Info
BIO
LĒO is a Belgium-based brand that was established in 2016 by artistic director Leonneke Derksen (Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium) and founder Matthias Medaer.
LĒO was created in Paris, while gaining experience at fashion houses like Balenciaga and Carven.
This period was the base on which the vision of the brand was born, as the team got in touch and ultimately became part of a new generation of young designers.
Moving LĒO to the center of Europe (Brussels, Belgium) was a natural outcome of the need for full dedication to the brand and focus on the quality of it’s product, which is produced exclusively in Europe.
VISION
LĒO embodies the energy between luxury, avant-garde and street wear.
Experience over time formed a brand-specific set of values which consist of dedication to self-expression, nostalgia and the desire to push boundaries and evoke excitement.
Inspiration comes from various worlds and aesthetics and combines eras, movements, atmospheres and subcultures, regardless of codes.
Ideas are found in the space between external and internal experience and research is extracted from unique experiences in between quotidien performances and memorable rare involvements.
The brand displays the mind of different generations and the dualities that lie within them.
Attitude, authenticity and honesty are the essence of the LĒO customer.
PRODUCT
At the core of all reflections lays a product which represents a balance of quality and originality.
These products are carfully placed in worlds in which the brand expresses an original take on ‘reality’ and its movements.
LĒO garments oppose seriousness with spontaneity and question common rules with creativity and curiousness.
Wearing LĒO implements appreciation for sophistication and uniqueness. Distinguished shapes turn through worked-out bleaching and dying technics into one of a kind garments for a one of a kind wearer.
LĒO embraces the awkwardness and accentuates it’s inherent potential for innovation which can be recognised in the choice of material and reccurent elements like metal details.
Each collection is a mix of unexpected and iconic elements with a touch of ‘‘no rule“ humor.
This fuse contains on one side traditional tailored or classic technical elements that breathe rationality and on the other side the element of surprise, instinct and emotion.
21-25, Rue Gheude Brussels 1070 Belgium
Nuage d’Automne
Nuage d’AutomneInfo
Thu Van Nguyen
clothing designer
It was in 2006 that Thu-Van Nguyen created the brand Nuage d’Automne (translation of Thu-Van in Vietnamese). This Eurasian born in Perpignan (France) has lived in Belgium since the age of 6.
Trained as a costume designer and decorator, she came to styling in a natural way as if to express through Fashion the mixture of cultures and origins of which she is the fruit.
In her workshop in La Hulpe, she creates medium and high-end ready-to-wear for men and women, in unique pieces, limited series and made-to-measure.
In an ethnic style, Nuage d’Automne bears witness to the meeting between the East and the West, the ancient and the modern.
In addition to using natural materials (silk, wool, linen or cotton) as well as vegetable dyes for certain ranges, particular attention is paid to the quality of the finishes.
The stage costume complements its work through spectacular outfits and costumes for musicians, dancers or actors.
Creativity, know-how and experience at the service of Fashion.
She stands out with an approach to Fashion that is more artistic than “trendy” by creating unexpected mixes. What makes these clothes exceptional, sometimes close to a work of art.
In an unconventional style with minimalist cuts, it combines elegance with a mixture of cultures and eras, while promoting craftsmanship and know-how.
Creation Workshop
Training
Training in vegetable dye and indigo with Martine Bourlée (2017 – 18)
INFAC / EFPME: scenography-show technician (2001-2005)
Academy of Arts of Ixelles in live model drawing. (2001-2002)
School of Arts of Braine-l’Alleud: multidisciplinary training. Certificate of secondary artistic education with reduced hours (1998 – 2001)
Internships
Set painting with Alexandre Obolensky & Opéra Royal de La Monnaie (2001-2005)
Scenography and stage management with Jean-Marie Fiévez at the Théâtre Le Public (2001-2003)
Costume making with France Lamboray at the Théatre Le Public (2003-2005)
Parade at the Palace of the Kings of Majorca
Stage costumes for percussionists
Significant events in the professional career
Parades & Exhibitions:
Salon Créations (Province of Walloon Brabant – 2017 & 2018)
Walloon Fair of Crafts of Wallonia – 2016 & 2018)
ArtiBw exhibition (OMA Brabant Wallon – Château d’Hélécine – 2016 to 2018)
Salon Ethno Tendance (Farushi asbl – Tour & Taxi, Brussels – 2015 & 2013)
Second Hand Second Life Festival (Les Petits Riens – Tour& Taxi, Brussels – 2013)
Monaco Wedding Fair (Daily Fashion – Forum Grimaldi, Monaco – 2013)
Brussels Fashion Days (Bee Group – The Egg, Brussels – 2013 & 2012)
Pop-Up Store Fair (Lille – 2012)
Autumn Cloud Parade (Palace of the Kings of Majorca, Perpignan, France – 2012)
Theater :
Ria Carbonez (2018 to 2021)
Theater Loyal du Trac – 2006, 2011, 2013
Stage management for the shows “Couldn’t we love each other a little? and Noces de Vent (Théâtre Loyal du Trac, Belgium, France, Switzerland, New Caledonia, Tahiti – 2005 to 2017)
Assistant Justine Drabs for Marie Tudor (Théâtre Jardin Passion, Belgium – 2014)
After the bridge (Théâtre Oz, Belgium – 2005)
Bintou (Théâtre Océan Nord, Belgium – 2002)
Music :
18 percussionist costumes (Sysmo, Belgium – 2015)
Saxophonist (Cyril Thiry, Belgium – 2015)
Dance :
Café Frappé (Tap Show Company and TLT, Belgium – 2013)
Movie theater :
Short film (SMOG, Belgium, 2015)
Circus:
The Flying Partners (Ptits Bras, Belgium, France – 2011)
Circus Marcel (Robert en Alfons vzw, Belgium – 2012)
Events:
Tibidou mascot (Editions Acrodalivres, Belgium – 2016)
Costume designer assistant for management staff (Zinneke asbl, Belgium – 2011)
She stands out with an approach to Fashion that is more artistic than “trendy” by creating unexpected mixes. What makes these clothes exceptional, sometimes close to a work of art.
In an unconventional style with minimalist cuts, it combines elegance with a mixture of cultures and eras, while promoting craftsmanship and know-how.
104, rue des Combattants La Hulpe 1310 Belgium
Nathalie Vleeschouwer
Nathalie VleeschouwerInfo
ABOUT US
Nathalie Vleeschouwer offers the kind of subtle elegance to women of character who want to enjoy life actively and confidently.
The Belgian designer launched her collection in 2011, but the roots of her fashion house go back as far as 1990. Inspiration is derived from all corners of the globe and distilled by Nathalie and her team at their headquarters in Antwerp. Because the soul of the collection is inextricably bound to the designer herself, it has an authentic style and is continually evolving, just like Nathalie’s creative ideas.
Experience, craftsmanship and lasting partnerships with a handful of suppliers and workshops form the basis of every garment that bears her name. Made with love, so that you can wear it again and again, and mix & match it with different items every season. Where the creativity of this collection – released once every six months – stops, yours begins.
Who is Nathalie?
Nathalie Vleeschouwer really does exist. She is not just the designer of the collection; she is also a wife, the mother of three children and two dogs, a traveller, nature lover, city-tripper, swimmer, connoisseur, and so much more.
Nathalie actively enjoys life and the clothing she wears plays an important part in this. It gives her confidence and supports her in all her activities, making it an essential part of her life.
There may be only one Nathalie Vleeschouwer, but many women can identify with her.
Why did she create the collection?
Nathalie Vleeschouwer’s interest in fashion stems from her childhood. Her father was a purchaser for a clothing chain, and as a child she loved nothing more than to accompany him to the big clothing factories. The Antwerp Academy of fashion was a logical next step in her career, but she decided – at the age of 22 – to swap the Academy with learning from practice. This resulted in the launch of Fragile, a maternity wear collection, in 1990. In those days, making fashionable maternity clothing was unheard of. That is how Nathalie became a global pioneer in the world of maternity fashion. The collection was a great success, all the way from Antwerp to Tokyo, and many brands have since followed in Fragile’s footsteps.
Having won the Womed Award in 2010 for female entrepreneurship, Nathalie felt she was ready to embark on a new venture in addition to Fragile. To underscore the authentic style of this new collection she decided to give it her own name: Nathalie Vleeschouwer.
The first collection was presented at the international trade fair in Paris in September 2010 and was available in shops in the spring of 2011.
What does the company Natale do?
Natale stands for Nathalie, and also for the Italian word for ‘birth’.
The family business comprises two collections: Fragile & Nathalie Vleeschouwer. Both are the artistic creations of designer Nathalie Vleeschouwer. The management of Natale is in the hands of Nathalie herself and her husband, Jan.
