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DIDDA
Being a ‘touche à tout’ with a theoretical background in art history & anthropology, and a bottom-up one in i.a. jewelry-design, sculpture, maroquinerie, I found myself playing around with leather way too long… So, that’s when DIDDA came up.
DIDDA was born out of a passion for craftsmanship and the desire to make durable goods with personality. Is it possible to merge beauty, functionality and sustainability?
For me, there’s nothing more challenging and rewarding than building a solid companion – to care and carry – out of a skin with my bare hands. And also, I admit, just for the smell of it…
I love building functional goods; playing with dualities; line vs volume, format and function, contrast in materials and texture, concept vs detail, directness and confusion, always searching for that certain tension.
PRODUCTION
All my leather goods are unique and handmade in my modernist rooftop-atelier in Laken – Belgium.
DIDDA proposes a main ‘solid’ collection and a more volatile one; a series of unique one-shots
made in the mood of the day. Your order can be personalized (length, left/right wear etc.) or completely tailor-made. Don’t hesitate to contact me for quotes and special requests.
All DIDDA goods are made of locally sourced skins. The leather is – depending on the design – either veg-tan, up-cycled or production residue from meat-production.
For me (an this is a vegetarian speaking…), no other material can yet replace the touch, feel and quality of leather (although we keep a wide eye open on upcoming alternatives). This very emotive and ancient material used by man – to carry and protect – remains for me a very ecological choice. It is a leftover natural material, ages nicely and with good care, a high quality leather DIDDA-bag will last at least a lifetime.
MATERIALS
*Vegtan leather:
Vegtan or vegetable tanned leather is tanned with natural materials like tree bark. Less than 10% of the world’s leather is tanned this way today. Vegtan is a thicker and stronger leather, so the designs don’t need lining, which makes the bags lighter. Vegtan has that gorgeous leather smell, tends to age better and develops a rich patina over time. This eco-friendly product is the ideal material to most of the ‘neat’ DIDDA designs. Color-options are smaller (mostly black/nude and cognac). The leather is sourced at a Belgian tannery.
*Standard full-grain leather
This leather is generally rather smooth and comes in a wide variety of colors, textures and finishing. All the skins used by DIDDA come from European tanneries (meeting the highest standards) and are
a leftover product from meat-industry. Always keep in mind that leather is a natural product that once had a life, so every skin will
have his story and tiny imperfections, which adds up to the charm and patina.
*Lining
I prefer to work with 100 % leather lining, mostly pigskin. It makes the bag slightly more heavy but it’s much stronger & more consistent in design.
*Zippers
5mm or 7mm metal zippers of superior quality by Belgian Zip Factory KROKO (zip manufacturer since 1944).
*Rope / sling
I mainly use 10 or 11mm round non-stretch/static polyamide cord of superior quality (used by sailors & mountaineers). This material – supplied by the ‘maisons’ corderie Smits-Henin and Corderie Barrois, can bear extreme (weather) conditions and will probably last forever.
When the design includes flat slings; those are made of 100% leather, sometimes doubled with flat polypropylene belts of superior quality provided by corderie Smits-Henin. These add up to the strength and anti-stretch of the slings.
Adrien Bayetlaan 11 Laken 1020 Belgium
Diane Steverlynck
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Diane Steverlynck lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.
After a pedagogical degree in Fine Arts and her graduation at the Textile Design department of the Ecole Nationale des Arts Visuels de la Cambre in Brussels, in 2003, she set up her studio.
Since then, she follows a specific approach centered on the creative potential and transversal nature of textile. Her work focusses on the specificities of materials, structures and the process of making, involving the use and identity of everyday objects.
Rather than a formal will, the shape, aesthetic and poetry of the created objects, results from a care and attention for the materials they are made of, as much as the gestures and stories that they suggest, both in their use and in their manufacturing process. Cross breeding heterogeneous cultural references, her creations respond to universal uses while carrying the trace of collective and personal memories.
