Every year is different, but Belgium invariably produces a group of talented designers with the potential to transform the fashion world. What struck me is the growing focus on how each talent can shape the industry and how that shows that designers are reflecting on a changing world.

Sustainability has long been part of the conversation, but these days, that reflexive way of thinking is almost taken for granted. As a contemporary designer, you cannot afford to be careless about that in the creative process.

There is a desire to respectfully find other ways of producing.

The social dimension of fashion projects is gaining a lot of importance: there is a great deal of focus on community, there is a desire to respectfully find other ways of producing. By ‘other’, I don’t mean that young talented designers are completely outside the existing system, that they – I’m just postulating here – now want a fashion label without photography or without models, but rather that they are looking for their own ways to work within the framework. All the while, they want to keep it human. Producing clothes can also be done with respect for the community you are working with – I see the same thing happening in publicity, in communications, and in casting where inclusion is becoming more and more common.

REantwerp is indeed more than just a sustainable label. The will to positively impact a community is deeply rooted in the DNA. Sustainable fashion is fashion that allows people to grow and all stakeholders to benefit – not just shareholders, or just designers, or just consumers.

Every designer knocks on the door with a completely different story, of course, but the best support you can offer is to help them express themselves. The key question is: how do you help emerging designers create an ecosystem that allows them to be authentic and not veer off course? That helps them stay with their real story? Unfortunately, designers sometimes look too closely at what others are doing, risking losing themselves.

For me, the most successful model is always the one in which a designer can put all the building blocks in such a way that it completely fits how they want to express themselves. You’ll make the biggest difference by helping them stay themselves and looking for a business model to match.

Unfortunately, designers sometimes look too closely at what others are doing, risking losing themselves.

Fashion is magical because it is both a creative discipline and an economic reality, and both sides can succeed if you get it right. Although I haven’t found a set recipe yet. (laughs) But what always helps is knowing clearly what you want to convey: just making beautiful clothes is not enough. A strong brand has something to say. When projects fail despite a talented team, it is often due to a lack of a clear message or a story that does not resonate with the audience.

When a label is authentic, and therefore consistent, and then makes clothes that communicate that. Exceptional designers are those who, in the midst of this crowded, busy industry, still manage to attract attention by expressing something that immediately appeals.

I am certainly convinced of that. Of course, a minimum financial base is needed, as the fashion industry is one with a lot of cash flow. But despite that minimum, it is a very open sector in which people from the most diverse backgrounds can find a place. I always say that if you want to start your own brand, don’t be too conscious of everything that could happen and what you need, but don’t be naive either. (laughs)

One of the biggest mistakes I see many designers make is immediately investing in shows because they want to project that they are a part of the industry they are imitating, when such a show is not necessarily the best way to present themselves. There are always alternatives, and they don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Think of everything that happened with video during the lockdowns, or fashion label KidSuper filming in New York on barely any budget.

Fashion is not easy without funding, but it is possible if you have a strong message and surround yourself well.

You won’t hear me say it’s easy without funding, but it is possible if you have a strong message and surround yourself well. And by that, I don’t mean surround yourself with superstars, which is another trap too many designers fall into.

There are those who immediately want both a sales director and a PR agency and a runway show, but that’s not necessary to get started. France suffered the first oil crisis in the seventies; you know what the motto was? ‘We don’t have oil, but we do have ideas.’

Exactly, that was the perfect match. His models, real friends of his, fully embodied his attitude. He brought freshnessto that moment.

Yes and no. (pauses to think) I think both systems can co-exist, and I really hope fast fashion will never completely dominate. In the 1920s, couture was also contrasted with ready-to-wear clothing, the cheaper collections that imitated couture. So, differences in the market have always existed. But it is worrying that ultra-fast fashion makes consumers seem more obsessed than ever with buying clothes, without considering the processes behind it.

Remember during the lockdowns when everyone kept talking about slowing down? Even then, I didn’t believe a word of it, and even now, I am not convinced that we can slow down the global system in the short term. But I do believe that people are increasingly looking for authentic, high-quality, and respectful practices. So let’s hope for the best.

I believe that people are increasingly looking for authentic, high-quality, and respectful practices.

Rather than believing in a radical revolution happening within two years, I believe more in moments and opportunities where designers can bring about change. Emerging talent in particular can do so, as they often resonate with a large audience.

The constant changing of designers reflects the rapid strategical changes of fashion houses. Companies that (mis)use this kind of change are often searching for their identity themselves. At the same time – in their search for the best and fastest return on investment – they often expect far too much from creative directors. But if we manage to slow that system down again, these switches could actually offer fantastic opportunities to young, unknown designers. Consider, for example, Demna Gvasalia, who went from a niche to a huge platform via Balenciaga.

I find them tremendously authentic and dedicated. Together, they present a powerful picture of what is going on in society: they seek new answers to challenges, bring humanity to fashion, and show strong dedication and commitment.

The best way to change a system is from the inside.

The best way to change a system is from the inside.

1 Granary indeed showed that today marks a time of transparency. Younger brands certainly have options in this regard.

Sure. When you’re still small, it’s much easier to make full transparency and clear control a habit so that it becomes an essential part of your business.

Shop with your head.

That’s why I say shop with your head, not your rationality. (laughs) Emotions are also in your head. When you shop, buy something you know touches you, buy brands that you feel really resonate with you, buy brands you want to support. But buy a piece just as much because you know it will bring you fond memories.

Initially, e-commerce was an unregulated Wild West while simultaneously being an Eldorado full of gigantic investments. But recent events have punctured the bubble of massive investment, consumers buying only at deep discounts, and designers pushed to the limit.

It is high time e-commerce said goodbye to unrealistic expectations.

That bubble suddenly bursting was harsh, but hopefully it heralds a period with more room for sustainable policies. A time when e-retailers are proving that they can also be good partners for emerging talent. It is high time e-commerce said goodbye to unrealistic expectations: of always wanting something new, demanding it immediately, and of forcing labels to produce at levels they aren’t yet ready for.

Hopefully on the eve of tomorrow. (laughs) I’ve noticed an interesting shift in the market. With the rise of digital tools, an important awareness fell to the background in recent years: fashion is essentially an economy based on creative supply, not the push of demand. That boundary was stretched too far in recent years, so we lost focus. But now, it seems we are slowly finding it again: behind-the-scenes practices are improving, there is more transparency, and authenticity is on the rise.

Fashion is essentially an economy based on creative supply, not the push of demand.

We are undoubtedly in a crisis, and I certainly won’t say that the world is in fantastic shape today. But I do believe that this is the time to bring new ideas and opportunities to the table. I clearly feel this progression – I hate nostalgia – when I look at the finalists of the Belgian Fashion Awards.

• Changemaker of the Year: REantwerp 
• Emerging Talent of the Year: Marie Adam-Leenaerdt  
• Professional of the Year: Daniel Henry 
• Accessory Designer of the Year: Stephanie D'heygere
• Most Promising Graduate: Célestin Verheyden (La Cambre)
• Designer of the Year: Meryll Rogge
• Jury Prize: Marina Yee 
• Brand of the Year: Four Roses

More info on the Belgian Fashion Awards can be found on the website.