Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess.

Edna Woolman Chase

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CHAPTER 6

Fashion

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Modo BruxellaeAll about Brussels Fashion Capital city of a country recognized for its creativity and its know-how, Brussels

is home to a growing number of big names in national and international fashion.

Its fashion is rich in variety of styles and well-known labels. The proximity of Paris

and London offers great possibilities for designers working here.

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accessories by young designers and other projects. Every year, Modo Bruxellae awards the Modo Prize worth 7500 to the most promising Young Fashion Designer in Brussels, thus awarding in the past Carine Lauwers, Tony and Sandrine (Tony Delcampe is now head of La Cambre Mode(s), the leading Brussels fashion school), Annemie Verbeke, Azniv Afsar, own, Olivier Theyskens, Xavier Delcour, Marina Yee, Jean-Paul Knott, Cathy Pill and Sandrina Fasoli. Future winners could be Jose Enrique Ona Selfa, who worked for Loewe but now designs his own very beautiful collection, or why not Jessie Lecomte, making elegancy her aim.

In collaboration with Brussels Export, 2008 was the first year of a new joint concept: 101% Brussels Fashion, promoting a yearly selection of 10 fashion designers in showrooms in Paris, London, Milano and

Life is good in Brussels, the most European of all cities, and there are even whispers in the “milieu” that “Brussels is where it’s all happening”.

More and more international visitors find shopping in Brussels more fun, enabling them to catch the one item they couldn’t spot anywhere else.

Modo Bruxellae (meaning “in Brussels fashion” in Latin) is an association created in 1994 by the Minister for the Economy of the Region of Brussels-Capital to promote all actors in the Brussels fashion sector, from the most avant-garde designers to traditional fashion houses. Its deep knowledge of this evolving sector has created a unique platform, an interesting meeting point and useful interface to discover and assist fashion designers in Brussels. The association has developed www.modobruxellae.be, updated daily, where many visitors find all the latest information on Brussels fashion: news, advertisements and reports of events, addresses of designers, brands, shops, schools, modeling agencies... and of course, www.myspace.com/modobruxellae for funky updates.

Modo Bruxellae also organizes events, the most important being the Parcours de Stylistes/Stylistenparcours (Designers’ Trail) taking place every even year at the end of October. Over three days, the city centre moves to the rhythm of astonishing fashion exhibitions in boutiques and unusual locations (cafés, galleries, shops, private apartments...). At least 100 exhibits entice fashion devotees, inform fashion novices about the present and future of Brussels fashion and offer new views of the historical heart of the city. Modo Bruxellae also organizes other exhibitions and fashion shows, stock sales of clothing and

other cities. The first edition with Annemie Verbeke, Cathy Pill, Christophe Coppens, Eric Beauduin, Girls from Omsk, Isabelle Lenfant, Jean-Paul Knott, Les Précieuses, Sandrina Fasoli and Sofie D’Hoore proved them right and so it happens the Brussels Government is dedicating special efforts to the fields of fashion and design, hence playing the trump cards of the Brussels Region in Belgium and abroad, as well for its economic vitality as for its market image in general. This investment in Brussels Creativity is also the forerunner of the future creation of a Design-Mode center, expected very soon in Brussels. This centre will offer the public, the designers and the professionals a reference.

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Perspective on Fashion - Edith Vervliet, Flanders Fashion InstituteAntwerp is sparkling with fashion. Internationally “our” designers are

extending far beyond our borders.

The Fashion Department of the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten (Royal Academy of Fine Arts) of the Hogeschool Antwerpen, founded by Mary Prijot in 1963, deserves the highest merit here. The four years of training in the Fashion Department is an intense and intensive course. Graduated designers confirm that it is a training course where you learn to discover yourself and where you receive guidance in the search for your own voice. The course of study concentrates less on applied professional knowledge, but rather emphasises creativity, originality and renewal, which at the same time explains the unique features of the course.

