Michel Decremer and his wife Marie-Claire Martens, who have developed Carmi into a beautiful total store for shoes and clothing for the whole family.
Start of a thriving business
The whole story started in 1954, when Roger Decremer and his wife Simone Persoons decided to start their own business. Through a cousin, they came into contact with a supplier that produced rubber soles, and so the idea of making slippers was born. As an engineer, Roger was involved in the design of machines and patterns, Simone chose the materials and drew the designs. The Perro brand – the first letters of Persoons and Roger – was born. Some of the slippers were genuine luxury slippers made from haute couture fabrics, which they were allowed to supply years later to Bally, a well-known Swiss chain of shoe stores. During that period they worked with about sixty people. The entire production took place in Tildonk, in a new building next to the parental home. Today this is still the headquarters of the company, where an enthusiastic team takes care of the accounting, personnel administration, purchasing, marketing, web sales and the warehouse.
From Perro to Shoe Center
Due to the sky-high wage costs, the production of slippers was stopped in 1979. The Perro company, meanwhile a wholesaler in shoes, became an agent for other shoe brands, including Primigi, Bellamy, Gallus, Arima and Arriva. Twice a year the people from the neighborhood could go to the old stitching shop above the head office to buy the remaining slippers and the wholesale stock. An embryonic form of the current Carmi branches, so to speak. Not much later, Roger and Simone opened their first shoe store, the Shoe Center. In addition to Perro’s own slippers, customers found various men’s, women’s and children’s shoe collections there.
Carmi sees the light of day
Under the impulse of their eldest son Michel, the Decremer family again went in search of renewal and expansion. In 1985 they were able to acquire a spacious and well-located building in Zemst. Just outside the center, the former Carpetland building became vacant, with a spacious parking lot. There the first building blocks would be laid for what Carmi is today: the shopping address in the region with more than 300 top brands in shoes, handbags, clothing and accessories under one roof. The opening was an overwhelming success. Michel: “In a press campaign we announced that the first five hundred visitors would receive a barbecue as a gift. There has been a long queue from early in the morning. It was a bull’s eye.”
The offer is expanding
About five years later, Werner also joined the business, after which the two brothers continued to build on the success of Zemst. In 1988 the store in Tildonk was closed and moved to Korbeek-Lo: the second Carmi was a fact. And in 2002 a third branch was opened in Aubel in Wallonia. Initially, Carmi only sold children’s, women’s and men’s shoes, but afterwards also a limited range of casual wear. About fifteen years after the start of Carmi, the range was expanded to a full-fledged clothing collection.
Family business pur sang
In the 1990s, the Decremer family opened four Mephisto stores in Brussels, Antwerp, Hasselt and Knokke. And there is also the Kid children’s shoe store in Leuven, and the Gabor shops in Ghent and Knokke. The Carmi’s in Zemst and Korbeek-Lo have since been repeatedly renovated and enlarged to accommodate the increasingly extensive range.
At the end of 2016, Werner and his wife Kathy, who had been in charge of the marketing department for a dozen years, decided to take their careers in a new direction. In the meantime, Elke and Jan, the children of Michel and Marie-Claire, have also started in the business.
Everything starts with the customer
A great deal of attention is paid to service and customer-friendliness in the training of sales personnel. “Whatever you buy, at Carmi you can count on personal service. Our experienced employees are always ready to give the appropriate advice. And we notice that the customer is asking that more and more. Our saleswomen and salespeople regularly attend refresher courses at the various brands. In this way they can guide the customer even better with his purchase”, says Michel. “The role of the Carmi team is very important. We try to surround ourselves with the best people, in the stores and also at our administrative services and in the warehouse in Tildonk. Our after-sales service is also supported by two experienced master shoemakers, which is an enormous added value for the customer.”
Finger on the pulse
Marie-Claire, Michel, Elke and Jan are also in the shops as much as possible, in order to keep in touch with the customer. “We only exist thanks to the customers and you have to earn them every day,” Michel says. “Hence the wide range of more than 300 top brands for women, men and children at Carmi and the largest possible range within each brand. The customer really has to find everything in the store. Only then is a visit to a Carmi store worth the trip. The webshop also sells the entire range of shoes, slippers, handbags and accessories. We keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to fashion. Brands come and go, and we have to be very vigilant that we have the right offer at the right time. Because our customers come to us for their favorite brand. It is our job to ensure that we have it in-house.”
