Xandres
XandresInfo
ABOUT US
READ OUR STORY
Xandres has enabled women to shine in elegant simplicity for more than 50 years. Effortlessly chic but refined, timeless but refreshing, designed with sophisticated details and an iconic quality: Belgian, sustainable fashion to cherish.
Fashion is a form of self-expression, an extension of our emotions. Every design that carries our label is made to convey a sense of self, perfect for everyday activities and important occasions.
We are a brand with a strong belief in sustainable pieces that eventually become wardrobe favourites. Elegant fashion we love to live in, tailored to ambitious, inspiring women of character.
Xandres celebrates femininity. Diversity is our beauty ideal, which is why our collections range from size 34 to 56, so every woman can count on the perfect fit, fabric and design.
Make every moment your own.
FITTING & CRAFTSWOMANSHIP
To us, femininity extends beyond clothing, beyond collections. It’s about identity, it doesn’t fit into a box. Diversity makes us stronger, and that is reflected through an authentic story in which every body, every size, every mindset is beautiful. A story in which we rebel against beauty ideals and support every woman’s self-confidence and personality.
That’s why you’ll find our clothing in every size, from 34 to 56, every item designed with the same attention to detail. By making small adjustments here and there in the designs, we can guarantee the perfect fit for every figure and let it come into its own beautifully. This tailored approach ensures that no one is limited by a lack of choice, that no one has to feel excluded. Because we are all Xandres.
INNOVATION
Xandres is investing in a better future, where quality and sustainability go hand in hand. We are developing a plan to make our entire production process as sustainable as possible, from yarn and fabrics to the garment in your wardrobe, and long after.
The Xandres Lab was founded to innovate and experiment. On the one hand, we draw up strategies for recycling our clothing and look for the right partners to complete the cycle. We gave new life to unsold items and materials from previous seasons in limited-edition capsule collections.
On the other hand, the Xandres Lab runs recurring projects in which we join forces with sustainable designers or brands. We give pioneers a platform and learn from them. This is how we move forward together, it’s a win-win situation.
#5DECADESOFXANDRES
FASHION COMPETENCE
50 years of know-how, experience and passion translate into our timeless, strong designs. A story that started with ’the perfect trousers’ and boutique clothing under the Andres name, when a new generation breathed life into the family business in 1968. Andres bridged the revolutionary gap between commercial brands and haute couture, thereby supporting women’s self-confidence and personality.
Luxurious but accessible clothing, complementing fashion trends with timeless beauty, imbued with authenticity and quality. That essence has remained unchanged.
In the nineties, Andres was transformed into Xandres, the iconic brand we are today. A long tradition inspired by femininity followed, and the first Xandres stores opened their doors in Belgium and the Netherlands. Xandres has since grown into an internationally respected fashion house and is still evolving. Proud of our roots!
Nijverheidsstraat 20 Destelbergen 9070 Belgium
Catalina J
Catalina JInfo
WHO WE ARE
Since 2007 she designed for several women’s wear fashion brands, launching her first label collection in 2016 in order to build a strong visual brand identity, dedicated to modern and individual femininity. Catalina J develops a refined construction of actual silhouette with elaborated crafted lines and sharp details inspired from Couture technique.
Dedicated to intelligent, active and stylish woman, dresses Catalina J are the image of a truly modern urban spirit. Her signature stems are empowered by the mix between geometric cuts and pure lines. The outstanding design places the studied grace of feminine body in the spotlight revealing a continuous search of proportion, fabric and color matching.
Headed in the creative process by inspirational themes in continue progress such as art, architecture and technology, the designer highlights a minimalist, yet polished profile with clean cut, soft and superfine adds up to a superior sartorial vision.
An important step in our brand development now is identifying and implementing innovative-sustainable solutions, choosing the right and responsible way of creating.
OUR APPROACH
We are interested in bringing innovative solutions and sustainable approaches through our active research on how to develop, produce and deliver best and original designs for our customers at the same time minimizing impact on the planet.
Our new journey started in 2018 when we decided to use for our next collection organic certified cotton and next steps are to add other low impact and natural fabrics to our designs.
A new challenge that marks a new beginning for our brand strategy – a responsible consuming lifestyle that correctly integrates into our future creative process.
FABRICS
We source the purest and high quality fabrics directly from our certified suppliers which have already a well established reputation and tradition in producing it.
The organic cotton is certified with international Global Organic Standard GOTS and OEKO Tex standard for textile.
Also we use low impact fabrics which biodegrade faster and use less water to produce them: viscose, tencel and recycled fabrics.
Great things are happening in this space, with many more to come!
OUR VISION
We aim to tell stories through our collections, building a strong identity of high quality, ethically made garments with a conscious concept and sustainable practices behind.
We love to create with respect for our customers and the environment. That’s why we decided to integrate the slow fashion process, and to implement ethic and sustainable opportunities for our production, made in EU.
We bring value and enhanced product experiences to our customer – next to creative signature design while using organic certified fabrics for our collections.
Avenue de Broqueville 94 BRUXELLES 1200 Belgium
Info
UNRUN is a high-end sustainable activewear brand, founded and designed by Olympic Champions with an eye for detail and an impeccable fit. As hands-on experts, we have an unrivalled knowledge of how sportswear must feel, move, breathe, and look. Additionally, all pieces are tested and approved by a group of elite female athletes, making them a true testament to craftsmanship.
From a sweat at the gym to the drill of daily life, we’re on a continuous quest to create the most versatile garments, withstanding every workout
Avenue Reine Marie Henriette 101 Brussels 1190 Belgium
Info
Frieda Degeyter
Frieda Degeyter studied Fashion Design at the Royal Academy of fine arts in Antwerp, Belgium.
From 1993 till now she worked for several labels.
In 1997 she launched her own collection.
At the moment she is still creating and working on different projects.
Barbara Degeyter
After graduating in Graphic Design in Antwerp in 1995, Barbara has been working for several years for Belgium based magazines.
Since 2001, she attends an open ceramics studio near Breda where she has further developed her interest for object design.
Lenny Leleu
Lenny LeleuInfo
About
Lenny Leleu is a Belgian designer who synthesizes past and present, haute couture and ready to wear into beautiful collections.
Collaborations and self instigated projects are at the very core of her practise and are fueled by a constant exploration and experimentation.
She is a designer unafraid to juxtapose dramatically tailored garments with sportswear detailing. She cuts to flatter and intrigue.
Lenny attended Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts where she earned a degree in fashion design. After cutting her teeth at various design houses including Daryl K in NYC and Jeremy Scott in LA, she went back to Antwerp to nurture her own eponymous clothing and accessories line.
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
Info
Arlette Schmitz is a Belgian slow fashion label…
….that came about in 2018 when former journalist Sophie De Laere decided to switch careers and become a fashion designer. She studied fashion designat SASK Sint-Niklaas and specialised in pattern making.The name of the label was coined after both Sophie’s mothers. The surname of her birthmother who died a very young woman and the first name of her adoptive mother.
Towards sustainability
Our collections are conceived and manufactured locally in Belgium. For the greater part in our own atelier. This local approach results in less carbon emission and no exploitation of workers in low income countries. One of the biggest problems in fashion today is massive overproduction. Our own volumes are kept low to avoid dead stock. Our collections are not discarded after one season and remain available for an indefinite period of time. Fabrics are sourced from European mills. Most of our suppliers hold environmental certificates. Occasionally we use dead stock. We are currently investigating the use of recycled materials. We do not exclude off hand any kind of material in our collection as it is a well known fact that natural as wel as synthetic materials both pose advantages and problems regarding sustainability. Arlette Schmitz aims to make beautiful clothes that you may enjoy for many years. Our customers are encouraged to lovingly mend any wear and tear that may occur. In accordance with the Japanese philosophy of WABI SABI we see beauty in imperfection:
Nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect.
Or as Vivienne Westwood would have it:
Buy less, choose well, make it last
Vivienne Westwood
Code of conduct
We make sure no one is exploited during the production of our collections. Inclusivity matters to us. Although our focus lies on the female form, we welcome all persons binary and non binary, straight and queer into the Arlette Schmitz world. A well made sustainable garment comes at a cost showing respect for all fashion industry workers
Blekerijstraat 75 Gent 9000 Belgium
François van Impelaan 75 Gent 9041 Belgium
Info
Akaso is a co-creation label and the brainchild of Philippe Vertriest, father of two Ethiopian born daughters and great believer in Africa’s creative talent. From the encounter with a book on African body painting art, he developed the Akaso collaborative design concept, uniting the Kara tribe in Ethiopia with the resident Belgian Akaso designers.
The Kara people in Ethiopia are one of Africa’s most authentic tribal people and reknown for their abstract body painting art : a fascinating act of transformation, using the skin as a canvas and the earth as a palette.
From co-creation workshops between six young Kara body painting artists – men and women – and two Belgian designers rises the Akaso collection fusing one of Africa’s oldest art forms with an urban contemporary spirit.
Akaso comes from the Italian ‘a caso’ meaning ‘by coincidence’, reflecting the many coincidences that Philippe encountered on his route that brought him to the Akaso co-creation vision. ‘There is no coincidence in this life – just follow your intuition, however bold the path may be’.
Info
WELCOME TO
OUR BEAUTIFUL
CHAOS
Essentiel Antwerp stands for refreshing, offbeat & luxurious fashion, renowned for its graphic or floral prints and trendy mixes of color. The rich and unique collections are designed to provoke an emotional response.
STEP INTO OUR WORLD WHERE IMAGINATION AND BEAUTY REIGN, WHERE LACK OF ORDER CREATES A SPACE FOR SURPRISE.
The Antwerp-based brand is influenced by the numerous life experiences of its founders Esfan Eghtessadi and Inge Onsea. Esfan, the son of Nicole Cadine, grew up in a world of textiles, sketches and fashion collections. Inge had a vintage loving mother, was a fashion model and spent five years in India, where she fell in love with colors, prints and unexpected combinations.
WE WANT
TO BE YOUR
PINK PILL
In 1999 Esfan and Inge took a chance and launched a T-shirt collection. Four styles, twenty different colors: their response to the monochrome fashion landscape. After a year, the first store opened in Antwerp. Four seasons later, knitwear, jackets, dresses, shirts, and trousers in trendy colors, new materials, and an entire range of accessories were added. Essentiel Antwerp grew into a global brand with a powerful message of love, fun, and colorful surprises. A universal message that translates anywhere and everywhere in the world.
WE WANT
TO BATTLE
BOREDOM
WE CONSIDER OUR ACCESSORIES AS THE CHILLI PEPPERS IN OUR ALREADY TASTY DISH.
LIFE LOOKS BETTER IN COLOR: STAY CURIOUS AND ORIGINAL TO KEEP THINGS SURPRISING AND CELEBRATE LIFE.
Arenbergstraat 21 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
Fam
FamThe LabelInfo
ABOUT
Conscious Fashion
Over the last years, the word ‘sustainable’ has become fashionable. It is being used often and in a lot of different contexts where it always seems to take on a different meaning. In many cases brands use this word as a marketing tool, in some cases this word is abused to greenwash. 100% sustainability is impossible but we do try to be conscious about our responsibilities as a label. Let us state what our approach to conscious fashion looks like to us and to our FAMily.
Everything we do has an impact, leaves a footprint. It is our goal to make this imprint as positive as is commercially possible. We reduce our carbon footprint in a number of creative ways and make sure that all the people involved with FAM are positively empowered.
How We Achieve This
Sustainable Design
Short-lived trends are not in our vocabulary. We strive to make clothing that transcends seasons and stay with you for the longest possible time. We like to think of our collection as a capsule. As our environment changes and temperatures fluctuate, we deem it important that our clothing is versatile and that certain pieces can easily transition the seasons with you.
Each year we design and produce two transseasonal capsule collections for which we choose fabrics that are suitable for summer as well as winter.
Sustainable Production
We have chosen to have all of our clothing produced in Europe to ensure a minimal amount of transportation and a working environment that is congruent with European Social law.
Ilda and Manuel are the proud owners of a small family business in Portugal and have themselves sewn our very first FAM pieces. This was the start of a very fruitful collaboration and a way to make sure that our clothing is made to last by well paid happy people. Happy people are important if we are to build a new world together.
Sustainable Fabrics And Printing
Technology and industry have made impressive advancements in the last years however we still have a long way to go to produce fabrics that are versatile, durable and ecologically innovative at the same time.
Although the possibilities are sometimes still limited, we put a lot of effort into sourcing fabrics that help us achieve both our goals in regards to conscious fashion as a company and our aesthetic goals as a fashion label.
All of our prints are designed in Belgium and printed in Europe with inks that pollute less and with a process that significantly reduces water consumption.
Transparency
It is important for us that you, our beloved FAM, are provided the tools to make decisions with integrity and enable you to consume and buy in such a way that is in line with your environmental and social ethics.
In striving for perfection, we have learned it is unattainable. Today it is strictly impossible to do everything 100% sustainably but we are encouraged to know our society and economy are slowly changing directions. We have you to thank for this and it is you and your choices as a consumer that can help us achieve a world where a well thought through approach to conscious fashion can become our collective reality.
Washing Prescriptions
Buying conscious clothing is an excellent first step in reducing our carbon footprint. The second step would be to make our clothes last longer so that we don’t have to throw them away
The Story
Before she created FAM, Vanessa Beniers was racing through life, like a lot of us, working a busy job with little creative satisfaction. Right after losing her mother and later also her job, she hit a metaphorical wall and crashed.
Loss is destructive but destruction always means opportunity, so Vanessa started digging for things that could give her life a renewed sense of meaning. She promised herself to never put another dream in a box, to unapologetically stand for what she believes in and to let love and passion guide her way. Turning her setbacks into wins ultimately guided her back to her childhood passion, her love for fine clothes.
