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THE BRAND
OUR STORY
Founded in 2015, Yeba is the first contemporary accessory brand with African roots to ascend the world of luxury handbags.
Yeba aims at championing women to reveal their greatness and fulfill their potential. We design modern and timeless essentials, highest quality handbags drawing inspiration from both modern aesthetics(such as architecture) and Yeba’s African heritage from Benin. Perfect balance between modernity and tradition, our handbags are beautiful objects with a soul, handcrafted by fine Italian artisans to last longer than a lifetime. They are pieces to keep tight by your side on your journey towards self-accomplishment.
At heart, founder Yeba believes that every woman has a true inner talent. This way, her accessory should help her not to lose sight of what is already there deep inside. Wearing the name ‘Yeba’ is simply wearing an invisible crown – a crown that has been passed down as heritage from a long line of strong women to you. This name, this title, is the bond that unites all of us, as one community, with roots all over the world, animated by the same yearning heart, the same ambition to fulfill ourselves and have a positive impact in this world.
Yeba means – the one born to accomplish her destiny. It is a state of mind, a philosophy, a mindset. A legacy.
THE LEGEND OF YEBA
Hundreds years ago, in the land of the hills of Benin, the first Yeba was born. She became Queen after her father died on the battlefield. To everyone’s surprise, she led her troops to victory. As she wanted her domain to be a peaceful one, she forged alliances with subregion tribes. She did something no woman or man had done before.
She gave birth to three sons and she made them promise to name their first daughters Yeba, which now means ‘the one born to fulfill her destiny.’
When you are called Yeba, it implies that there is nothing you cannot accomplish.
If this Queen’s spirit could speak today, it would tell you…
Embracing this anything-is-possible mindset and philosophy, we want to create ‘elegant & feminine’, yet practical, chic business essentials that fit into modern women’s lifestyles. The Yeba woman is confident and aspirational. Each essential she wears becomes a statement that reflects her personal drive.
Most of the time, she’s on the go, walking her way down to life like nothing can stop her. Smiley and focused, she is intelligent, driven & confident, knowing that there is no limit to what she can accomplish or choose to be.
Yeba Olayé is a Belgian-Beninese designer. Two years ago, she left behind her career in management consulting to pursue her dream: create an aspirational luxury brand. Starting with nothing but a sketchbook, she ultimately turned her vision into reality: her beautiful collection ‘Premiere’ and her undefeated passion inspires.
Yeba designs for a woman who lives in the present and moves toward achieving herself; a woman that is aspirational and wants to be the lead of her own story.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
MADE IN ITALY
Our handbags are made in Italy, by pure & authentic craftsmen with exceptional precision and care.
THE FOUNDER
YEBA OLAYÉ
Born in Benin and raised in Europe, Creative director and founder Yeba Olayé is a multi-faceted talent who left behind a career of more than 10 years in Management consulting and finance to pursue her dream: create an aspirational accessory brand. Starting with nothing but a sketchbook, she ultimately turned her vision into reality.
Yeba believes that every woman has greatness and talent within her and designs accessories as reminders to not lose sight of what is already there. Launching this brand was a way to carry her passion, culture and heritage forward.
Her love of fashion joins a passion for craftsmanship, design, and humanitarianism to create truly one-of-a-kind pieces that will remain by your side forever.
34, Rue du Pont Levis Brussels 1200 Belgium
Mayenne Nelen
Mayenne NelenMore Info
My label is a Belgian based accessory brand consisting of chrome-free leather items.
I focus on sustainability and build my designs to last.
Maïsstraat 35 Gent 9000 Belgium
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About Us
Our story is one about great things. About handy things. About beautiful things.
But above all, about friendship. About four childhood friends who found each other in an unbridled passion for quality and craftsmanship. At Comme Quatre there are therefore few restrictions. We just make what feels true to us. No extravagant fuss, but unarticulated simplicity. With the feeling of being a bit special.
We like to design everyday objects such as a stylish handbag, spectacle box, key ring, wallet, wallet or handkerchief with a few striking features such as the graceful cowhides. A creative trait that we like to mix with our insatiable hunger for adventure, variety and entrepreneurship. Talent is present as well. Each in his or her own way. And love. Lots of love. For each other and for the products we create, and that’s a fact.