Social engagement
Right from the start, Carmi has consistently drawn the card of social engagement. With the Senden Home shelter in the Philippines, there has been sponsorship for many years amounting to 2% of the turnover of the children’s shoes. In 1997, a permanent partnership was started with Natuurpunt Oost-Brabant. Since 2012, Carmi has also provided support to the Kenyan Ilkujuka in Loïta Hills. An initiative that was followed in the sector and we applaud that at Carmi: the more of these types of initiatives, the better.
Carmi through the years
Today Carmi has been around for 32 years. We take you on a journey through time!
1954 Start production luxury slippers
1972 Establishment of wholesaler
1976 Opening of Shoe Center Tildonk schoenen shoe store
1979 Stopping slipper production
1985 Opening Carmi Zemst
1988 Opening Carmi Korbeek-Lo, closing Shoe Center Tildonk
1995 Opening of the first Mephisto Shop in Brussels
1997 Opening Mephisto Shop Antwerp
1999 Opening Mephisto Shop Hasselt
2001 Opening Mephisto Shop Knokke
2002 Opening Carmi Aubel
2011 Launch of the Carmi webshop
2015 Opening Gabor Shop Ghent and Knokke
Brusselsesteenweg 129 Zemst 1980 Belgium
Tiensesteenweg 8 Bierbeek 3360 Belgium
Hunting and Collecting
Hunting and CollectingMore Info
HUNTING AND COLLECTING
To hunt and to collect – verbs that define a means of survival, as well as a way of life. Recently, modern culture has witnessed a new strand in human evolution – the emergence of a global community that is becoming more and more mobile, constantly craving cutting edge ideas and up to date information. We now belong to a society that uses the Internet and the latest technological developments to literally hunt and collect the products that correspond best to the lives of each individual.
Hunting and Collecting”, a Brussels based boutique and platform founded in 2010 aims to respond to the needs and desires of this new community.
Occupying a 200m2 space, “Hunting and Collecting” carries a constantly rotating selection of more than 30 exclusive brands for men, women and children. The store also provides footwear, accessories, design objects, and press dedicated to modern culture.
The selected brands all hold a common link: each possesses a clear vision of style and a distinctive identity that results as the product of true artistic creativity and individuality. Rather than following trends, these brands create them, giving them additional value and importance within modern culture. In order to maintain a certain uniqueness. Each season, the choice of products will evolve, both online and in store. The choices for each selection will be based on the items that Hunting and Collecting loves, the quality of the products, and the universes that they represent.
“Hunting and Collecting” actively participates as well in cultural manifestations such as art and design exhibitions, fashion events, parties and nightlife, either as a host or in and around Brussels and online.
Be sure to check the facebook page for daily updates !
OPENING HOURS
Tuesday – Saturday from 11:30am till 6:30pm
Mondays from 2pm until 6pm
17 rue des Chartreux Brussels 1000 Belgium
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Our most beautiful Belgian labels in one (online) store!
At les belges you can find a top Belgian outfit for ladies, juniors and kids, both online and in the showroom.
But also for a unique choice of Belgian design interior pieces or original gifts. Here you will only find the most beautiful designs
from our best Belgian designers and nowhere do you have a wider choice than here.
An absolutely unique #ikkoopbelgisch concept store, which should not be missing on your list of the best (web) shops.
You can count on personal advice both online and in the showroom. So never hesitate to contact us.
Meerlaarstraat 84 Vorst-Meerlaar 2430 Belgium
Van Loock
Van LoockMore Info
OVER ONS
Al 75 jaar lang is Van Loock een gevestigde waarde op het gebied van schoenen en lederwaren. In 1946 begon grootvader Albert Van Loock de boerderijen in de buurt te bezoeken met zijn bakfiets, waarin enkele schoenen zaten verstopt. De mensen konden de juiste maat bestellen, en die werd dan enkele weken later aan huis geleverd. Na enkele jaren maakte grootmoeder Yvonne een klein plaatsje vrij in het café, en dat werd de allereerste etalage.
Het kleine winkeltje werd een echte schoenwinkel, waar ondertussen ook handtassen en andere accessoires worden verkocht. Yvonne, en later hun twee dochters, hielpen mee in de winkel. Na verschillende verbouwingen bleef de zaak groeien, en in 1991 kregen de heren hun eigen afdeling. Later, in 1997, kwam er ook een aparte kinderafdeling. De drie kinderen van dochter Rita werken ondertussen ook voltijds mee in de zaak van hun ouders.
