Surreal, avant-garde and explicit are three keywords that are commonly associated with Belgian fashion. This exhibition catalogue gives a unique historic overview of Belgian fashion, starting with the legendary Antwerp Six--including Dries van Noten, Walter Van Beirendonck and Ann Demeulemeester--and leading up to the individualistic creations of Martin Margiela, A.F. Vandevorst and Raf Simons. The catalogue also highlights the work of several influential players in various fashion and art disciplines. Additionally, it touches upon the importance of the fashion academies, especially the Antwerp Academy and La Cambre in Brussels, and documents emerging talent such as Jean-Paul Lespagnard and Christian Wijnants.

A guide to understanding the Belgians, best known for their fine chocolate, which reveals a humorous and insightful view of the people.

New and comprehensive insights into the seminal events that shaped Belgian identity In 1790, between the birth of America (1776) and the creation of the French National Assembly (1789), nine provinces nestled between the French and Dutch borders declared themselves a new free and independent country: the United States of Belgium. Before then, the provinces had been part of the vast Austrian Habsburg Empire ruled by Joseph II. In 1789 revolutionaries from Brussels to Ghent to Namur recruited a grass-roots army that, to the surprise of many, successfully chased imperial forces from the majority of the territories. The exhilaration of military triumph and political independence quickly faded as revolutionary factions fought each other and the European monarchies became more nervous in the face of French radicalization. Yet, the course of events had fostered the solidification of a new identity among the provinces’ inhabitants: Belgianness. This is the story of the emergence of Belgianness in the crucible of revolution. The United States of Belgium tells the story of the First Belgian Revolution before the creation of a language barrier between French and Dutch. It incorporates over 50 contemporary images of the revolutionary era.

-300 new photos of absurd (and sometimes hilarious) solutions for everyday problems The Brussels-based artist David Helbich started "Belgian Solutions" in 2006. He made photos of the peculiar (and comical) no-nonsense solutions to problems that that he spotted in his daily surroundings. Once he started to share his photos online on Facebook in 2008 (the Belgian Solutions page has over 25,000 fans), the project gathered speed, with contributions by 'Belgian Solutions' spotters all over the world. And because Helbich keeps receiving pictures, he keeps creating content - much to the joy of his fans.

As Belgian history addresses questions of identity and security, of a sense of cohesion and common purpose or the lack thereof, this volume tells you why Belgium does matter.