Our Story
exquisite & honestly handmade
Not only a brand, Comme Quatre is a creative, playful and human project. All our products are handmade by traditional craftsmen whom we admire for their knowhow, entrepreneurship and courage. Together we create a sustainable product.
#nowaste
A Comme Quatre handbag, just like a pair of glasses, key ring, wallet, wallet or pouch is a nice example of upcycling. Say again? Upcycling goes just a little further than recycling: transforming old and allegedly unusable materials into something valuable and often more beautiful than before. In this way, our cowhides are upcycled from meat waste into a sustainable material that lasts for years and can be broken down by nature after use. The hides are also tanned plant-based, i.e. without the addition of harmful substances.
timeless class
Six collections a year? Not for us. By designing our cowhide accessories to look beyond the latest trends, they are wearable every season. Slow fashion it is. Quality leather products are handmade by traditional craftsmen. For example, a handbag, spectacle case, key ring, wallet or pouch by Comme Quatre is not only fashionable, but also durable.
unique
Each accessory guarantees 100% supple leather and natural cowhide. Each with their own unique print and ditto character. The pattern of the cowhides are different for each accessory, due to the colour differences in the coat of the cow. So every handbag, spectacle case, key ring, wallet or pouch from Comme Quatre is slightly different and always gives a distinctive touch to your outfit.
Our Team
Miloud, chief workshop
“Working with natural products is what I have done all my life. More than 15 years have I been working in this atelier. I am in charge of overseeing the production process, creation of the malls, cutting the hides and leather, and the final inspection of the finished goods.”
Fatima, artisan
“I am the youngest of our team and still in ’training’, learning how to prepare the different components of our products for the knitting team. I love the fact that we start with a cowhide and finish with a bag or accessory which will be cherished by someone for many years. ”
Mbark, artisan
“I have been working in this workshop for more than 15 years. I am mainly in charge of the different knitting machines which we use on leather, cowhide and tissues. I love this variation in my job, and like the fact that we can participate in the creation process of the products.”
Belaid, artisan
“I have been working for more than 10 years in this workshop, but I have been in the fashion industry all my life. I am in charge of assembling the products. I like the interaction between the craftmen and the fact we actively participate in the design and creation process ”
Hafida, artisan
“I am assisting Mbark and Belaid in the preparation of the different parts they need to assemble, in between the different stages of the production, I implement the zippers and closures. I like the fact we create beautiful products.”
Our Values
Michael Guérisse O’Leary
Michael Guérisse O’LearyMore Info
After graduating from the Victor Horta Institute of Architecture in Brussels, Michael Guérisse O’Leary studied leatherwork at Les Arts et Métiers de Bruxelles under a master craftsman from the Maison Delvaux.
In his designs one can see architectural influence subtly expressed through geometric and sculptured forms.
Each piece is carefully handcrafted with great measure of care in a constant pursuit of perfect proportions, simplicity and unconventional beauty.
The collections are inspired by master architects and designers such as Andrée Putman, Gae Aulenti, Gio Ponti, Richard Serra, Alvar Aalto.
As a tribute to his grandfather, he decided to name his brand after him. Albert Guérisse was a member of the belgian resistance during the Second World War. After Belgium was forced to surrender, he escaped to Great Britain to continue the fight under the cover name of ‘Pat O’Leary’. In London he met secret agent Sylvia Coopersmith, working for Military Intelligence. He eventually married her in 1946.
Pat O’Leary went on to organize one of the biggest escape routes of the Second World War.
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OUR STORY
From discarded flags to unique and sustainable gadgets
Anyone holding a Flagbag item will immediately see that it is a unique creation. And a sustainable one, because the hip gadgets we make are the result of upcycling and social employment. Whether it’s a bicycle bag, a laptop sleeve or something else, our creations are all living proof that sustainability and design can indeed go hand in hand.
Smart recycling
As an upcycling project, Flagbag is a textbook example of the cradle-to-cradle principle. We use discarded flags, pennants and sails, which would otherwise end up on the waste mountain, and we give them a new life as a hip design object in a smart and unique way. We use the flags and sails as raw materials for unique shoulder bags, bicycle bags or toilet bags. We also try to recover the other raw materials, such as zippers, as much as possible from old textiles. Even the sewing machines we work with are second-hand. In this way we contribute to a better environment and a smaller mountain of waste.
