In order to understand Belgian fashion, one needs to look at its history first and what kind of linguistic, social and cultural contrasts have shaped a small country full of paradox. For foreigners, Belgian fashion comes as a whole, but it’s slightly different for people living in Brussels, Antwerp or elsewhere.
Over the past 40 years, there has been a divide between fashion coming from Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, a city which -despite being located in Flanders- is mostly French-speaking. In 2026, Belgian fashion isn’t just a promise of quality, individuality and innovation, its success also underlines the high standards of Belgian schools teaching and shaping a new generation of brilliant talents.
For Dries Vriesacker, who launched the first print issue of his magazine named ‘ENFNTS TERRIBLES’ at the Standard Hotel in Brussels last year, federating Belgian voices and talents -regardless of where they come from- matters more than a fragmented outlook. Vriesacker happens to be the editor of ‘Belgium is Fashion’, too, an exciting Instagram page launched in collaboration with WBDM, Flanders District of Creativity and MAD Brussels.
We sat down with Vriesacker to talk about his embrace of print in a digital world, what Belgian talents he follows now, and why he must thank Lady Gaga for discovering avant-garde clothes.
As a teenager, what were you most into: music, or fashion?
Definitely music. I got into fashion because of Lady Gaga. As a teenager, I was obsessed with festivals and music trends. I even wrote about music for the college newspaper. I vividly remember when Lady Gaga posted about Alexander McQueen’s ‘Plato’s Atlantis’, and after seeing the show I was completely obsessed with the clothes.
I remember that show very well. Were you always into the avant-garde?
Yes. The clothes were so amazing, surreal and otherworldly. It’s still one of my favorites today.
When did you decide to launch ENFNTS TERRIBLES? It’s always surprising to see younger editors embracing print this way.
I was a blogger back in the days and because we were only 3 male bloggers in Belgium, I got invited to all the fashion events and grew my network over the years. The idea for a publication came from a group discussion we had on a Thalys trip back from Amsterdam, and basically ENFTS TERRIBLES was born.
When was that?
That was 10 years ago. I had partners at the time and we launched it as a website and Instagram page. Eventually, the following grew and I found myself on my own, but the idea of launching a magazine had always appealed to us. We wanted something that felt genuine and not just focused on advertisers, which many publications depend on.
The magazine itself is a beautiful object and you’ve paid attention to the paper and quality of printing. Why did you want something on such a high level?
I think magazines have become collectors’ items and they’re no longer about day-to-day news, but themes we want to explore and fully get into. The challenge was to make something striking that could still be affordable, and I’m happy to share that in Belgium the first issue is already sold out. I recently signed with global distributors and now you can find ENFTS TERRIBLES abroad, too.
It’s funny, because it’s a bit the same as launching a new independent fashion brand. How do you deal with the competition?
The advantage of being Belgium-based is that there isn’t much competition here, although advertising budgets are significantly smaller here. I wanted a magazine with a strong Belgian point of view, which doesn’t really exist right now.
How did the idea of ‘Belgium is Fashion’ come about?
I was contacted by Flanders District of Creatvity and they introduced the project to me, asking if I wanted to work on a pitch. I was then asked to be the editor of that Instagram account and be in charge of its overall content. The great thing about this project is that it is backed-up by several institutions at once, including WBDM and MAD Brussels. I think it’s important to federate designers around one concept, especially considering that the “The Antwerp 6” exhibition at MoMu -which opens at the end of March- will attract lots of foreigners to Belgium.
It’s a great year for Belgian fashion, as well as its designers, which are pretty much everywhere now. How do you explain their success?
People love Belgians, because we are down to earth, and easier to work with than others, too. And then there is something else: Belgium is often associated with taste, not only in fashion, but also design, food, art or architecture. People respect this idea of Belgian taste abroad, and I do think it is legitimate.
That’s interesting. So there’s a certain label that comes with Belgium, which applies to its designers as well. And it’s true that even the most daring Belgian names always have a sense of refinement in their work.
Exactly. Look at Walter Van Beirendonck for example, or even Olivier Theyskens who famously dropped out of La Cambre Mode[s]. Despite being adventurous and very avant-garde, their clothes are exquisite and remarkably intricate.
What do you think of the Belgian new wave, which includes mostly female talents like Meryll Rogge, Marie-Adam Leenardt or Julie Kegels?
I’ve been following them since the beginning and think what they do is so refreshing and inspiring. It’s great to see more brands launched by female designers in Belgium, and I was delighted to hear that Julie Kegels is one of the LVMH Prize’s finalists this year. They all have their own individual voices, and I can’t wait to see what Meryll Rogge does for Marni in Milan. That is a debut collection I will definitely watch out for.