Anja Schwerbrock
Anja SchwerbrockInfo
Anja Schwerbrock is the owner and creative director of the Anja Schwerbrock brands, based in Antwerp.
The German-born designer grew up with classical dance and was surrounded by the world of backstage and theater and later studied tailoring at Escada, Fashion design and Pattern maker in Hamburg. Travelling and working in Japan and with a background of working experience at Comme des Garcons and Dries van Noten, in 2005 Anja Schwerbrock moved to Antwerp and started her own brand. She is presenting her collection during Paris Fashion Week.
Mother of two sons, Anja Schwerbrock showed her first baby and kids collection in 2012. Treehouse by Anja Schwerbrock shows the relationship between her Women’s and Kids collections, which share the same creative inspiration, cuts and materials. Being creative as a fashion designer, Anja Schwerbrock is on the constant search of wearable expressions filled with freedom and individuality. Inspired by the world of ballet, circus and art adapted in her own unusual, non conform way. Anja Schwerbrock’s fashion is transferring fantasy into a self-confident reality, expressing a charming magic, set in contrast to metropolitan life. Her style always emanates rough and defined underlined by her exclusive use of natural high quality materials. Anja Schwerbrock’s spontaneous, communicative and passionate nature flows into her style, rounding the lightness, pleasant wearing comfort and relaxed expression of her designs.
Anja Schwerbrock is also doing interior designs and corporate identities for various projects and a ceramic collection.
Kloosterstraat 175 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
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Hemptees is a slow fashion brand with timeless high quality hemp clothing. Inspired by a slow lifestyle and a big heart for our oceans. We believe that every wildflower should feel free and comfortable in textiles that are good for the planet and good for people.
Our Story
Our little wildflower was born into an independent family. Her mother instilled in her a passion for art, textiles and natural materials. Her father travels (still does) around with his surf gear to catch the best wave. In 1982, he co-founded a textile distributor for sports brands. With this breeding ground, our little wildflower spread her seeds and Hemptees was born.
Lou De Buck, owner and founder of Hemptees, brings a consiously curated collection of her favorite versatile plant of all time, hemp. She draws her inspiration from music, cinema, travel and nature. She offers a mix of urban and coastal influences with a nod to modern nostalgia. Intuition and authenticity are always at the core of Hemptees aesthetic.
Hemptees appeals to fun-loving, free spirited and like-minded individuals and offers a range of clothing, home textiles and accessories with a focus on ethical, handmade and sustainable practices.
Sometimes you just need that good durable favorite and that’s when slow fashion is a great option. We want to do our part by offering sustainable clothing made from 100% hemp. An alternative textile that pollutes as little as possible and is better for people with sensitive skin.
My Ecological Lifestyle
My Ecological Lifestyle
The Power of Slow
Lou is excited about what the future holds and knows that this is just the beginning of Hemptees’ story.
Over the years, we have become acutely aware of how big our culture of waste is and how it has continued to grow. We live in a time where sustainability, equality and freedom are common themes. As a product-based brand, we are aware of more stuff’s impact on the environment, which is why we promote secondhand first and slow fashion second.
Affordable good basics for everyone is our driving force without compromising on quality and longevity.
Fashion is one of the biggest polluting industries, so we try to minimize our waste while providing you with beautiful timeless eco-friendly basics that you will cherish for years to come!
Info
Ayanne is een open atelier in hartje Gent waar maatkledij volgens de oude Franse haute couturetechnieken wordt vervaardigd. Dames kunnen er op afspraak terecht voor avond- en bruidskledij als ook voor tijdloze basics op maat. Ayanne werkt enkel puts natuurlijke stoffen (voornamelijk zijde) in haunting een uiterst fijne afwerking. Ieder stuk wordt exclusief in het couturesalon vervaardigd. U wordt er hartelijk ontvangen in een vertrouwde warme sfeer.
Aan de hand van professioneel stijladvies gaat Laurence Beyaert samen met de klant op zoek naar het perfecte ontwerp. Het resultaat is een unieke jurk gemaakt naar wens en identiteit van de klant.
Ayanne presenteert bovendien een collectie bruidskledij die tevens op maat wordt gemaakt. Laurence Beyaert, de vrouw achter Ayanne, laat zich inspireen door unieke, persoonlijke verhalen die ze met naald en draad vertaalt.