We strive for a 100% local product. We keep the distance from raw material to finished product as small as possible so that the impact on the environment is also as small as possible. The flags and sails come from municipalities and companies in Belgium and are processed in a local workshop by local workers.
Social employment
In addition to an upcycling project, Flagbag is also a training and social employment project: we help people who find it difficult to find work on the regular job market. Our employees, people from disadvantaged groups, use a sewing machine to convert the old flags and sails into bicycle bags, shoulder bags and other unique items. They derive great job satisfaction from the responsibility they are given to us and are justifiably proud of their creations. And who knows, thanks to the work and training they receive at Flagbag, they may grow into the mainstream economy.
Who is behind Flagbag?
Flagbag is an initiative of De Springplank vzw. De Springplank vzw is a tailor-made company: our core task is to offer tailor-made work and support to people who find it difficult to find a job on the regular labor market. In this way they find meaningful daytime activities, financial security and job satisfaction. Thanks to this work experience and the broadening of their competences, they often find a regular job after a few years through a transfer process.
In order to give as many people as possible a tailor-made job, De Springplank vzw is active in various domains: recycling activities “Okazi”, upcycling with Flagbag, recycling with Creazi, assembly of (company) bicycles with Velovisie, rental and maintenance of bicycles via bicycle paradise Limburg. be, operation of bicycle points at the stations of Genk, Hasselt, Sint-Truiden and on the Portavida Welfare Campus in Genk and the concept store with vintage loft Hendrikshuis in the center of Hasselt.
Stadsheide 2 Hasselt 3500 Belgium
Lorenzo Lebon
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Lorenzo Lebon, créateur de l’extrême, ose des sacs dépecés de toute convention. Il fut l’un des premiers à s’intéresser et à détourner cet objet qu’est le sac à main, qui, pendant longtemps, a été boudé par la mode, considéré à l’époque comme un accessoire désuet.Après des passages dans des écoles de stylisme, il a en effet lancé une première collection de «sacs» minimaliste en 1991. Où il y développe des lignes pures, géométriques et sculpturales. Sans cesse aiguillé par des concepts novateurs, ce créateur atypique, au fil des collections, déniche ses matières et ses idées dans des sphères où peu ont l’audace de s’aventurer. Bien que le cuir est devenu sa matière d’expression, il l’expérimente en y associant d’autres, en détournant celles-ci de leurs fonctions initiales: filet de protection d’échafaudage, caoutchouc, toile de lin d’ameublement, élastique, accessoires militaires ou d’alpinistes, impression à même le cuir, etc. Son style graphique, où le cuir noir, rouge, blanc et argent dominent, rappelle tantôt le rock chic des années 80, le minimaliste des années 90, ou encore la fraîcheur des années 70. En 1998, il interrompit ses créations personnelles pour entamer une série de collaborations avec différentes marques de vêtements afin d’accessoiriser leur ligne.
Cela aura été le cas pour la marque Plein Sud, APC, Vanessa Bruno, J-C Jitrois, Chanel, Ann Demeulemeester et bien d’autres. Boulimique de créativité, en 2002, il reprend son travail d’introspection et nous sort ses tripes. Le cuir, la «peau» exercent sur lui une extrême fascination. Lorenzo Lebon ose, compose et refuse le simple usage esthétique et fonctionnel du sac. Il poursuit ses créations par une démarche conceptuelle. En pleine effervescence du mouvement végétarien dans ce début de siècle, il tient à mettre en avant-plan la matière dont il travaille, le cuir, autrement dit la « peau ». Il allie la création à la prise de conscience : le sac en cuir est avant tout une matière, à l’origine une matière extraite d’un animal,… ce que l’on oublie trop souvent. Il poussera la provocation dans son paroxysme, en imaginant pour l’intérieur de ses sacs, une doublure en trompe-l’œil représentant “l’écorché”, qui devient durant quelques années son signe distinctif. Elle vous livre en effet un visuel de fibres musculaires, de viscères, de cartilages,… . Gore? Pas du tout. Juste l’envie, par jonglerie mentale, de partager et de titiller les trop futiles humains et leurs paradoxes! Cette doublure que l’on pourrait croire d’un mauvais goût est dévoilée d’une manière subtile et son motif à peine reconnaissable. Le cuir est devenu pour lui un véhicule d’expression, une seconde peau, renvoyant le gentil sac de madame (ou de monsieur) tout le monde à son anodin bétail. Ses sacs sont son à son image: écorchés vifs. Aujourd’hui, assagi de ses démons créatifs, il confectionne une nouvelle ligne de sac plus abordable dans ses concepts. Ils se veulent fonctionnels par des jeux de transformations… sacs en origami, se pliant à souhait, changeant de cette façon autant la manière de les porter que ses volumes, suivant les circonstances de la journée. L’idée de Lorenzo Lebon reste habitée par la croyance que la forme suit la fonction. Plus on cerne cette dernière, plus est accomplie est la première. Sacs urbains, anti-conventionnels aux formes étonnantes. A la fois simples et impressionnants
Chaussee d’Ixelles 200 Elsensesteenweg – Bruxelles :: Brussel :: – Tel & Fax +32-2-646.35.0 Brussels 1050 Belgium
Ellen Verbeek
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Story:
ellen verbeek started her brand in 2000, passionated about shoes she went to Italy to the shoe area and got in touch with an artisanal factory, managed by older but very experienced craftsmen who could realise her architectural ideas on shoes.