In 2009 was het tijd voor de voorlopig laatste verbouwing, en werd er plaats gemaakt voor een aparte handtassenafdeling. Ook reiskoffers en boekentassen hebben nu hun eigen plaats. Voor het ontwerp werd de Belgische architect Vincent Van Duysen aangesproken, die de opdracht kreeg om een strakke winkel te maken met aandacht voor mooie materialen, en waar de schoenen en tassen de aandacht krijgen die ze verdienen. Hij is daar meer dan in geslaagd, daarvan getuigen de vele positieve reacties van klanten en schoenliefhebbers.
Langestraat 49 Zandhoven 2240 Belgium
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SUITE – GHENT
At Suite, you are offered the time and space you need to complete your wardrobe with exclusive pieces which strengthen your personality and view of life.
Cutting-edge fashion and personal service in a relaxed and intimate interior: Suite had represented the love for slow fashion since the very beginning.
Carefully composed into a consistent and balanced ensemble, the Suite collections focus on craftsmanship and authenticity. Behind every collection stands an exceptional designer with powerful ideas and a unique take on ready-to-wear fashion. Convinced that beauty lies in the detail, Suite allows no room for mass production or excessiveness. Screened for cut, quality of materials and origin, the featured collections all contribute to a timeless story in which fashion embodies so much more than thoughtlessly adapting to fleeting trends.
Combining established and respected designers with fresh emerging talent, founder Lut Soens never fails to experiment. Minimalism and avant-garde are the key values on which Suite is based.
The interior, designed by architect Glenn Sestig, reflects the Suite principles. Warm colors and soft materials tuned Suite into the perfect environment where creative women can develop their personal style on their own terms. Do not expect imposed make-overs from Lut: with considerate advice she will assist you in finding those pieces that align perfectly with your personality and views. Her professional and no-nonsense approach guarantees sustainable choices, respecting each woman’s individuality.
At Suite, you are offered the time and space you need to complete your wardrobe with exclusive pieces which strengthen your personality and view of life.
Hoogpoort 59 Gent 9000 Belgium
Buissonnière
BuissonnièreMore Info
Buissonnière: the unique story of a Belgian family passionate about fashion
Buissonnière is a Belgian clothing brand that focusses its activity on core values such as family, authenticity and joie de vivre.
Buissonnière is also an exclusive brand: the company develops and creates its own collections that are sold only in its own shops and on its website.
The philosophy of Buissonnière from day one has been to offer a coordinated, refined, high-quality assortment with a continual focus on using natural materials to make clothes. Its collections meet the current needs of families, respect their budget and adapt to every event.
1983: The origin of the brand
30 years ago, Myriam and Christian became the proud parents of a baby girl, Laurence. Myriam, who had always dreamed of having a daughter, could not find high-quality clothing to dress to her according to her taste at affordable prices in the shops. She therefore decided to make the pretty clothes she wanted for her baby herself.
1985 Buissonnière is born!
The little outfits Myriam makes are an immediate success with her friends and family. In 1985, along with her husband, they go all in and decide to create, together, a first collection for children called “Buissonnière”. The family business is launched!
1989: Opening of the first store
After some private sales at friends’ homes, Myriam and Christian quickly develop the brand. Initially, their children’s playroom serves as their first shop. In 1989, the first real point of sale opens in Wavre.
1990-2009: Development of the collections
Over the years, the family grows and Laurence has three little sisters. The Buissonnière clothes also develop: first clothing for babies and children, then a line for teenagers, and finally adults.
2010: Launch of the e-commerce website
Buissonnière follows the trends and adapts to new technologies; in 2010, the brand opens its online shop which has since grown steadily and allows families in many European countries to finally purchase Buissonnière clothes from their own homes as well.
2014: Official purveyor to the Belgian royal court
Since its creation, the brand is known for the refinement of its clothes and benefits from the confidence of the Belgian royal family. The title of Purveyor to the Court was granted in 2014 by King Philip.
2015: Buissonnière celebrates its 30th anniversary
Although multinational chains currently dominate the ready-to-wear market, Buissonnière maintains its presence and desires to preserve its know-how and values of creativity and quality. It is still and always has been a small Belgian family business: the second generation has arrived and is infusing the brand’s development with dynamism and modernity.
But Buissonnière is more than the story of a family. It is the story of passionate young people who did everything to realise their dream of creating a clothing brand to dress every generation in perfect harmony with the current fashion trends.
143 Boulevard de l’Europe Wavre 1300 Belgium
Kortrijksesteenweg 1119 Ghent 9051 Belgium
Engelse Wandeling 2 A-B bus 12 Kortrijk 8500 Belgium
Wezembeeklaan 118 Kraainem 1950 Belgium
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Foempies.com is an online webshop in management of Drie Koningen Shoe.
