From today, 24th of June onwards to the end of August, Her Royal Highness Princess Delphine of Saxe-Coburg, Princess of Belgium, will join Maasmechelen Village for a curated takeover that includes a range of interactive art installations and events as well as The Creative Spot, a pop-up boutique with local emerging designers. Titled ‘Love Imperfection’, the collaboration is designed to bring art and design closer to the people, and to promote an inclusive message of self-love, empowerment and optimism.
Interactive art installations and exclusive designs
As internationally acclaimed artist and Belgian fashion icon, Princess Delphine has created an exclusive series of patterns for adorning the Village, including its six-metre-high Manneken Pis transformed into ‘Delphineken Pis’, and a larger-than-life wishing tree. A mirrored installation, meanwhile, invites guests to reflect on the beauty of their own imperfections. “I think encouraging people to embrace and love their imperfections is such an important message, whether in terms of looks or life in general,” says the Princess.
“I am very excited about working with Maasmechelen Village. The Village is a destination where people come to enjoy the finer things in life. This offers a unique platform to spread an important message about loving your imperfections and to introduce Belgian art and fashion to a larger audience in new, exciting ways.” Princess Delphine of Saxe-Coburg”
Nurturing tomorrow’s talent, today
As a member of The Bicester Collection, Maasmechelen Village is proud to offer the next chapter of The Collection’s 20-year commitment to supporting emerging talent.In this edition of The Creative Spot, Princess Delphine has chosen 10 up-and- coming Belgian creatives to participate in pop-up boutique. Next to the Belgian designers, The Creative Spot also presents Italian label Themoirè and Nigerian designer Patience Torlowei, two of the finalists of The Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers at Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana’s Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022 in Milan. All of participating designers will be provided free trading and the crucial support and resources needed to grow their businesses, a mission that resonates deeply with the Princess: “There are so many amazing talents, here in Belgium and around the world, and it’s so important to spotlight them. I have been in the arts world for more than 35 years now. I know how hard it is to get started so I feel very strongly about supporting up-and-coming designers.”
“I think encouraging people to embrace and love their imperfections is such an important message, whether in terms of looks or life in general. The beauty is in the imperfections. I believe that if we surround people with that message in a place where they come to shop and feel good, we can make it a reality.” Princess Delphine of Saxe-Coburg
On supporting emerging designers through The Creative Spot:
“Belgium has so many amazing talents and it’s so important to spotlight them. I have been in the arts world for more than 35 years now. I know how hard it is to get started so I feel very strongly about supporting up-and-coming designers.” “I selected designers that do things a little differently and out of the box. Even if what they create is very wearable, there is always this special touch that has managed to grab my attention. I feel like we’ve curated a unique blend of designers, brands and styles that are very different from one another but that all feel very relevant to me in their own way, and I’m excited to see them all
in one place.”
“The Village take-over by Princess Delphine offers a true curation of experience which perfectly complements the five-star services Maasmechelen Village has to offer”, says Delphine Medaouri, Business Director at Maasmechelen Village. “Whether it is through hands- free shopping or our concierge services, we always aim to create an unforgettable journey for our guests. The Bicester Collection is proud to support creativity in the fashion world through its ongoing commitment to Unlock Futures for tomorrow’s talent, today. This 20-year initiative has offered mentorship programmes, events, and pop-up boutiques to emerging talents across the globe, enhanced by ongoing partnerships with the British Fashion Council, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the Royal College of Art and more. A central facet of the programme is The Creative Spot pop-up boutique. that provides crucial support and resources to help fashion’s rising stars grow their businesses. Offering unique access to The Bicester Collection’s global network of guests, the boutique allows emerging designers to showcase their work amongst the Villages’ curated portfolio of the world’s most renowned fashion and lifestyle brands, free of charge. Along with additional mentorship opportunities, the boutique offers up-and-coming designers a chance to gain a foothold in the retail world, often leading to further opportunities.”
More info:
www.maasmechelenvillage.com
DelphineDeSaxeCobourg.com
