spurred on by the ephemeral, fashion media have seen consumers shift gradually to online sources to get their daily fashion fix. with her new publication fashion blogs, journalist kirstin hanssen digs deep into the world of…yes indeed, fashion bloggers. co-conceptualized with felicia nitzsche and the aid of writer elina tozzi, the book is divided into the categories fashion journalism, street style photography, party photography, personal style blogs and men’s style, and features interviews with leading bloggers from across the planet.

although fashion is the main topic, the scope is much wider and includes relevant extras such as insights in bloggers’ personal lives, their opinions on printed media and whether or not their online activity makes them a decent living. also included in the book is a list of directional fashion blogs. fashion blogs is available at selected [book] stores, including athenaeum [amsterdam], scheltema [amsterdam], modenatie [antwerp] and copyright [antwerp].

coccodrillo has been a retail institution for many years, boasting antwerp’s finest selection of designer shoes. now the store expands across the street, opening a separate men’s shoe emporium in an art déco-inspired space created by belgian designer gert voorjans. the new store occupies two floors, fitted out with hardwood detailing and striking geometric chandeliers that accentuate its masculine vibe.

the new coccodrillo store carries a fine selection of men’s shoes, including designs by adam kimmel, lanvin and dior. the original store now only features designs for women. new store location: schuttershofstraat 8 [centrum].





© coccodrillo / photography: ronald stoops

acne studio just opened up shop in antwerp, adding a new must-see shopping destination to the city’s already stellar range of retail. located smack in the middle of town, the store is set up conjunction with edgy brand emporium louis and is the brand’s first belgian outpost. the shop carries both menswear and womenswear collections. it has a totally acne-fied interior, featuring the signature checkered floor, brass decoration elements and hi-tech lighting. store location: lombardenvest 42 [centrum].




© acne studio

opening today at the modemuseum is black - masters of black in fashion and costume, an exhibition that explores the historic phases and context of the colour black, with examples from painting, historic costume and contemporary fashion [on until aug 8]. on display are a series of items of leading fashion brands and designers such as chanel, gareth pugh and ann demeulemeester. location: nationalestraat 28 [centrum].

next june it’ll be 30 years ago that the democratic republic of congo [formerly zaire] gained independence from its colonizer belgium. belgian photographer carl de keyzer traversed the african country on several occasions between 2003-2009. his current exhibition congo (belge) at fotomuseum provincie antwerpen is inspired by the publication guide du voyageur du congo belge [1954] and documents both crumbling colonial buildings and their current occupants [on until may 16]. location: waalsekaai 47 [centrum].



© magnum photos / carl de keyzer - st.-françois de sales church [kinshasa - 2007]

dutch designer duo nynke tynagel and job smeets of studio job have opened their own exhibition space and workshop in a former cigar factory in downtown antwerp. the spacious ground floor venue should also accomodate initiatives by other artists, designers, curators, galleries and museums.

the venue’s inaugurational show the birth is a collab presentation by the duo and enkuizen-based zuiderzee museum, showcasing a series of studio job’s works that were exhibited during last year’s salone del mobile in milan. location: begijnenvest 8 [centrum].





© studio job / photography: robert kot

guerilla store location: vrolikstraat 29-31 [centrum]

hospital stirs up antwerp’s retail scene with its state-of-the-art store concept. housed in a former warehouse, the 1,200 sqm. store not only features high-end fashion from a string of belgian and international designers, but also accommodates a wine bar, a restaurant and a 3-room luxury bed + breakfast. location: de burburestraat 4 [het zuid].



© hospital

the group show goldfish suddenly dead opens at extra city on fri - apr 3. curated by xyz, the exhibition is a short story about personal loss: actual, remembered or projected, as a constant ongoing fact of life, a life that is composed of small yet crushing realisations. participating artists include eva vretzaki, jan fabre and poka yio. location: tulpstraat 79 [sint amandus].

glass manufacturer iittala launches its create campaign early mar 09. the brand has invited a series of designers and paired them with its flagship stores in amsterdam, antwerp, berlin, helsinki, london and stockholm to select items from the vast iittala collection and create individual combinations [the brand's golden formula] and a window installation. participating artists are alfredo häberli, minna parikka, sofia ronthén, klaus haapaniemi + mia wallenius, ilkka suppanen and fredrikson stallard. check local flagship stores for launch date.



berlin x alfredo häberli



helsinki x minna parikka



london x fredrikson stallard


© iittala

starchitect zaha hadid is to design the new hq of the antwerp port authority. the new port house design consists of two entities: the existing fire station and a new crystalline extension, asymmetrically lifted above the retained building which overlooks the city and its harbour. approx. 500 employees will be housed in the building after completion in 2013.



© zaha hadid architects

d.a.a. launches its brand new hiv/aids awareness education centre in antwerp on mon – dec 1 [2pm-4pm - invite only]. simultaneously it will present the six scents designer perfumes and its very own bedlinen set [a collab with mistral home textiles]. location: grapheusstraat 50-52 [deurne].

© d.a.a.