“The Antwerp Six” graduated at the beginning of the 80’s: Walter Van Beirendonck - who has been the Head of the Fashion Department since 2007 - Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dirk Van Saene and Dries Van Noten and Dirk Bikkembergs. The term “Antwerp Six” originated in the British press in 1986, which was unable to pronounce the Flemish names of these designers when, together, they took part in the designer week in London. Up to the present

time this name has followed them, even if they are distinguished by their individual style and universe, and each having gone their own way. There remarkable talent, perseverance, attention to perfection and to the very details, individually make them legendary. They are the ambassadors of the Fashion Department, which is the breeding ground for students of fashion from the whole world, and which has put Antwerp on the world map.

Martin Margiela graduated together with Walter Van Beirendonck in 1980, but does not belong to the Antwerp Six. He established himself almost immediately in Paris as assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier. In October 2008, Maison Martin Margiela, which has been part of the Diesel group since 2002, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. With reference to this birthday, the Fashion Museum in Antwerp has programmed the unique exhibition ‘MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA. (20) The exhibition’, from 12 September 2008 to 8 February 2009.

The second generation of designers who graduated from the end of the 80’s to the end of the 90’s with, amongst others,

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position themselves further on the world map. Designer fashion means high-quality, inventive, creative designs that must be converted into quality finished products with limited circulation. No massed numbers come to look here. For our designers it is essential to have production capacity - in time and in quality - in the immediate vicinity. Naturally, certain facets come into consideration for contracting out, but the production must take place in this country alone.

It is particularly difficult for a designer to find competent technical support for his creative team. And our clothing factories are struggling with the same problem. In Flanders we must promote craftsmanship to present the bottleneck careers in a more attractive way and motivate young people to choose them.

We must see to it that in the perception of the people, the fashion industry comes over more dynamically, fresher and sexier. We must show positive narratives with images. We must involve designers and passionate patternmakers and manufacturers who believe in this, etc. In this sense we are at present working out a pilot project.

If you opt for training as a pattern maker, sewer/seamstress, retoucher and production attendant, you will support the creative process and you will be an essential link in the creative team.

Moreover … you will be opting for one of the parade horses from the Flemish racing stable: fashion. In this way you will contribute to the success of our creative industry, which has an excellent quality image abroad.

“Knowledge” workers must also mean for Flanders: people who have the technical knowledge and skills to support the creative careers.

Only then the young people will feel obliged to study in the field of technical careers to support our creative industry. “There is a college for every mind” is what I mean literally here. Not everybody need be academics.

I also believe very strongly in cluster forming. If we want to keep on producing our region further, then we must search - especially on the designing side. That requires other structures.

Co-operation of industries, inter alia in the form of knowledge and industry clusters, is a requirement for this. You must not do together what you can do alone, but … sometimes you must work together to achieve what you cannot succeed on your own.

Such co-operation must be steered by the different actors from the fashion industry, with complementary competencies and the same level of ambition. One does not co-operate with reference to one project alone. It requires a long-term commitment and the same strategic vision on the part of the players. “Flanders in Action”, the strategic plan with

which Flemish Minister President Kris Peeters wants to give Flanders a durable place in the European regions, with the focus on talent, innovation, internationalisation, is the ideal hat stand on which to hang increased co-operation in the fashion industry. If ViA really wants to set work in motion aimed at a mental shift which is essential for coming out on top lastingly in the future and to resolutely set the course towards social-economic changes, the fashion industry is the case to be.

The Flanders Fashion Institute (FFI), a non-profit association, was founded in 1998 with the support of the Flemish Government. The FFI, which is established in the fashion metropolis Antwerp, is the centre of knowledge for the fashion sector in Flanders. Their priority objectives are to stimulate employment in the fashion sector and promote fashion from Flanders on the national and international scene. The FFI is, in the first instance, for the graduated young and already established designers of the fashion departments in Belgium. The FFI is also the link to the creative network of photographers, graphic designers, cosmeticians, etc. The FFI receives the needs of the designers and provides them with suitable solutions. Together with a number of passionate fashion business consultants, the core team of the FFI accompanies the designers in their careers and towards independent entrepreneurship.

