When the world is in turmoil -and new conflicts start taking place around the globe- fashion does seem futile and overindulgent, even though you could still argue that in times of hardship beauty can also be one of life’s greatest rewards.

Navigating the current economic -and political- landscape is rather tough for designers, but Belgians have a sense of pragmatism that allows them to overcome obstacles, and crucially find new ideas to keep their sense of relevance intact.

There was a sense of evolution within Marie Adam-Leenaerdt’s collection, which featured color, shorter dresses and surprising patchwork pieces, which had a charming and youthful quality. When guests arrived at the venue of her show, they were asked to pick-up their own fold-able stool and sit wherever they wanted, a playful way from the Brussels-based designer to make fun of the hierarchy defining the industry. It actually created a relaxing atmosphere, which in the end felt typically Belgian.

For Julian Klausner, who presented his best Dries Van Noten womenswear show so far, keeping a cheerful approach was essential. The Brussels native focused on fantastic menswear-inspired pieces, as well as refined fabrications and pixelized prints of antique paintings, which looked wonderful on outerwear styles. Of course, Dries is all about the mix, and Klausner came up with combinations that were daring, yet always elegant. Van Noten himself attended the show and ran backstage to hug and congratulate Klausner, giving him a moving seal of approval. In a landscape where musical chairs are an ongoing theme -and wrong designers end up being recruited- it is a relief to see how well Klausner was handpicked and how he has consistently delivered great collections so far, proving that a house can thrive after the departure of its founder.

For many Belgians, this season was about consolidation, and not rocking the boat too much. Both Anthony Vaccarello and Nicolas Di Felice showed fine collections for Saint Laurent and Courrèges, even though the clothes verged on the familiar. It’s true that such brands need consistency first, and Belgians are usually not interested in provocation, which in the end makes them great candidates for heritage houses. Soon, Pieter Mulier will unveil his vision for Versace, and Meryll Rogge presented a seductive debut collection for Marni in Milan. The reason why there are so many Belgians leading key brands in fashion today is precisely because they can keep their ego in check and work at the service of the houses that hired them, instead of using them as tools for self-promotion.

The best illustration of this is Matthieu Blazy’s latest collection for Chanel, which was praised by press and retailers. Within a few shows only, Blazy created a new silhouette for Chanel, which actually draws inspiration from Coco’s style in the 20s and 30s. If the French-Belgian designer has deconstructed the Chanel suit to make it more relaxed and comfortable, it’s his emphasis on craft and textile research that gives a distinctive twist to this new version of Chanel, which in many ways takes the best elements from sportswear and combines them with the sophisticated methods of the ateliers Chanel has acquired over the years. One thing is certain: there is a growing appetite for Blazy’s Chanel and people were queuing up at its Paris stores to snatch pieces from his very first collection. Matthieu Blazy understands the psychology -and needs- of the luxury client, making him an ideal successor to Karl Lagerfeld, although Blazy is definitely more discreet when it comes to media exposure.

Interestingly enough, several brands decided not to show during Paris Fashion Week, which again seemed to question the validity of seasonal runway shows. Christian Wijnants and Jean-Paul Knott opted for the look book format instead and Ester Manas will be coming back later on the official calendar. Maison Margiela and Meryll Rogge -two brands belonging to OTB Group- were also noticeably absent from the Paris calendar this season. It seems that designers are keen on exploring new ways to show their work beyond the usual runway format. With talks on AI making many in the industry nervous and apprehensive, there could be major changes taking place when it comes to the growing digitalisation of fashion events, and some brands are already embracing it.

Full disclosure: I’m happy to share this article was written the old-fashioned way and no AI bot was involved. I think Carrie Bradshaw would be proud.