Meet the international designers in Belgium trying to change the fashion world for the better with smaller, sustainable collections
The pandemic has hit the international fashion industry hard, prompting talk of an existential crisis and causing a general reckoning of the entire sector. As the second most polluting industry in the world, it had been undergoing increased scrutiny as well as positive change even before this watershed moment. Local sourcing, less wasteful production and recycled materials are just a few ways to make fashion greener. These ecological improvements go hand in hand with shifting consumer habits.
Faced with a human-created worldwide disaster, shoppers are developing more responsible and meaningful consumption choices as well as a heightened awareness of local products and the importance of supporting local businesses. Fashion lovers in Belgium can consider themselves lucky. The country has long been a breeding ground for pioneering fashion, especially since the arrival of the Antwerp Six collective in the 80s. Brussels has been catching up, and Belgium has become a destination not only for fashion-forward customers but also for foreign creatives who make the country their base, favouring it over long-established fashion capitals such as Paris or London. Those who want to buy local and are looking for innovative, sustainable, short-circuit labels will find a buzzing and surprisingly international scene.
Restrained, minimal, elegant and sleek: Anna Rosa Moschouti’s stunning jewellery pieces are not only beautiful but also responsibly sourced. A lot of the materials she uses, such as marble, stone and Corian, are common in interior design, a nod to her previous job as an architect. “All silver and gold is certified recycled,” she says. “I only have three or four suppliers in Belgium, the Netherlands and Greece, small family businesses who it is important to support. I use the leftovers they’d usually throw away.” To reduce potential waste even more, Moschouti often starts out with only five or 10 editions of a piece. “I will see what’s popular, and then make more,” she explains. The original necklaces, bracelets and earrings are all handmade by the designer in her Antwerp studio. In summer 2019, she also opened her own brand store in the city’s Kloosterstraat. “Antwerp and I just clicked. The design scene is very inspiring, welcoming and collaborative. I think it plays a huge part in my success.”
The way German designer Stephan Schneider has been working since the launch of his clothing line more than 20 years ago has come in handy during the coronavirus crisis. “I never wanted to have to travel around the world to get my material and produce my pieces,” he explains, adding: “I like to keep an eye on things. Tomorrow morning I’ll be visiting one of my local manufacturers again to have a look.” The choice to work with just a few selected traditional Belgian manufacturers cuts down unnecessary trips and makes it easier for the designer to meticulously oversee the production process. “It’s been such a big advantage, especially now during the pandemic,” he says. The timeless and luxurious fabrics are all sourced from historic family businesses in Italy, France and Portugal. Schneider’s pieces are elegant, high-quality and wearable. “For some designers, the creative process ends with a beautiful photo of a model wearing a piece. Not for me. The dialogue with the customer is very important to me. That someone gets up in the morning, opens their wardrobe, picks a piece and wears it all day – that’s such an important step,” he explains. He has been keeping this dialogue open in his own label store in Antwerp since 1996.
Since Croatian-born Bojana Drača left Berlin, where she received an MA in sustainability in fashion from the ESMOD school, the designer has had to answer the same question over and over: Why did she swap uber-hip Berlin for Brussels? “In Berlin, people are more scared to go for their own thing,” she says.