Between design and fashion, WBDM fulfils a mission of multiple duality. One foot in culture, the other in industry. Deep local roots and connections across the globe. Professional and commercial expertise, with a focus on values and people. Both a key player in and a witness to the rise of Belgian creativity, the agency is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. And in its rear-view mirror stretch out a thousand intersecting paths.
This is the story of a public service always ready to welcome and guide the players in its sector. With one nuance… Choices must be made as to which projects to showcase and champion. Attention thus combines with high standards and curiosity. The aim is originality and relevance. And as is customary in fashion and design, selection processes and juries are put in place. The search for talent takes preparation.
From its inception in 2006, the small team at this agency established at the crossroads between economic and cultural services drew on the best expertise, from sector specialists and within the public authority. Everything had to be learnt and put in place. It was necessary to familiarise oneself with the key events in both disciplines and understand how trade shows and festivals in Milan, Paris and London operated. It was necessary to adapt to the specific rhythms and conventions of the industry and the press, as well as to support designers and companies as they learned the ropes.
WBDM’s expertise has developed with a team that has remained virtually unchanged over two decades. And it is now widely recognised within the industry – by designers, businesses and journalists. This expertise has been shaped by the experience and feedback of the hundreds of professionals who have been supported, and the thousands more the team has met and hosted at a multitude of events.
In twenty years, the world has changed. So have fashion and design. It has been a matter of adapting and readjusting strategies, identifying new challenges, and observing what is working, what is working less well, or what is no longer working. When the tide turns, a change of direction may be necessary. A striking example is from this spring of 2026: WBDM and the umbrella organisation Belgium is Design will not be exhibiting at Milan Design Week, in order to focus on a strong Belgian presence in Copenhagen at 3daysofdesign in June. Onwards to new challenges.
Design in Belgium, and particularly in French-speaking Belgium, has a certain paradoxical quality. Despite the small scale of the fashion and design industries compared to those in France, Italy or the Netherlands, designers from Wallonia and Brussels enjoy a fabulous international reputation. Alumni of La Cambre Mode[s] run or have run fashion houses such as Chanel, Saint Laurent and Courrèges, and the Vogue Business magazine ranks this art school (a public school!) as one of the best in the world. It’s a fact: Wallonia-Brussels is an incredible breeding ground for talent… Such a breeding ground is, however, only possible thanks to a convergence of factors. And it must be nurtured.
It is impossible to quantify the impact of WBDM’s initiatives. Even for an individual designer. Contacts made at a trade fair may lead to a contract two or three years down the line. And, by extension, a prestigious international award can lead to a string of local projects. The development of a French-speaking Belgian ‘brand image’ takes place step by step, in small increments. And such a ‘brand image’ – an immeasurably important factor in a sector where ‘desirability’ is essential – benefits the entire creative scene.
Among European fashion and design agencies, WBDM is unique in that it does not focus solely on these two fields, but rather addresses both industrial and cultural objectives. This duality makes sense. Unlike film or music, which are also industries, the furniture and textile sectors are first and foremost industries… industries to which design adds a cultural dimension, in the noblest and broadest sense of the term.
Laure Capitani, coordinator at WBDM, comments on this:
Europe aims to set itself apart through innovation and quality. And the values it seeks to promote – ethics, traceability, the relocation of production, sustainability and respect for workers – are all at the heart of the approach taken by the designers we work with. If we do not support these virtuous practices – practices we hope will trickle down – nothing will stand in the way of those that are not.
This is a project that carries on in the background. One that is going to be bold in the current climate. The uncertainties weighing on the economy and the global situation will push many players in the sector to do what they do best: reinvent themselves. These reinventions will require creativity and determination, dialogue, bursts of collaboration and support.
Design and fashion are not limited to glitz and glamour. They lie at the heart of sustainability challenges and the evolution of our societies. Social innovation design, which aims to benefit broad sections of society and the economy, could be one of the paths forward. In any case, this is one of the many areas in which the team at WBDM continues to keep a close eye on new developments. As close as possible to the field and the people who bring it to life. With attention focused on others, always. A story of intertwined destinies.