Tales and Tailoring
Created in winter 2012, with passionate know-how, and addressed to informed connoisseurs, the new Belgian brand created by Marcy Szwarcburt reflects an original concept of nightwear to be worn both indoors and outdoors during the day as by night, chic and trendy.
An absolute Must Have for the happy few
A subtle blend of cool elegance, nonchalance and an aristocratic dandy fantasy.
A quintessential dress code for the cream of the crop
A variation of subtle materials and very high quality accessories has been selected to create this collection and translate the brand’s philosophy.
Pure Pima cottons, double and triple twisted, crisp poplins, oxfords or plain or lined cotton satins, checks or dots.
Exclusive prints are created each season according to its theme.
Mother-of-pearl buttons, braids, piping, and edging finish the garment which will be embroidered with interlaced double MM for the final touch.
The man behind the brand
Marcy Szwarcburt created his first pajamas in 1984
After more than 22 years at the helm of Donaldson and five years of wise thinking, Marcy has kept intact his aesthetic sense and his taste for things well done.
His know-how and his passion for beautiful materials, impeccable cuts and finishes as well as a very personal sense of humor are found in his new creation Maison Marcy
rue de l’Abbaye 7 Brussels 1050 Belgium
APA Intemporal SPRL
APA Intemporal SPRLABOUT US
THE VOYAGE OF APA INTEMPORAL
APA is a Belgian fashion brand that combines high style with deep science. Our name comes from the Sanskrit word for “water,” and our first product, the ĀPA raincoat, was built to live up to its namesake. We take cutting-edge performance technologies and fabrics from the world of extreme sports, and craft them into impeccable, irreverent outerwear for city dwellers, world travelers, and anyone with an eye for style.
After living in Brussels, Paris, New York, and other urban cities where it rains for much of the year, Franco-Belgian high-fashion designer Léa Stein discovered what was missing in the market: a modern coat that merges luxury with technology, effectively protecting wearers from the ever-changing unpredictability of weather while looking their best.
In 2016, Léa founded ĀPA. Her goal was a lofty one: to combine clean silhouettes, immaculate detail, and luxury manufacturing with today’s most innovative performance technologies, all while using sustainable processes and artisan craftsmanship, and producing it, beginning to end, completely within Europe. And that’s exactly what APA has achieved today.
Our first raincoat collection launched in 2019, and is a reflection of our brand’s vision: to take iconic fashion clothing and re-invent it in a way that provides innovative solutions to everyday problems, while keeping the fit, design, and artistry of high-fashion. With a successful Kickstarter campaign, and numerous awards for design and innovation, ĀPA is proud to continue to push luxury fashion forward.
Avenue de la Sapinière 37 Bruxelles 1180 Belgium
Chauncey
ChaunceyChauncey is Belgium brand, founded by knitwear designer Nathalie Bouhana, who worked for Hermès, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Ferragamo and photographer David Sdika. The brand is a mix of traditional elegance, with a touch of humour and surrealism. Using only the highest quality yarns, Chauncey prides itself on craftsmanship. All pieces are made of the softest natural yarns in Italy
Heimweh
Heimweh
Founded in 2010, HEIMWEH is a luxury men’s undergarments collection that embraces high quality, extreme comfort and timeless design. The name of the brand translated means longing for ones home or country, in this case a nostalgic feeling of missing something that we can’t bring back, or maybe can… The illustrated logo is a trigger to reflect the good old days; positive sensations connected to places, a smell or objects; a phase in time , someone we loved or still love…
Sandro Faber, founder of the collection explores the boundaries between innocent, sometimes naive, and rational side of his character. Brought up by a family of croatian imigrants and moving back to his parents homeland at young age resulted with an exploration of his sense of belonging to a certain place and question what and where is ones home.
The combination of sharp social realistic aesthetics, and poetic, playful nature that he draws from his Slavic background results in an unique character of his collections.