Shoes are our connection with the earth, the foundation of a human body ! To combine these vulnerable elements with beauty gives a lot of happyness to people. Being stable in your shoes gives already a more secure feeling to people !
Her designs have a strong and recognisable image.
Using architecture and furniture shapes as a base of inspiration was a very interesting horizon to transform this on shoes.
She maintained her line underground, as not willing to transform the collection into a mass product.
The combination of natural materials, original heels in wood and elegant details melts into a strong image. She tries to combine rough and natural elements with feminine details and likes to play with this contrast.
Some heels are sculpted out of wood by hand, thus resulting in beautiful arc shapes which run down to the sole.
Playful and feminine are the keywords characterizing the collection.
With the collection ‘ellen verbeek’ we deliver exclusive quality shoes, advanced design in durable materials and quality workmanship.
Blokstraat 73 Schiplaken 3191 Belgium
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How it all started
KAAI was founded in 2017 in Antwerp, Belgium, by Ine Verhaert and Helga Meersmans who set out to reimagine the perfect work-life bag for the eclectic woman with exquisite style standards.
Before, the duo spent a lot of time travelling around the world. Rushing from one meeting to the next during their corporate careers. Their main companions: a laptop, a mobile phone, lots of paperwork, and women’s essentials, all stuffed into their handbags.
Desperately looking for a stylish bag to complement their active lifestyles, they knew they could do better. So they got a handle (pun intended) on their idea: creating a new bag concept for women on the go.
Capturing the ongoing energy of the city and the ever-moving water of Antwerp, KAAI (meaning ‘the quay’ in Dutch) symbolises the fluidity of modern women, going places.
By women, for women
We take inspiration from the lives and desires of successful modern women.
From in-depth interviews with active women, discussing their relationships with their bags we discovered that women are:
‣ irritated by the chaos in their fashionable but often impractical handbags,
‣ bored with the masculine looks of their workbags.
KAAI brings change by creating bags that are both functional and fashionable, feminine and fearless.
We empower women to follow their ambitions. On their terms —without compromises.
Sophisticated simplicity
Drawing inspiration from the colours and pure graphic lines of Art Deco, we reinterpret this era’s timeless allure into magically modern, minimalist handbags with forever appeal.
Both contemporary and utterly covetable, we design for a variety of occasions. From casual to formal, from day to night.
Nationalestraat 91 Antwerp 2000 Belgium
Galerie du Roi, 21 Brussels 1000 Belgium
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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
Meisterwerke
MeisterwerkeMore Info
CREATORS OF FINE WOVEN ART
Our love of art and textiles requires that we create unique and bespoke objets de désir. Every limited piece that we have created is designed, woven and embroidered all while steeped in the grand tradition of Flemish artisanship and innovation. The time has come for slow living objects. We offer art and design that enhances every interior in a unique and artful way. The room dividers and panels from Meisterwerke will bring undisputed elegance and esteemed style to your personal interior, boutique or design hotel.
BELLEVUESTRAAT 30 LEDEBERG 9050 BELGIUM