When it comes to fashion capitals, most people think of Paris, London, or Milan before they consider Brussels. However, Belgium has been the cradle of many talented designers, including Diane von Furstenberg, Raf Simons, and the group known as “The Antwerp Six” (Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee) whose vision established Antwerp as a notable fashion location in the 80s. More recently, Belgian designers such as Anthony Bacarello at Saint Laurent have brought a breath of fresh air to French fashion houses.

Just like the aforementioned Belgian designers, creativity and talent are two things that Sonia Bekhor has plenty of. From an early age, she developed a love for fashion thanks to the fact that her mother owned a small boutique, and being surrounded by clothes was part of everyday life.

I sat down with her to find out more about the story behind her brand.

What inspired you to create Sonia Bekhor Brussels?

Sonia Bekhor: My love for fabrics…the textures, patterns, the materials…all of it combined.

I started my brand making scarves for men, but I always kept the idea of making kimonos because I think they are quite beautiful. Then, I found the fabrics to make them, and above all, I found a way of making them that suited me, which is to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Meaning: one fabric, one kimono.

Why did you transition from menswear to women’s ready-to-wear?

I do not want to limit myself to one thing. I liked the principle of the kimono because you can wear it open, or you can tie it…it is meant for everyone. It does not matter whether you are petite or tall, it is a “one size fits all” type of jacket.

Can you tell me about the concept of ¨Exclusive by Pop & Shop” and why you decided to join them?

Exclusive by Pop & Shop is a concept store in Brussels featuring a rotating selection of Belgian designers.

Before joining this project, my designs were featured on a website called “This is not Belgium” created by Françoise Del Turco. When Virginie Cardon and Sandrine Scheid (the founders of Exclusive by Pop & Shop) saw my scarves, they thought they would be great in their store. So, they emailed me. I replied, “yes, of course, but I am also working on a kimono collection” to which they said, “then, come with your kimono collection!”, and that is how the collaboration started.

In the beginning, I only had ten pieces, and they sold right away. So, I created new ones every week. At some point, the demand felt almost overwhelming, but knowing that people were responding well to the collection was a great feeling as well.

As a result, the founders and the designers participating in the Pop & Shop project realized that people were happy to have a store with unique pieces - since a consequence of globalization whether you stay in Brussels or you go to Madrid is that almost everyone looks the same. When you step into the Exclusive by Pop & Shop store, there is not something that is “less special” than the other. All collections complement each other. In my case, for example, when we display the kimonos, we add a piece from the Melissa Kandiyoti jewelry collection, the shoes from one of the featured designers, and it all works very well together.

Sonia Bekhor Brussels Kimono, Melissa Kandiyoti jewels and sweater by Veronica Mergeay -all available at Exclusive by Pop & Shop.

Do you think there is something “different” about Brussels fashion compared to other fashion capitals such as Paris or Milan?

Belgium is a small country, so we do not have a big market. You need to get out of Belgium in order to sell your designs somewhere else. But, the fact that we are a small country is also something that makes us stand out.

What I think is different is the way that people shop nowadays. People are making more and more sustainable choices. Creators are starting to become mindful of this need from the consumers. As a result, they create collections in smaller quantities instead of having tons of stock in storage, some of them upcycle fabrics…it is nice to have a savoir-faire and being able to tell the customers “we have a small but very well-made selection of clothes. Plus, they are made from beautiful, recycled materials”, for example.

What is your fashion advice to women?

The only advice I can give women is to accept themselves as they are. If you are tall, curvy, short, thin…own it. Do not hide your body and above everything else, be yourself!

If you like to dress a certain way, you should say to yourself, “this is my style, period”. When a woman feels comfortable in her own skin, she should not feel forced to always follow the latest fashion trend.