ACHTERLAND VOF Toekomststraat 22 Antwerpen 2140 Belgium
Kristof Buntinx
Kristof BuntinxBrussels designer Kristof Buntinx has already created a furore with his God Save the Queens shirts and gained international fame with a boxer short collection with which he targeted Russian anti-gay laws.
Protest and irony are therefore no strangers to Buntinx, but he also dresses Belgian celebrities in little bespoke gems just as much as he has children photographed as superstars. The exiled Sint-Truiden native has been working under his own label for more than a decade. An official introduction is called for!
Kristof Buntinx was born on 10 September 1975 in the Limburg town of Sint-Truiden. He quickly showed an interest in fashion and design and proceeded to draw from a model and attended sewing and pattern design classes. Buntinx completed internships with several major fashion labels such as Levis jeans and the Amsterdam fashion duo Viktor & Rolf.
His own image language
After his initial designs for the Cinderella Shop in Antwerp he sank his teeth into (and left his fingerprints on) a series of coffee mugs for Godiva. Soon Buntinx would tackle hats, a trick he was able to repeat in 2012 for Royal Ascot.
Shortly thereafter, the Pain clothing line followed, with its own photo series in collaboration with Stijn Vanorbeek. Still inspired by the world of image creation, Buntinx worked with filmmaker Ilke De Vries, this time to explore moving images. The film Vision was the result, in which the designer searched his own conscience by referring to a personal crisis.
Artist’s blood
Between 2008 and 2010 Buntinx focused on hats and a full line of accessories.
Triggered by his own life and personal developments, language associations and puns took up an increasingly important place in his work. Like any true-blue artist, Buntinx also creates from an inner drive. “I have always been crazy about fashion, but designing also proved to be beneficial for my mental health. It is my “therapy with a capital T,” the designer states.
Once Buntinx found his way, an increasing number of opportunities came up: in 2011 the Toga 125 Fashion Awards and a fashion show in which his design Ceci n’est pas un Advocaat shone. That same year Modo Brussels, the MIAT in Ghent and Hong Kong Design week also followed. A prominent fashion watcher from the UK even called Buntinx the most eccentric fashion designer of the Modo Brussels event.
The future is now!
Loved by the international fashion blog scene, Kristof Buntinx does not shun controversy. For example, he came up with a series of socially committed designs such as his answer to the Antwerp rainbow controversy, the God Save the Queens T-shirt’, his Russian boxer shorts, which even reached the American media and the crown jewels for King Philip.
During the last festive period Buntinx surprised friend and foe with a range of crisis jewellery, which questions material luxury. The Christmas dresses designed by Buntinx for Dana Winners’ Christmas tour and for Marlène de Wouters, the presenter at the Queen Elisabeth competition earlier in 2013, were, on the other hand, downright luxurious.
Kristof Buntinx certainly aims to let his designs speak for themselves in 2015.
Stay tuned!
Nathalie Engels
Nathalie EngelsAbout Nathalie Engels
The clothing brand Nathalie Engels is a high-end sustainable label with its origins in Ghent, Belgium.
The brand stands for a collection which is created out of intuition and feeling. Made by a designer passionate by colour in all its aspects.
Nathalie with her 25 years of design experience believes that colour speaks a language that contributes to a positive energy, language that supports and brings out the internal beauty.
Serpentstraat 1 Gent 9000 Belgium
About
1961: Birth
The story begins in a little village in south eastern Turkey. We are Sunday, it is October 29, 1961, Manufer Gulcu was born. Coming from a modest family, his father is farrier and his mother is housewife. In 1966, the family leaves the village to settle in the city, where his father opens his own workshop and reconverts into the manufacturing of horse saddles. During his early childhood, Manufer goes to school while working in his father’s workshop, where he gets familiar with a craftsmanship profession.
1972: Arrival in Istanbul
In 1972, Manufer Gulcu arrived with his family in Istanbul. The city is large and living conditions difficult, forcing Manufer to quit school at the age of 11 to find work. After accumulating odd jobs, Manufer found an apprentice position in a workshop located in the Beyazit district of Istanbul and discovered the profession of sewing there. Skillful with his hands, he quickly learns and develops technical skills. Very early on, working with leather and natural materials fascinates and ambitions him.