Beside her self-initiated productions, she runs collaborative projects with designers, artists and architects. Her presence at international shows has led to collaborations with carpet and furnishing editors such as : Limited Edition (Be), Ligne Roset (Fr), Objekten (Be), Superette (Lu), Trico (Jp) . In 2014, she founded the label laend together with the duo Chevalier-Masson.
Diane’s work is represented by the Valerie Traan gallery in Antwerp and has been part of exhibitions at the Stedelijk Museum S’Hertogenbosch, Centre d’Innovation et du Design Grand-Hornu, the Atomium Brussels, the Ghent Design Museum, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam and more.
Since 2006, she is a teacher at the textile design department of the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten (KASK), School of Arts in Ghent.
60, Rue de Serbie-Serviestraat Brussels 1190 Belgium
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Back to essentials
PURE MATERIALS
The more durable pieces are the ones we treasure. ‘They grow on you’. Natural materials absorb the traces of our life and leave a personal patina. They will look better the more you wear them.
Every piece will be unique with it’s natural marks. This is a sign of quality.
UNIQUE
There are as many unique DCEMBER bags, as there are unique women. Just like the interior of your house, you start from a base and accessorise according to your mood or season.
Beloved objects become icons for what we stand for.
CONSCIOUS
The way we consume makes us aware how we love and treat life. All our bags are handcrafted in Italy by local artisans and all materials are treated naturally.
With DCEMBER you choose for a transparent production process which is kind to people and environment.
“A DCEMBER bag is a lifetime piece with endless possibilities day by day, all over again.”
Who we are
DCEMBER is an Antwerp (Belgium) based design label founded by designer Florien Pénard and her husband Olivier.
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
My inspiration stems from my walk of life. Born in the magic month of December, the love for pure materials was passed on to me from a very young age. Like the scent of wooden art objects carved by my father. Or the soft touch of the leather handbag my grandmother made herself.
WHEN DID YOU START DESIGNING?
Graduating from the academy of fine arts in the Netherlands, I pursued my passion for design at Kenzo in Paris and later on as lead designer at Dirk Bikkembergs in Italy.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THIS COLLECTION?
When my kids, Zoé and Louie, started personalizing their saddle leather schoolbags, I started thinking … “I want that too!”
A companion, that is an extension of my personality and adapts to every season and occasion.
DCEMBER was born…
Florien Pénard
Dries Van Noten
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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
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Are you also crazy about textiles?
And we are not just talking about fashion, but above all about the most unknown innovative products that the textile sector has to offer and that you come into contact with every day. Have you ever thought about why a firefighter suit is fire resistant? Or how are doctor’s coats antibacterial? But also the artificial turf where you play sports is textile and much more.
To guarantee these innovations, this quality, this design and this durability, more than 650 Belgian textile producers work there every day. Innovation in technology, raw materials, production processes and services contributes to this. This is obviously a challenge for which they need motivated workers. Would you like to contribute to the future of tomorrow?
Here on the Crazy for Textiles website, you can familiarize yourself with the sector, with the textile training courses that are offered and you can find an up-to-date database of job vacancies in the textile industry.
Dingue de Textile is an initiative of the textile industry and textile training.
Boulevard Industriel 62 Mouscron 7700 Belgium
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SPRANKELEND STIJLVOLLE DAMESKLEDING
Vrouwelijkheid ten top
Ons uitgangspunt is de vrouw. Wat vindt zij van een bepaald kledingstuk, hoe bevalt de kleur, hoe ervaart ze het comfort van een zekere pasvorm. Onze damescollecties zijn uitermate geschikt voor een vrouw die zelfzeker en vrolijk in het leven staat en er absoluut niet voor terugschrikt om dat ook aan de buitenwereld te tonen. Paspoppen zijn zichtbaar in de winkel, maar tijdens het ontwerpproces blijven ze ver uit het zicht. Niets kan immers tippen aan de vormen van échte modellen, waarop elk collectiestuk wordt getest en gekeurd.
Designed in Belgium, made in Italy
Geen ingetogen kledij, maar ook niet overdadig. Due Amanti ging voor de gulden middenweg; just right. Klasse hoeft niet saai te zijn; wij verkiezen sprankelend stijlvol. Geregeld reizen we af naar Italië om samen met onze fabrikanten te brainstormen, uit te proberen, aan te passen en uiteindelijk te creëren.