Dit voor de moderne bruid die belang hecht aan persoonlijkheid en authenticityit.
Laurence studeerde in 2006 af als kunsthistorica aan de universiteit van Gent. Nadien startte ze een opleiding modeontwerp in Brussel. Na enkele jaren in het commerciële circuit van de mode-industrie kon ze aan de slag in het atelier van Kaat Tilley. Zij deed haar dromen.
Deze droom wordt in 2012 werkelijkheid met de opening van een eigen couturesalon annex boutique. Met Ayanne gaan we terug naar een tijd waarin eleven maten met precisie werden opgemeten en eleven ideeën en visies kwalitatief werden uitgevoerd. “Zowel het fragiele als het sensuale, de kracht versus de kwetsbaarheid verenigen en verweven.”
Lange Kruisstraat 6K Gent 9000 Belgium
Natacha Cadonici
Natacha CadoniciInfo
Of Italian and Russian origin, everything predisposed me to become a designer and craftsman: Russian great-grandparents breeders of Astrakhan sheep, a daddy shoemaker who worked diligently with his sewing machine and maintained joyful contact with his customers, a mother who had made-to-measure dresses at a local seamstress and an Italian aunt who had set up her own beauty and hairdressing salon in the center of Milan, a magnificent woman, sunny, stylish, smiling, full of energy.
After studying at the Free University of Brussels (Roman Philology / Letters), then in Fashion Design (Institut Saint-Luc), I decided, in 2006, to create some tops that are sorely lacking in my wardrobe: tops that are elegant but not too much, comfortable but stylish.
I am going straight away for viscose jersey because it is an ultra comfortable material, very pleasant on the skin, natural, easy to work with, easy to wash, which lasts over time.
But to give it a more stylish look than a simple T-shirt, I quickly decided to add some nice details:
– other materials such as cotton, wool in cutouts
– asymmetrical necklines that you can’t see anywhere else
– punchy graphic elements, like piping, ribbed edges, which give light to my basic colors: navy blue and black. The ribbing that I create are knitted exclusively for my brand. They are therefore not found anywhere else!
MADE IN BRUSSELS
Beautiful, joyful, luminous and lasting
One of the recognizable characteristics of my work is the use of ribbons that finish the garment in the neckline, the sleeve ends and the bottom of the tops, with peppy and bright colors: a base of mostly ecru with touches of fluorescent orange, fluorescent pink, fluorescent yellow, copper lurex etc. These ribbons are designed by me: I select, among 200 different colors from my manufacturer, the right combination of colors, the height of the lines, the best fabrics. These 100% cotton creations are produced exclusively for my brand in the north of France. You won’t find them anywhere else!
Make in a small conscientious clothing workshop in Brussels
From the start, I have all my creations made in a clothing workshop in Brussels which has excellent craftsmanship. I found Alicia a bit by chance and how lucky I was to cross her path: she works for all Belgian designers, including the cream of the crop! I am proud to give a job to this super Polish woman who set up her business on her own in Belgium and hired 4 seamstresses who were her colleagues in Poland. Over time, we have developed a very nice relationship of trust, respect and we understand each other in a single glance.
Alicia and her employees work at their own pace, without pressure and she practices fair prices for all which allow her to pay her 4 seamstresses with dignity and fairness. I really feel that she makes my designs as if they were her own: conscientiously, with love and with a smile. They all always discover my new models and my new fabrics with curiosity and impatience. They love my design and therefore work with it with pleasure, which is priceless to me.
All the advantages of preorders
- It reduces the use of the earth’s primary resources
- It allows me to have more cash, which is more comfortable for me
- It allows me to dare more to offer you less commercial and more daring models since I only invest money in a prototype and not in a complete blind production without knowing if this new creation will please you or in what sizes will I sell it
- It allows me to make the best use of certain exclusive fabrics that I only have in limited quantities: I only produce the right sizes that you pre-order; I can thus satisfy all of you; whereas when I was producing blind I had some models left in unsold sizes and some of you were frustrated that you couldn’t order it in their size since I no longer had this precious fabric
- It allows me to offer you creations that are really in line with the weather and adapt to it
- It allows my clothing workshop to produce at a much more humane pace: the seamstresses sew throughout the year instead of having to produce a production that must last 6 months in a single month
g requires a little patience. This is not a compulsive purchase but a real crush. I am also very available by email or phone to answer all your questions. I am committed to offering you sustainable, soft, joyful creations that will do you good. And you have a double pleasure: that of pre-ordering and that of receiving it a few weeks later.