Friendship And Collaboration
Life has a funny way of bringing the right people together at exactly the right moment. Around the same time Vanessa decided to enroll herself in several courses on patternmaking, fabrics and business she met Clarisse Rocha.
Clarisse was making a sustainable impact with her organic farming business in Portugal until the economic crisis hit. She felt forced to leave her home country and family to become a cleaner in Belgium and found a job working for Vanessa. As they both shared their stories about life and loss, they also shared their dreams and found common passions. A deep friendship was born and so was the drive to share their love for fashion and sustainability.
A few years later this friendship has grown into a strong collaboration. Clarisse was able to move back to Portugal and now manages FAM’s entire production process.
Meet The FAMily
We are a fashion brand but first and foremost, we are people. People who laugh and cry and crave connection. People who love hard and believe in the magic of community.
We are a fashion brand but first and foremost, we are human. We are more than cold measurements of size and weight, of revenue and efficiency. We want to put our humanity front and center in all of our endeavours. We don’t build a community around our brand, we build our brand around our community. People are the driving force and people are the reason we center our values around sustainability and inclusiveness. It is our connection with one another that makes our work worthwhile. When we feel we are all working towards a common goal we feel united and empowered. When we see that we share the same values, hopes and dreams, we start to consider ourselves a FAMily.
This is us, the FAMily.
Get to know us.
Vanessa
Designer & Founder
My favorite song: La Foule – Edith Piaff
Most loved FAM item: Our Mona dress, for its endless versatility.
A talent I am proud of: My creativity, being grateful in every situation and my ability to forge deep bonds with people.
On being a FAMme: It’s all about authenticity for me and embodying the duality of my sensitive sides and my badass edges.
FAMbitions: Make our brand grow by building it with the right people; our FAMily. Bringing about a change in our mindsets when it comes to dressing sustainably and making FAM an established value in this market.
Clarisse
Head Of Production & Quality Manager
My favorite song: Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Most loved FAM item: Our Hanna Jumpsuit
A talent I am proud of: Connecting the creative aspects of the brand with the technical. My ability to easily connect with other people and making them smile in stressful situations. I love taking care of people and am also considered the mom of the family.
FAMbitions: To see FAM grow into an internationally successful brand.
Anaïs
Creative Community Manager
My favorite song: Lazy Nina – Greg Phillinganes
Most loved FAM item: Ash & Lee in Dark Clay Tencel
A talent I am proud of: My creative side – exploring & expressing new ideas.
FAMbitions: Spreading our message with creative content that reflects our FAM values. To not be afraid of being a little silly or breaking boundaries in order to reach our goal of a sustainable and ethical future.
Ilda & Manuel
When researching how we would tackle the production of our garments, one of our fabric suppliers gave us an address. We didn’t have a phone number to make an appointment so we just drove there and were immediately welcomed as family.
Everything just clicked and after discussing some things over a nice dinner that Ilda and Manuel had prepared for us we decided that these were the people who would handle our production. Soon after that Ilda made our very first FAM piece because she deeply believed this was the start of an amazing adventure together. She couldn’t have been more right.
Ilda and Manuel are now irreplaceable members of our FAMily. Our connection is deep and the amount of care and perfection they put into the production is uncomparable. We could not do this without them.
Katrien
Print Designer
My favorite song: Roam – The B52’s
A talent I am proud of: My sense of color, my capacity to capture ambiance and feeling with my drawings.
On being a FAMme: Sharing values and visions with a community of likeminded people is what’s important to me.
FAMbitions: To make women feel joyful and unique in their FAM outfits.
Celine
Wordsmith & Visual Content Creator
My favorite song: Millionaire (ft. Andre 3000) – Kelis
Most loved FAM item: All of our Kate trousers, they are incredibly flattering.
A talent I am proud of: Living and thinking outside of the box.
On being a FAMme: Embracing the full scope of what I am, trusting my intuition and not waiting for anyone’s approval to stray off the beaten path is what makes me feel complete.
FAMbitions: To be a drop in the ocean of people who are working towards a sustainable and inclusive future. That our mindful way of doing business will one day outweigh the impacts of fast fashion.
Sophie
Producer Prototypes
My favorite song: Boys will be boys – Dua Lipa
A talent I am proud of: My ability to turn a 2D design into a 3D garment and the sewing skills I need to accomplish that.
Most loved FAM item: I absolutely love the Elise jumpsuit.
FAMbitions:I want to keep improving communication between the design team and production team to produce high-quality garments.
Christel
Marketing Coach
You
The FAMme We Design For
You’re the star of our FAMily because your choices as a consumer are driving the real change. You are making our dreams possible and for that we love you, we thank you, we see you. Keep shining, keep doing you.
Ooievaarsnest 16 Gentbrugge 9050 Belgium