HOGESTRAAT 111 HOOGLEDE 8830 Belgium
Derotex
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Nature is our signature
Whilst turning environmental challenges into business opportunities by recycling packaging (mainly jute and sisal bags) from the food industry into natural fibers, we established ourselves as the European pioneer in green eco-conversion and expanded to become a global worldwide leader in recycled natural fibers.
Since a recent acquisition we diversified our portfolio so that today we can supply the market as a one-stop shop for natural (vegetal & animal) and even synthetic fibers.
Combining a modern production plant and technical expertise enables us to serve the non-woven, spinning and many other industries in a very competitive manner.
In close cooperation with our partners we are continuously exploring new openings for our natural fibres.
Together we proudly contribute to ecological sustainability in order to protect our precious environment whilst creating a unique green value chain.
Rijksweg 442 Wielsbeke 8710 Belgium
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About us
For the past three decades, we have been best friends and share many passions in various areas: sports, games, adventures, movies and music, interesting conversations, food and drink, etc. Our interests have of course evolved since we were teenagers, but one element has always remained at the forefront: conviviality.
A warm and convivial atmosphere can be found in many activities, but when you boil it down to its essence, you often arrive at the following basic elements: sharing food and drink, having fun conversations, and fire.
It is therefore no coincidence that barbecues are so popular around the world.
Conviviality
Enjoying life to the fullest, but always respecting the world that surrounds us. And since the beginning of our friendship, we agreed that the best way to have fun is to share the best moments with others. Not only do you reinforce the intensity of the moment, but you can relive it many times afterwards, based on the stories you keep bringing up. So we are friends with a nice bag of shared memories and stories. And the icing on the cake is that these stories were often shared with numerous other wonderful friends. Memories are the very last important treasures that can be taken from a person. Therefore, build that wealth as best and as long as possible.
Finding the balance
Consumption seems to have become an addiction among an increasing number of people. We want more and it has to be cheaper. Quality and durability have for many years been neglected characteristics of many commodities. Ecological and ethical problems have too often become the consequence of the search for lower prices.
Fortunately, more and more people have begun to realize that things cannot go on like this. Opposed to over-consumption is the concept of minimalism. As ‘bon-vivants’, we wanted to find a balance between the two. We believe that it should still be possible to enjoy ‘well-considered’ purchases.
That’s why we want to offer you products made of durable, quality materials. We choose timeless designs that you won’t easily tire of. And we look for partners who can guarantee us that they produce in an ecological and ethical way (through different certification labels and ISO standards).
Wachthuisdreef 105 Edingen 7850 Belgium
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De Hovre PR is a press relations agency based in Antwerp for luxury, fashion, beauty and lifestyle.
With 15 years of experience in communicating the unique visions of our clients, we have a deep understanding of the dynamic media landscape. Excellent relationships with style leaders and tastemakers amplify our influence.
Our agency, founded in 2010 by Isabelle De Hovre, stands out for its unpretentious and accessible approach to public relations and brand consulting
We work together closely with each brand to determine the best unique approach, which enables us to communicate across categories from luxury fashion to sportswear, as well as food and living collections.
Minderbroedersstraat 4, bus 01 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
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FASHION AGENCY ANTWERP
After building for 15 years international brands for a Dutch distributor, it was time for Camille Vermue to start and build his men/women Luxury Casual Fashion Agency.
Why Antwerp?
Because of his serious commitment to the retailers, market and his manufactures Camille was offered since the start in 2004 to distribute their brands for the Benelux. “Antwerp has become more and more the fashion centre of the Benelux. The easy access and local fashion network of designers, agencies and shops make Antwerp the ideal base for an international fashion agency.”
Mission
“The retailer in today’s business has to surprise and offer the right brand mix which perfectly anticipate on the demanding consumer. Also in the agency this means extra efforts and search for the perfect mix of complementary brands.” Camille’s passion for sales philosophies, brands and fashion makes his company growing.
Tavernierkaai 2 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium