Vijf labels uit Antwerpen om in de gaten te houden

The Antwerp Fashion Walk took place on Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 June. Fashion professionals from all over the world have traveled to the Belgian fashion capital in search of a new fashion talent. Antwerp was one big sourcing event during these three days.

FashionUnited highlights the five most remarkable labels in the walk, led by branch organization Flanders DC.

Julie Kegels

The rainy weather on Friday afternoon 6 June does not prevent fashion professionals from visiting the Multibrandstore Renaissance. Julie Kegels’s SS25 pop-up can be admired there. The designer himself is also present. Renaissance now has three collections of her label in stock, says Kegels proudly. She continues: “Renaissance has been supporting us since the brand launch, so it felt logical to organize a social moment here.”

Julie Kegels launched her label of the same name in 2024, three years after graduating at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Her debut show, FW24-25 in Paris, was enthusiastically received by leading fashion magazines such as Vogue and WWD. The elegant playfulness of her designs stands out. In the store, Julie Kegels’ new summer collection is presented in a playful way: in suitcases full of magazines. “Because I like to read magazines on vacation,” says Kegels.

Marcel Sommer

For lovers of brutalism – an art movement characterized by a minimalist color palette and a raw aesthetics – the work of German designer Marcel Sommer and his team can be seen at Wolstraat 33. Sommer graduated in 2023 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. After graduating, he stayed in the city to further expand his career.

The items of clothing are made by hand. When designing, he carefully chooses his materials. It works with a variety of fabrics, from light silk to black leather and nylon. His work is, he explains, a response to the current time. A time when it seems easier to create art and fashion. According to Sommer, that change is partly due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). According to Sommer, authentic fashion requires time and human involvement during the creative process.

Marie Bernadette Woehrl

At Ganterie Boon you can see the work of the accessory label of designer Marie Bernadette Woehrl. She founded her label in 2023 and specializes in traditional leather goods. From her studio in Antwerp she makes elegant leather bags and accessories by hand.

Striking in its collection are the woven leather goods and abstract and yet portable leather objects. “Because we produce everything ourselves, we have full creative freedom and close contact with our customers,” says Woehrl. The leather comes from European tanneries. The label also works with residual materials from the luxury industry.

Und Uli

In the Momu Shop, the SS25 collection of the Family brand und ULI, founded in 2023, is exhibited. The label consists of handmade knitwear, from dresses to scarves. The items are very light and feel soft on the skin thanks to the use of natural fabrics, including hemp, linen, cotton and merino.

The designs are inspired by the nature around the studio in Essen, Belgium, says the young creative director Noah Herremans, who runs the label with his parents.

When a journalist asks what it is like to work with parents – and for parents to work with their child – Herremans’ mother gives him a hug. “That’s how it goes,” she says.

Und Uli is best sold in China and Japan.

Realting

In Kleine Markt 7 is the social fashion label REAntwerp. The label works with people who have a great distance from the fashion market. Fashion designer Tim van Steenbergen explains: “Many of them do not speak the language – not Dutch, no English – but they do know how to sew. The common language is therefore fashion.”

On the labels of the clothing are pictures of the makers. “The people who make the clothing are just as valuable as the clothing themselves,” emphasizes Van Steenbergen.

REATTERWERP cooperates with an extensive network of established designers. Instead of buying new fabrics, the label often uses existing prints and patterns for designing shirts, pants and dresses. We work with residual substances from well -known designers such as Dries van Noten, Haider Ackermann and Christian Wijnants, which are processed into unique dresses, sweaters and pants.