The crème de la crème of Belgian fashion today

For those less familiar, fashion today is an empire where France and Italy reign supreme. However, Belgium, with its schools like Brussels’ La Cambre or Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, has produced trailblazing talents whose avant-garde ideas combined with expert needlework have revolutionized and continue to influence the fashion world. Every year, to remind the industry of the origins of modern creative directors like Pieter Mulier at Alaïa or Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta, and to spotlight the designers of tomorrow, the city of Brussels hosts the Belgian Fashion Awards. Let’s dive into these made-in-Belgium personalities, from the veterans to the rising stars, who shape global fashion trends daily.

Let’s start with the old guard, names familiar to anyone with even a slight interest in the industry. While their names may ring a bell, their Belgian origins often don’t. This is the case, for example, with Anthony Vaccarello, now the creative director of Saint Laurent. Born in Brussels to Italian parents, Vaccarello studied fashion at La Cambre. A similar story is that of Nicolas di Felice, creative director at Courrèges, whose parents fled Italy for a better life in Charleroi, Belgium. In the realm of great creative directors, we also have Pieter Mulier, who has transformed Alaïa into what Lyst ranks as an unmissable brand of 2024. Then there’s Raf Simons, from Neerpelt in northern Belgium, who co-directs Prada alongside Italy’s own Miuccia Prada, and Glenn Martens, from Bruges (the Venice of the North), who announced in September his departure from Y/Project after 11 years. Some names, like Martin Margiela, hardly need introduction. Though Maison Margiela is now French, its founder hails from northern Belgium. Similarly, the Antwerp Six, including Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, and Dries Van Noten, are iconic figures, with Van Noten recently retiring from his eponymous label.

But that’s not all: even those not native to Belgium have passed through its schools, becoming products of Belgian fashion culture. This includes Georgian designer Demna, head of Balenciaga and Vetements, who left banking to earn a master’s degree in men’s fashion at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Similarly, Haider Ackermann, set to join Tom Ford, arrived in Belgium in 1994 to study at the same institution. He stayed on to assist Belgian designer Wim Neels. French designer Julien Dossena, now at Rabanne, also left Paris’ Duperré School to pursue a master’s degree at La Cambre in Brussels.

Enough about the well-known names; let’s spotlight the newcomers. This year, young Brussels-based designer Marie Adam Leenaerdt shone brightly, participating in the LVMH and Andam prizes, showcasing at Terminal Nord, and presenting her FW24 collection at a Parisian café. She won the Emerging Talent of the Year award at the Belgian Fashion Awards. Another name gaining traction is Ester Manas, a Franco-Belgian duo currently Woolmark Prize finalists, after winning the Galeries Lafayette prize at the Hyères Festival in 2018. Meryll Roge, former head of women’s design at Dries Van Noten, won Designer of the Year at the same awards. Also present were Julie Kegels, who debuted on the Paris calendar, and young Romain Bichot, a Balenciaga designer discovered at the Hyères Festival. In jewelry, Stéphanie d’Heygere, known for her work with Jil Sander, Vetements, Louis Vuitton, and others, won the Accessories prize. Dominated by women, this year’s lineup promises a bright future for Belgium’s legendary avant-garde and its fashion talents (not just its chocolate).