A staff of approximately 40 work hard every day, prominently or behind the scenes, in a wide range of jobs from pattern designer to sales assistant. By outsourcing as little work as possible experience is combined, ensuring a dynamic business culture.
Who makes your favourite pieces?
Nathalie Vleeschouwer is the head designer of a creative team, and collaborates with her own pattern maker. Each design is developed in detail by our team. We strive to build relationships of trust with all our suppliers and manufacturers, in which transparency and long-term cooperation are of the essence. We regularly visit our partners on site with a view to strengthening our ties and building a genuine relationship of trust and mutual respect.
Socially responsible entrepreneurship and sustainability
Respect for people, the environment and society are key values at Natale.
By opting for quality goods at fair as a starting point, we hope to contribute to enhancing the sustainability of the fashion industry. We deliberately choose to release only two collections a year and are adverse to hypes as well as overproducing. By adhering to this long-term vision we can make honest fashion that you will enjoy for many years to come and in which both the maker and the wearer take pride.
Our collections are produced without any use of child labour, in pleasant working conditions and for honest wages by audited suppliers with whom we build up partnerships with a long-term vision.
Keeping our creative, commercial and administrative departments under one and the same roof in Antwerp ensures that Natale’s environmental impact remains limited. We make every effort to minimise our ecological footprint throughout our production chain as well. This is one of the reasons why we have been sourcing more than half of what we produce from Belgian manufacturers for over 20 years. The remaining half is primarily produced in Europe.
Step by step, we aim to integrate more ecological fabrics into the collection every season – depending on the offering – while always maintaining a correct price/quality ratio.
Tulpstraat 104 , Antwerp 2060 Belgium
Tirez vous les Filles
Tirez vous les FillesInfo
Fashionable in a nutshell
Why not stand out with a glam rock look, based on zippered modukes.
Consuming better to consume less, quality rather than quantity. A dress that bends to all your desires, which vary according to the time of day, the season, the weather, the occasions, the unexpected,…
16 dresses, in one dress. 2 dresses, that’s no less than 256 possible customizations. 3 dresses, it’s 4,096 possible combinations with another color or another material that we modulate, often vinyl or imitation leather materials.
In addition, design and fashion 100% made in Belgium.
A line of jewelry and accessories finished with zippers completes the range, with the use of fish leather, another way to become sustainable.
Vieux Chemin 50 Bruxelles 1180 Belgium
Buissonnière
BuissonnièreInfo
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
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.
Info
no more grey days – upcycled fashion products
NMGD designs, reworks and upcycles for fashion lovers who wish to support our ambition to create sustainable fashion. We capture the beauty and value of what is already out there and creatively rework second hand- flee market findings, fabric cut offs or overstock to new, beloved products. With natural dyes and hand-stitched artwork we avoid chemical printing processes.
Every single piece is therefore personal and unique with an individual note.
no more grey days opposes fast fashion and mass production and is created locally, one-at-a-time. as a passion.
For those who want to do good to themselves by purchasing a unique, beautiful piece, and at the same time spare our planet a fraction of further exploitation.
de merodelei 31 Antwerpen 2600 Belgium
Info
We go way back..
After traveling extensively, a close friendship that started 10 years ago brought us, Loredana and Anke, together again. On the other side of the world. In Bali.
Living the island life, we were introduced to a moving world of opportunities and challenges. Of a different lifestyle, freedom and creativity. And inspired by diverse countries and numerous cultures as well, we created a fierce fashion vision. While holding on to Western values and trends, our designs breath out cultural influences in casual and timeless pieces.
Each design is unique..
and tells a story. We believe in exclusive and traditional fabrics. In sophisticated items which show that details matter, in philosophy of colours, and in the strength of every woman to create her own wearable story. With every collection, we try to spread out a certain vibe, life values that women can relate to, will be inspired from and hopefully make them inspire others.
Traditional artisans..
is who we team up with. Their cultural richness and talented hands, inspired by generations and generations of crafting beauty is what we choose for. In the midst of endless rice field views, daily temple offerings and living a true life, every day again they give the very best of themselves to be part of our brand. And your wearable story.
Roxane Ballon
Roxane BallonInfo
/ WHO AM I
I am a Fashion Designer based in Braine-le-Comte, Belgium.
I graduated from the School of “Francisco Ferrer” (Brussels) in the field of Fashion Design.