Rue du Marché au charbon 62 Brussels 1000 Belgium
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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
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Aymara is the result of the love story between a Belgian engineer, Sven Van Gucht, who met Yannina Esquivias, a young Peruvian travel agent, during a sabbatical year and fell in love. Yannina and Sven quit their jobs and started a knitting factory in Peru together with Yannina’s family. In 2007, the knitwear label Aymara was born. The name Aymara refers to a native ethnic group in the Andes of South America.
Concept
The magic of Aymara lies in the combination of Belgian design and Peru’s extraordinary fibers and textile craftmenship. Aymara’s knitwear is produced in our own knitting factory in Arequipa, in the south of Peru, managed by Yannina’s family. Thank’s to our strong relationship with them and their unconditional commitment, this incredible intercontinental project could be achieved. We believe that in today’s world of fast fashion and mass consumption, people are looking for authentic products with a soul. When buying Aymara, you are sure to get longlasting, sustainable products with an extraordinary story.
Design
Excellent natural fibers play a key role and are the starting point of each Aymara design. This is why Aymara chooses to offer pure styles available in a wide colour palette of bright and soft colours. Our designers take into account the fashion trends but at the same time, we make sure that each Aymara product is timeless and longlasting. A lot of attention has been paid for the perfect fitting form and discrete refined details. The kids collection, designed by Yannina has a playful character whereas the women’s collection, designed by Saskia Van Herzeele is very feminine.
Fiber
Peru manufactures some of the world’s finest quality fibers. For our summer collections, Aymara uses Peruvian pima cotton which is considered to be one of the softest and finest cottons in existence. In winter, garments made of precious alpaca blends are always an important part of our collection. Alpaca is a cousin of the llama and is prized for it’s thermal properties, silkiness and durability. Alpaca is a fiber which does not come at the expense of the environment. In today’s world, dominated by artificial materials, alpaca is the natural option. Alpacas graze at elevations of 3500 to 5000 meters in the Peruvian Andes. This precious fibre is used by top designers world wide. Aymara only uses the finest alpaca fibers, called baby alpaca. In our winter collections we also offer garments made of fine merino wool from Argentina.
Production
Aymara’s knitting plant is fully integrated and employs about 60 persons on the pay roll. This assures us to be in complete control of the production process and the quality of the garments. Although the knitting process itself has been industrialized, the production process is labour intensive and still requires a lot of manual operations. A lot of attention is been paid to the linking and finishing processes. Aymara garments are fully fashioned ; this means that the cutting and overlocking process is avoided as much as possible. By doing so, Aymara’s customers are getting a high quality product with one of the finest linking and finishing standards on the market. Turn your Aymara garment inside out and you will see what we mean !
Although most of the collection is produced on industrial knitting machines, each winter season Aymara offers a small theme of hand knit accessories. This enables women to generate an income by hand knitting at their home while taking care of their children. For a lot of these women it would be impossible to work inside a company because of their family situation and the lack of childcare. You can recognize these products by the “Aymara hand knit” hang tag. We are currently investigating how this could be integrated into a wider social project.
Head office & International Sales Aymara bvba Bornem 2880 Belgium
Showroom Aymara Antwerp Kielsevest 70 Antwerpen 2018 Belgium
Wim Bruynooghe
Wim BruynoogheInfo
WIM BRUYNOOGHE, BORN BRUGES IN 1988, IS A BELGIAN DESIGNER AND GRADUATE OF THE FASHION DEPARTMENT OF THE ANTWERP ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.
ENCOURAGED BY BELGIAN PRESS, BRUYNOOGHE AND HIS PARTNER LAUR DILLEN STORMS FOUNDED THE WIM BRUYNOOGHE BRAND, PRESENTING THE FIRST READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION IN SEPTEMBER 2013.