“Jobs.Jobs.Jobs” is the online platform on this site for job offers, assignments and stages in the fashion sector for creative, supporting and other functions. Candidate job seekers can make themselves known to the FFI.

The Flanders Fashion Institute is the contact point for enterprises that are seeking access to the world of designers and want to link themselves to fashion. The FFI facilitates innovative, creative projects with national and international radiation and builds a bridge between creative design talent and business.

A.F.Vandevorst (An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx), Stephan Schneider, Veronique Branquinho, Kris Van Assche, Bernard Willhelm, Bruno Peters, etc., on the basis of their determination, strong and conceptual collections, ensured an immediate breakthrough. They established the avant-garde character - ‘L’Anverse de la Mode’ (The Wrong Side of Fashion), as the French fashion journalist, Elisabeth Paillé, so aptly described it - of the Antwerp fashion: the reverse side, the underdog, not as extravert as English fashion, not as sexy as Italian fashion, not as brainy as Japanese fashion.

Now the third generation comes marching along with the top designers who have graduated at the turn of the century, such as Christian Wijnants, Tim Van Steenbergen, Pelican Avenue (Carolin Lerch) Les Hommes (Tom Notte and Bart Vandebosch), followed by recent names such as Peter Pilotto, Il Galantuomo (Gunhyo Kim) and EK Thongprasert.

Fashion is business; that is the reality today. This does not prevent fashion students from having to study cultural-history backgrounds in the course of their learning and developing the highest conceptual visions. But those who want to start a collection themselves must realise that it goes together with an economic activity. This amounts to finding a good balance between the super-creative and the economic aspect.

Designer fashion is marked by an international character.

The student corps of the Fashion Department in Antwerp has become even more international over the past 25 years: with more than 33 nationalities in 2008. That international character has undoubtedly had an influence on fashion here in Antwerp.

Our designers must also, at the same time, offer their collection to an international target group.

The Belgian market for designer fashion is too limited. It does not do to concentrate first on the national market and those of the neighbouring countries. The cake is too small and the competition too big. The world is the market place. Though it is true that we do speak of certain ‘niche markets’ and the higher income segment that is approached via international buyers, importers, agents and the fashion specialist publications.

Also the production events in the fashion industry show international characteristics. Delocalisation is a fact. Unemployment in careers that become victims of delocalisation, such as pattern makers, sewers/seamstresses, retouchers and production attendants have reoriented themselves. Training in these careers has become less attractive.

Designer fashion is a top creative product with which Belgium/Flanders/Antwerp must

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A Selection of Belgian Designers

Born in the north of France, passing by Paris, she established in Brussels, capital of Europe, her head office and started to design with passion.

Modern and efficient, Johanne Riss tries to transmit in her style a timeless feminity. She creates ready-to-wear but also wedding dresses, evening dresses, smoking, accessories and jewelry.

Her colours : Black and White with new and different colors all seasons. Working woman, her creations are perfect for the actual woman who wants to be stylish. She

works with stretch fabrics to have always more comfort and with silk and muslin for the elegance. Her outfits are always feminin, purified and can be accessorized in different way.

Meticulous, all the clothes are created in her own workshop in Brussels. She can so easy adjust her creations for her customers and offer « made by order » too.

Perfectionist, she creates, she tries, and is always present for her customers.

Her creations recall lightness, transparence and purity.

Romy Smits, couture artist Romy Smits is autodidact and she designs for private clients in her salon in Antwerp.

Over the years, Romy has developed her philosophy through stylistic, functional and material-expressive means. Her bespoke designs, innovative concepts, symbolic images, personal styling, fabrics and couture art are based on feelings and intuition. Combining modernism and authenticity, artistic inspiration and creativity in harmony with the natural universe, she aims to depict the very fine line between intuition and shape, which connects emotions and objects. She has developed innovative concepts and designs for companies including : Lexus, Peugeot, royal Windsor hotel Brussels, L’Oreal, Libeco home, Dutch textile museum, Natuzzi.

www.romysmits.com

Johanne Riss

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Sandrina Fasoli

The creative duet formed by Sandrina Fasoli and Michael Marson is the spirit behind this new fashion name. Both graduated from the École nationale des Arts visuels de la Cambre, Sandrina and Michael have their own vision on fashion, a very special approach based on unveiled femininity and melancholic innocence.

Both creative and visual, this approach enables Sandrina and Michael to explore the world of women by experimenting with different materials, by changing the function of clothes and boldly using the concept of pretence. This very vision of femininity will bring national and international professional recognition and press coverage to the fashion duet (Grand Prix at the International Festival of Fashion Arts at Hyères, in 2003; Weekend Fashion Award, Modo Bruxellae Prize 2006; Winner of Mango Fashion Awards 07).

Motivated by this professional recognition, they will pursue their creative quest over the seasons and present several collections and projects building up a signature style and a poetic and nostalgic mood. Their first collection was a hit in Japan and Korea and the new collection 2007 is now available in Brussels, Paris, as well as in Japan and the USA.

Jean-Paul Knott has the wandering spirit, he is Belgian, grew up in New York and worked in Paris and Brussels. He spent 11 years assisting Yves Saint Laurent, worked as artistic director at Krizia and at Louis Féraud and created costumes for Maurice Béjart’s ballets.

He became artistic director for Cerruti in October 2007 and presented his collection JEANPAULKNOTT and his Japanese collection KNOTT GALERIE…VIE. In January

2008 he was invited to participate in the official Couture calendar.

In his work, JEANPAULKNOTT explores the silhouette. A combination of nonchalance and elegance became his signature.

He doesn’t combine masculine and feminine, Couture and prêt-à-porter. He inspires to travel, folding and transformation and gladly takes part in collaborations with his artist friends.

Jean Paul Knott

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Françoise Pendville has always been an inspiring person. She started out as a teacher in a Freinet school; the first clothes she made were raincoats for children that adapted to their movements. Her strength is to alter, transform and make unique pieces. She also likes to experiment with materials and reuse them in a creative way.

Françoise’s famous raincoats launched her style in Belgium in the early 1990’s before she felt the need to further develop her collection. The quality of the fabrics, the concern for details and the purity of the shapes define Françoise Pendville’s style.

For Françoise every collection tells a story, which carries everyone in an imaginary

Christa Reniers

Christa Reniers is one of Belgium’s leading contemporary jewellery designers. Her creations include an exclusive selection of rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and chokers, available both in sterling silver and 18K gold. The designs are inspired by natural, organic shapes and give pure, and quite unique sculptural forms.

You can see her work in one of her 3 own shops: in Brussels, Antwerp or Ghent, and while each outlet is beautifully distinctive, all are a reflection of Christa’s personality: mid-20th century inspired with a contemporary feel. Each one has been designed by the renowned Belgian architect Frank De Groeve, to give an atmosphere that is exclusive, yet intimate and inviting. Remarkably, you can browse openly through most of the collection, even trying many of the creations on, freely. A visit is truly worthwhile and an experience in itself.

Production and final finish are done in her own workshop, located in the heart of Brussels. The collection grows regularly, and so repeat visits are a must.

www.christareniers.com

world. These stories are creative works where discovery and talent are key words. Since 2001, Françoise’s atelier is set in a lovely Atelier/Bureau/Boutique. It is an old industrial magical place where Françoise explores her creativity.

Françoise Pendville is surrounded by a passionate team which supports and helps her to move grow as an artist. The brand is today distributed and/or represented in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa and the United States.

Françoise lives in Brussels, is married and has 2 children.

Françoise Pendville

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Kaat Blommaert did not study fashion. Indeed, she ran her own beauty salon for more than 15 years. But sometimes in life you just want to start again. Some do it by buying a new car, find a new partner or change their hair color but Kaat kept her black hair.

It all started with an idea on holiday close to Saint-Tropez.

Today, you can find Le Fabuleux Marcel de Bruxelles in the greatest shops from Saint Tropez to Dubai and from Brussels to New York.

Kaat and her husband were always heavy users of singlets.

That fabulous day on holiday, with an empty bottle of red wine in front of them, they decided to make their own singlets.

They came back to Brussels, not knowing anything about fashion, but strongly believing in their idea: Making the best and coolest singlets in the world.

Nina Meert

Nina MEERT has always seen clothing as a sculptural movement of the body in space.An approach that revolves around the notion of aesthetics, comfort, natural materials, subtlety of tone, the rejection of the dictates of fashion.

The result is a collection of pure and timeless beauty…

She rejects the concept of trends that play on the ephemeral, negating her deeply-held truth values. Nina Meert creates unique pieces for women with their own style.

“In sixty years, the world has changed on every level: architecture, art, fashion, nature, ecology. We have entered the era of image without depth. I refuse to be a part of it.”, the creator confides. With her collections, Nina MEERT moves towards a different perspective, of authenticity and respect for women.

“Wearing clothes is part of one’s well-being” Nina Meert claims with defiance. “Every woman should dress according to her identity, not the vague rules of fleeting trends. Fashion is an evolution, not a revolution, adapting, among other things, to the advances of technology. It cannot be ephemeral and should be perceived as an everyday pleasure and seduction.”

Nina Meert’s creations take you on a journey through natural fabrics such as linnnen, architectural lines, and warm tones. They are sold all over the world and in her own boutiques in Brussels and Paris.

They are made for women of all ages and cultures, offering them the freedom and harmony of the body.

Le Fabuleux Marcel

de Bruxelles

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Belgian Fashion: Adored throughout the WorldSince decades Belgium is known for its fashion industry. The Academies

of Antwerp and Brussels (La Cambre) bring forth well renowned designers

who are known and loved throughout the world. Behind these designers

is an industry of clothing and apparel which equals quality, craftsmanship

and originality. Belgian fashion has become an international trademark.

The international recognition for Belgian fashion came with the “Six of Antwerp”. Afterwards, the Antwerp Academy generated more new successful generations of Belgian designers and it still does so today.

With the establishment of the Flanders Fashion Institute (FFI), the promotion of Belgian fashion was guaranteed. This was also the beginning of a unique project called ModeNatie. This building, a true “fashion temple”, is a public-private cooperation between the city of Antwerp, province of Antwerp (Fashion Museum), Flemish Region and 8 private partners including Creamoda.Creamoda also joined hands with Modo Bruxellae to promote fashion from Brussels.

Creamoda, the home of Belgian fashion

Creamoda is the employers’ association that represents manufacturers, designers, Va

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wholesalers and agencies active in the Belgian fashion and ready-to-wear industry.The federation was established in 1946 to unite the employers of this industry.

To defend and advise its members in all areas of economic life is one of the principal missions of Creamoda. This vast task notably includes social mediation and information, technical support, advice in international trading matters and commercial support as well as made-to-measure service. Promoting Belgian fashion on national and international level is another vital task of Creamoda.

Main characteristics of the clothing

and apparel industry

The sector of clothing and apparel is a very labour-intensive one. The majority of companies are family-owned

businesses, small to medium sized and environmentally-friendly. On the one hand, the industry experiences a tough international competition especially from Asian countries. On the other hand, the clothing and apparel industry is very export-oriented. Nowadays, several Belgian brands are sold throughout the world and well-known by many people. Belgian fashion is exported to several countries; however, the top 5 is France, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain.

Key figures of the clothing

and apparel industry

At present, 17.677 people are working in the clothing and apparel industry of which 70% are blue collar and 30% white collar workers. 75% of all employees are women. The majority of companies are located in

Flanders (85%) of which 60% are based in East and West Flanders. One of the main problems for the Belgian clothing and apparel companies is the high labour cost. This has forced numerous companies to take their production abroad in order to stay competitive on international level.

In 2006 clothing alone represented a turnover of 1.8 billion euro. If apparel is added, the turnover amounts to 2.4 billion euro of which 70% was generated by export.

Creamoda

Leliegaarde 22

1731 Zellik

Tel: 02/238 10 11

Fax: 02/238 10 10

E-mail: info@creamoda.be

www.creamoda.be

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