I specialize in Accessories Design, with a special focus on leather goods, where I was able to build an extensive expe- rience working for leading brands such as Maison Delvaux.
/ MY PHILOSOPHY
Authenticity • Innovation • Sustainability
My view of fashion is strongly influenced by craftsmanship, culture and art.
My designs are refined and functional with high-end cuts, materials and finishes.
It is important for me to design premium contemporary products, which are authentic, innovative and sustainable.
141 Rue d’Écaussinnes Braine-le-Comte 7090
Patou Saint Germain
Patou Saint GermainInfo
Her firstname smells like the best fragrances and her name takes us to the artists’ Paris.
It’s because Patou Saint Germain has the exoticism of her ethnic background – she was born at Pointe-à-Pitre – and the creativity of the most famous fashion designers. She doesn’t hesitate to try new and inspiring experiences.
In her shop, located at rue Africaine in Saint-Gilles (Brussels), Patou creates for women. She wants to highlight the best part of womanhood in each women.
The purpose of the choice of shapes and materials is to beautify the body while maintaining the practical and comfort characteristics.
Patou Saint Germain creates ready-made clothes (directly or tailor-made) like evening wears, wedding dresses…but temporary creations, art pieces, and chocolate dresses too.
She likes to surprise and play with the different faces of her personality through her art.
Let’s start from the beginning…
Patou Saint Germain was born in 1970 in Guadeloupe and, when she’s 2 years old, comes in France with her parents.
She grows up in a family of six children. From a very young age, Patou creates clothes for her dolls.
At 15, she decides to become a fashion designer and passed the entrance exam of the school “Ecole supérieure des Arts appliqué Duperré”, the only public fashion school in Paris.
She dives into the fashion world like we can do with a religion.
During her studies, she works as a salesperson at Promod and wins the competition of young designers. Promod hires her immediately as a junior fashion designer.
Quickly propeled as a chief fashion designer, she travels a lot to “type” her products…USA, Italy, Japan…
The love brings her to Brussels where she works during one year for Caroline Biss.
In no time, she wants to stand on her own feet : she opens her shop and begins to draw, create and produce. That’s where Patou entertains her clients, offers ready-made clothes and…some tea.
An other approach of the fashion world.
« I always wanted to revolutionize the fashion world. The relation between the women and the clothes is very important. It’s the extension of her body and reflects her state of mind. When a women says that she hasn’t anything to wear while the wardrobe is full, it means that she’s a new person and wants other thing that she doesn’t own. A few husbands understand it thus.
I want to support women and give them a « tool » for making them feel ease and seducing. I am at their service for their aesthetic appearance including my two cents’ worth. For example, I love the crossed heart structure because it’s enveloping and draws body’s curves. It’s comfortable and feminine.»
From the story of the suit to the Japanese influence
« By studying the story of the suit, we realize that the unsaid was implicit via the suit. This one has been replacing the language in a time when the women did not have a say. »
Patou Saint Germain feels attracted by Japan, especially by Issey Miyake and her conceptual shapes with the search of simplicity that gives some strength.
« I’m an African from Europe and, like many people that feel displaced, pursue a sort of quest for an identity. »
This search is found in her creations that involve Africa and Occident via shapes and materials. Ideas and models emerge from the discoveries of different materials, variation of silk, flax, mesh or African basin.
« I love the « Makeba »(*) style drawing and the Japanese lines like hide-and-seek jackets of kimonos. »
The worry of womanhood and originality of the style serve as a conductor line for the creation of the models.
The enhancement of the feminine body , the search of the appropriate garment and the availability are Patou’s work characteristics too.
(*) in reference to the South African singer Miriam Makeba
Original creations
We should step out of our comfortable zone and search other inspiring sources, try the unknown and show ourselves in other aspects.
That’s what Patou does when she creates amazing and audacious chocolate dresses with the chocolate maker Laurent Gerbaud for The Salon du Chocolat.
Or whether when she creates a dress with ropes and the top hat for the exhibition City Doll in Brussels. This one has been sold in an auction for a charitable work.
And tomorrow ?
« I want to continue showing that it’s possible to wear clothes differently to highlight the most beautiful part of the women. Her body is a treasury. It needs to be pampered and highlighted. What gives me the most pleasure ? It’s seeing a women’s face changing when she wears a dress…It illuminates !
OPENING HOURS
Monday & Sunday – Closed
Tuesday– Saturday – 11:30 – 18:30
96, rue Africaine Brussels 1060 Belgium