We are a Belgian family company since 1962 with a passion for shoes.
We are the official seller and trademark owner of the sneaker brand Foempies®
Driekoningenstraat 19 Berchem 2600 Belgium
Het Modehuis
Het ModehuisMore Info
Het Modehuis wants to offer you a complete outfit that guarantees a refined ’total look’ without losing sight of the necessary wearing comfort: from casual chic to classic with a twist to the more innovative, from size 34 to size 46.
Het Modehuis would like to receive you in a stylish and inviting setting where we enthusiastically pay attention to the necessary service. During those unique shopping moments, the gentlemen in the group can find what they are looking for in a wide range of reading material in our lounge corner and/or be inspired by the periodic works of art by Absolute Art Gallery.
As a board member at the Duvel-Moortgat family brewery, Veerle Baert knows better than anyone how to run a company with passion. In the past, she earned her spurs in the world of journalism and was one of the founders of Weekend Knack magazine, the very first lifestyle magazine in Belgium.
Her daughter Elke Baert studied Fashion Design at the famous Istituto Marangoni in London. During her graduation year in 2010, Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) selected Elke as one of the fourteen most promising fashion students in the country. The French fashion house Chloé and high-end men’s label Pierre Talamon were also convinced of her talent. In 2013, Elke realized her dream and launched her own fashion label Furore.
The Furore brand made a new start in 2019 with the acquisition of the Belgian fashion company MFD. In view of the international market, they named their new company since then Flanders Fashion Design International (FFDI).
Our mission
With its fashion, Het Modehuis wants to pay tribute to an inner appearance and sees fashion as an extension of someone’s personality. A select choice of brands and silhouettes should pay tribute to your character, appearance and/or message that you wish to use and thus to externalize within the framework of your professional framework and/or daily active life as a self-confident woman.
Since every woman is unique, we feel called to pay tribute to the design language of everyone’s body without having to sacrifice wearing comfort. Or as Coco Chanel has said before: fashion must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury!
Opening hours
Closed on Mondays
Tuesday: only open by appointment
Wednesday: only open by appointment
Thursday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00
Sundays and public holidays: closed (unless otherwise announced)
Xavier de Cocklaan 37 Sint-Martens-Latem 9831 Belgium
Valérie Berckmans
Valérie BerckmansMore Info
In her boutique-atelier at rue Van Artevelde, Brussels, Valérie Berckmans designs a women’s ready-to-wear line since 2006. Under her eponymous brand, she creates a collection in a graphic and minimalist style, evoking an airy femininity often brightened up with particular details.
Each piece that leaves her workshop is meticulously crafted with fair trade, organic or alternative raw materials (deadstock of fabrics, upcycled vintage pieces).
She is having her collection produced exclusively in Belgian and French workshops to maintain the local know-how and reduce the ecological footprint of her project.
Since April 2021, she works in duo with the fashion designer Théo Auquière on the design of the collection.
In the “boutique-atelier”, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed into ethical & ecological creations!
From this philosophy was born their zero-waste project. The fabric leftovers from the women’s production are offering new stylistic, practical and circular perspectives, translating into a children collection, ladies underwear & cotton pads, among others.
Valérie Berckmans also sells in the shop creations of other Belgian designers who share the same sustainable philosophy : Atelier Content (shoes), Géraldine Bertrand (knitwear), Aymara (knitwear), O’Leary (leather accessories).
Rue Van Arteveldestraat, 8 Brussels 1000 Belgium
La Bottega
La BottegaMore Info
BIJ LA BOTTEGA OMARMEN WE MET VOLLE GOESTING EEN NIEUWE WERELD VAN POSITIVITEIT, DIVERSITEIT EN INCLUSIVITEIT.
EEN WERELD WAAR WE SAMEN WERKEN AAN EEN BETERE TOEKOMST, EEN GEZONDERE PLANEET ÉN GELUKKIGE MENSEN.
WIJ BESPRENKELEN GRAAG HET LEVEN MET EEN PORTIE VITAMINE LA BOTTEGA: BOORDEVOL KLEUR, EEN TIKKELTJE EIGENZINNIGHEID, NATUURLIJK HELEND, PURE LIEFDE VOOR SCHOONHEID IN ALLES EN IEDEREEN ÉN EEN ONMISKENBARE DOSIS POSITIVITEIT.
HEB JIJ JE PORTIE LA BOTTEGA VANDAAG AL GEHAD?
#GARDENOFHOPE
ENJOY THE LA BOTTEGA EXPERIENCE
Paardsdemerstraat 9 Hasselt 3500 Belgium