1978: Opening of his first workshop
In 1978, when he was only 17 years old, Manufer becomes an experienced couturier, the most respected position in the profession. His boss then offered him to take over the management of the workshop. He will accept the proposal and team up with his best friend to lead a team of eight workers. At a time considered to be the beginnings of the golden age of leather, Manufer saw its activity grow steadily.
1981: Arrival in Belgium
In 1981, in a tumultuous socio-economic context, Manufer decided to leave Istanbul for Europe, where everything had to be rebuilt. He will work for 3 years in different sewing workshops until the opening of his own workshop, which will later allow him to meet his wife. At that time, the importance of leather and shearling in the world of ready-to-wear was at its peak.
1987: The workshop burns down
On November 12, 1987, the building where the workshop is located burned down. Once again, everything has to be rebuilt. The accident prompted Manufer to renovate the Maison de Maître in Brussels located at 138 Avenue du Roi. He set up his workshops there, which he named MANUFERO, as a tribute to his origins. There he will develop his activities of creation, sales to professionals and individuals. He will also put his couturier know-how at the service of other designers, and will collaborate with prestigious houses such as Natan, Yves Saint-Laurent, Kris Van Assche and Jean-Paul Knot.
1992: 29thOctober is born
In his spirit of creation, Manufer Gulcu decides to put a name on his collections. In 1992, he created his brand, 29THOCTOBER, referring to a triple symbolic date for him and his family.
1999: Marie-Claire France
In 1999, the 29THOCTOBER brand obtained its first publication in a renowned magazine, Marie-Claire France.
2004: Paris international fair
In 2004, the 29THOCTOBER brand was present for the first time at the international ready-to-wear fair in Paris. This event will open the doors of French boutiques to the Maison and give it its European dimension.
2012: MIEL Catwalk
In 2012, the Maison took part in its very first fashion show, the MIEL Catwalk, and presented a preview of its winter 2013-2014 collection.
2018: The team is growing
In 2018, the 29THOCTOBER team is growing and becomes more than ever a family house. Benjamin and Lucie, Manufer’s children, join the company and give it a digital dimension by creating the online store.
2020: The range is growing
The brand takes precedence over innovation and diversification. More than ever willing to perpetuate its craftsmanship and put its know-how at the service of innovative and committed fashion, 29THOCTOBER is launching its first capsule collection in vegetable leather. On the occasion of its birthday, October 29, 2020, the brand unveils its bag line.
Avenue du Roi 138 Brussels 1190 Belgium
Rue Joseph Stevens 41 Brussels 1000 Belgium
Dries Van Noten
Dries Van NotenBiography
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
MEET THE FOUNDER
WHO IS HIDING BEHIND THE PROJECT 1971?
This high-quality Belgian fashion brand was founded by current Creative Director Christelle Loozen.
With over twenty years’ experience as a freelance denim product developer for both national and international brands and designers, Christelle is now ready to take up her own challenge through her brand 1971, offering an exclusively-designed original, high-quality and ethical product, one that is as original as it is a ‘revival’.
‘I’m passionate about fashion and I always have been. Through 1971, I am offering clothes inspired by my childhood memories, my experience of motor sports, and my unconditional love for denim.
My clothes are designed to fit most people, providing a casual yet trendy touch. With my many years of experience, I have been able to source the best sustainable yarns and fabrics from across Europe.
I’ve made the decision to work with the same European suppliers I have already worked with over the last 15 years. We share the same goals and overall vision, leaving no room for compromise when it comes to product quality, environmental impact, and the provision of good working conditions for our employees.’
We choose only the finest materials and best factories to make our timeless products, with the hope that they will last you many years, even decades.
Our prices are calculated as precisely as possible, while our partners, from workers to stores, are paid the right amount, with each and every possible cent reinvested into the local economy of each country.
We believe in a fair economy that works for the everyday.
Gerard-Sart 1 Dalhem 4606 Belgium
Caroline Foulon
Caroline Foulon