A recent exhibition celebrating the Antwerp Six at MoMu has refocused attention on Belgium's profound and lasting influence on global fashion. This influence, characterized by intellectual rigor and wearable artistry, extends deeply into the history of lingerie. The Belgian approach—grounded, personal, and narrative-driven—resonates in the intimate sphere.
Consider the legacy of a house like Maison Margiela, founded by the enigmatic Belgian Martin Margiela. His deconstructivist approach, which questioned fashion's very foundations, later informed the label's intimate apparel: bras with exposed seams, corsets reimagined as outerwear. This intellectual 'undressing' of garments finds a direct lineage in the Antwerp Academy's pedagogy, which Walter Van Beirendonck describes as going 'very deep' to develop a signature. Similarly, the sleek, architectural lines favored by many Belgian-trained designers, from Raf Simons to Pieter Mulier, echo in the precise engineering of modern luxury lingerie, where form must follow function without sacrificing beauty.
The current prominence of designers like Ludovic de Saint Sernin, whose work often blurs the lines between lingerie and ready-to-wear, underscores this continuity. It reflects the Belgian balance of dream and reality that Dries Van Noten cites—a combination of provocative concept and steadfast wearability. In lingerie, where garment and body are in constant dialogue, this philosophy is paramount. The Belgian method, born outside the traditional fashion system, continues to offer a compelling framework: one where intimacy is treated with seriousness, authenticity, and a profound respect for craft.
Originally reported by WWD