HE SOON FOUND A PLACE FOR HIMSELF IN THE BELGIAN FASHION LANDSCAPE, WINNING THE KNACK WEEKEND AWARD AND OPENING A GUERILLA STORE IN ANTWERP IN MARCH 2015. HOUSED IN A MAGNIFICENT OFFICE BLOCK FROM BACK IN THE DAY, THE STORE PAID RESPECT TO SLEEK AND ELEGANT WIM BRUYNOOGHE GENE.
IN JANUARY 2016, THE DESIGNER WAS FEATURED ON FORBES’ ’30 UNDER 30′-LIST FOR EUROPEAN ENTREPRENEURS. HE WAS SELECTED BY THE AMERICAN BUSINESS MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS OF EUROPE.
ALSO IN 2016, BRUYNOOGHE WAS APPOINTED CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF UCWHY, A BRAND FOUNDED BY ANNE CHAPELLE, CEO OF BVBA 32.
DISTILLATING SPORTS INFLUENCES WHILE QUOTING AND HOMAGING THE WORK OF THE GREAT 20TH CENTURY COUTURIERS, THE NAME WIM BRUYNOOGHE HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH AN OUTSPOKEN SENSE OF ELEGANCE.
Howlin’
Howlin’Info
ABOUT
We are an Antwerp based knitwear brand.
Since 1981 we have been producing quality knitwear in Scotland and in 2009 we launched our new label Howlin’ (scottish slang for smelly). The way of manufacturing remains traditional but Howlin’ offers more room for fantasy in shape and pattern.
At Howlin’ we strive for timeless, playful products that are made with care. So whether it is a scarf or a shaggy waistcoat; all our products are individually manufactured and hand finished by traditionally skilled craftsmen in either Scotland, Ireland or Belgium using the highest quality yarns possible.
Small is beautiful.
MADE IN SCOTLAND
Scotland has a long history of producing the best knitwear in the world and we are happy to be involved in it for over 30 years.
Since the start of Howlin’ our goal was to bring a fresh somewhat twisted approach to Scottish knitwear while respecting its rich heritage. Keeping the best of the old techniques and mix it with new technology, patterns, colors and ideas.
In an ever faster and more automated economy we are happy to slow things down and have our focus on well made products. It’s a niche, we know, but we like niche products, a lot. Just like a small record label doing hand stamped 7 inches with personal liner notes. It’s the beauty in the details.
Each Howlin’ garment is handled individually and tenderly, throughout its entire production, from the first precise stitch to the delicate pressing and folding.
All our yarns are carefully sourced according to their quality and sustainability standards. Our beloved planet earth has a special place in our heart and we think it’s the best planet out there (as far as we know) so we want to have the lowest impact on it as possible.
Our natural yarns come from local mills, some even complete all the stages of yarn production under one roof. This includes grading, scouring and dyeing fleece before colour blending, carding, spinning, twisting and balling to produce this unique 100% pure Shetland yarn.
A quality which is often imitated but never duplicated.
MADE IN IRELAND
Over the years we have been working closely with a small Irish family run company established centuries ago.
Together with these master crafts people we produce the highest quality knitwear with local Irish yarns.
We have to admit, at first we got strange looks when we came up with our ideas but that changed over the years, now it’s simply that classic smile when they see a new Howlin’ design.
We are very happy to contribute to this unique art and craft which is not only beautiful but also important culturally to remain alive.
Producing in Ireland (and Scotland, and Belgium) not only means you have a truly unique product in your hand, it also means that the people making your goods are well paid and looked after.
MADE IN BELGIUM
Next to our Scottish and Irish knitwear we are happy to create products in our home country Belgium.
Together with several small factories in Belgium, each carefully chosen for their own speciality, we managed to make a diverse range of products which include lighter weight knitwear, jersey and towel fabric garments.
Our goal was to create durable, functional and original products which far outlives seasonal trends.
All pieces are produced in small batches and with close attention to details.
Extra special is the fact that for our jersey we don’t import fabrics but that we knit everything entirely in-house.
Therefore we can proudly say that all our Howlin’ products are truly 100% produced in Belgium.
Nationalestraat 20 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
Kopstraatje 3 2000 Antwerp Belgium
Kristof Buntinx
Kristof BuntinxInfo
Brussels 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!