Wool Week takes Antwerp by Storm

04 November 2014

In the third week of October 2014, the city of Antwerp was transformed in a haze of wool as the inaugural Campaign for Wool, Wool Week arrived in Belgium.

Activities were spread across the city at notable locations and destinations. The WM Gallery in the Wolstreet (Wool Street) housed an exhibition of wool objects designed especially by established designers as well as emerging talents from the Antwerp fashion scene.

Famous names included: Christian Wijnants (winner of the International Woolmark Prize 2013), Tim Van Steenbergen, Walter Van Beirendonck, Essentiel, Kim Stumpf, Anna Heylen, Jan-Jan Van Essche, Damien Ravn, Monsieur Tricot by Ilia Sigi Eckardt, Ann Demeulemeester, Jantine Van Peski, Tom Van der Borght and Stephan Schneider. Stylist Sonja Mertens arranged a bespoke design installation to be displayed and fashion journalist Veerle Windels curated the exhibition.

Two third-year bachelor students from the fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Woojic Jo and Laure Severac, were selected to enter a silhouette based on their interesting use of wool in their work.

Away from the WM Gallery, guests were able to take a ‘Tour de Wool’ of the city passing by designer shops and multi-brand stores where wool is given the attention it deserves.

AEG

Bringing wool to the masses, AEG In collaboration with The Campaign for Wool, Weekend.be and Tommy Hilfiger performed a live test with their new dryer with the ProTex AbsoluteCare system. Ten readers of Weekend were invited to a unique Wool Week Day Out starting at the WM Gallery in Antwerp where the exhibition ‘17 x Wool’ was on display. From there they went to the Tommy Hilfiger store to select a wool sweater that was donated to them by Tommy Hilfiger.

Events

‘17 x Wool’ the Expo WM Gallery, Wolstraat 45 in Antwerp 17 unique wool objects are display from Belgian designers Ann Demeulemeester, Anna Heylen, Christian Wijnants, Damien Ravn, Essentiel, Jantine van Peski, Jan-Jan Van Essche, Kim Stumpf, Laure Severac, Monsieur Tricot by Ilia Sigi Eckhardt, Octave Landuyt, Sonja Mertens, Stephan Schneider, Tim Van Steenbergen, Tom Van Der Borght, Woojic Jo, Walter Van Beirendonck.

Tour de Wool shopping tour in Antwerp

The Antwerp “Tour de Wool” brought together designer shops and multi brand stores where special attention will be given to wool: Atelier Solarshop, Aymara @ Prinses op de Erwt, Bugaboo @ Kids on the Dock, Café Costume, Cover & Couch, Damien Ravn @ XSO, Dorothee Schumacher, Essentiel,  Kim Stumpf Flagship Store, Maison Anna Heylen, Morrison, Sanne De Wolf @ Graanmarkt 13, Sedona, Stephan Schneider, Tommy Hilfiger, Veritas and Xandres & Xandres xline.

Damien Ravn at XSO

A mini-collection based on the Wool Week exhibition piece of Damien Ravn, was on display at the WM Gallery in Antwerp as part of Wool Week Belgium

Sanne de Wolf @ Graanmarkt

During Wool Week at the Graanmarkt 13 Gallery, guests were invited to visit an exhibition showing pure new wool carpets designed by Sanne De Wolf hand-knotted by women from Berber communities in North Africa. The exhibition also highlighted the processed behind the creation of such pieces all depicted by Bob Verhelst. Sanne De Wolf also appeared in store on the 25th to answer questions on her work and meet wool enthusiasts.