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40 + years Stijl

  • Exhibitions
On 27 September 1984, the fashion boutique STIJL opens in Dansaert Street. Sonja Noël begins her fashion adventure, not yet aware of the impact it will have on the neighbourhood, the city and the Belgian fashion landscape. Intuitive and daring, the then 23-year-old entrepreneur chooses young designer collections to dress a nouvelle vague of creative Brussels residents.

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On 27 September 1984, the fashion boutique STIJL opens in Dansaert Street. Sonja Noël begins her fashion adventure, not yet aware of the impact it will have on the neighbourhood, the city and the Belgian fashion landscape. Intuitive and daring, the then 23-year-old entrepreneur chooses young designer collections to dress a nouvelle vague of creative Brussels residents. 

Soon STIJL grows into one of the most important fashion references for discovering new, and mainly Belgian, talent. Meanwhile, for more than 40 years, Sonja Noël has been investing, often first, in numerous designers including Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dirk Van Saene, Rick Owens, Raf Simons, A.F. Vandevorst, Veronique Branquinho, Olivier Theyskens, Tim Van Steenbergen, Jan-Jan Van Essche and Marie Adam-Leenaert.

Throughout a non-chronological arrangement, this exhibition dissects the crucial role of the multi-label designer store, as well as the vision behind STIJL’s success. Discover this extraordinary look at a revolution in Belgian fashion history through the most iconic silhouettes, sold and worn over the past four decades!