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Volume 04 — Issue 02
Neighbourhood Life + Global Style
Neighbourhood Seeing red Life Rosy cheeks Style Fireworks
Music Ruby rockers Culture Brick city + The Fashion Special
The red album

4
Publisher and editor-in-chief
Nicholas Lewis
Editor
Randa Wazen
Design
facetofacedesign
+ pleaseletmedesign
Writers
Vincent Dechamps
Rozan Jongstra
Nicholas Lewis
Philippe Pourhashemi
Stijn Verlinden
Randa Wazen
Photographers/Illustrators
354 Photographers
Toon Aerts
Ulrike Biets
Sarah Eechaut
Veerle Frissen
Merel ‘t Hart
Memymom
Sarah Michielsen
Ismael Moumin
OBLIQUE
Yassin Serghini
Brecht Vandenbroucke
Virassamy
Interns
Antoine Ghuisoland (graphic design)
Kathy Boros (editorial)
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The Word is published five times a year by
JamPublishing, 107 Rue Général Henry
Straat 1040 Brussels Belgium. Reproduction,
in whole or in part, without prior permission
is strictly prohibited. All information correct
up to the time of going to press. The publishers
cannot be held liable for any changes in
this respect after this date.
© Sarah Eechaut
I don’t really like red as a colour. I find it aggressive, sometimes
even distasteful. It is loud and primitive and leaves nothing to the
imagination. Be it in fashion, interiors or even urban architecture, red
is often nothing more than a faux pas, a wrong-footed attempt to make
a statement which often ends with squints and eyesores for all. Red is
a colour that works well on paper, but somewhat falls short in practice.
Red. It does sound nice on paper. As nice as the red-tinted stories,
features and interviews we have lined up for you in this edition.
To begin with, there’s the piece we did on anger management, the
profile of snake-breeding hybrid hero Sebastien Rien as well as the
editorial nod given to slasher movies. There’s the feature on Brussels'
notorious devil den Le Bar Rouge, and the series capturing boxers
seconds after stepping off the ring. There’s also the explosive fashion
story, and the visual document on Flanders' standard-setting red brick
houses.
On the music front, we spoke with Eagles of Death Metal frontman
Jesse Hughes, skyped London's Autokratz and Paris' My Sister Klaus
as well as gave a disposable camera to Belgium's Vermin Twins. We
also digged deep into our national heritage, talking to Belgian punk
pioneers Red Zebra and capturing L'Ancienne Belgique in its full glory.
For our annual fashion special, we did our part for local talent (both
established and emerging) and spent an afternoon with Walter Van
Beirendonck and Dirk van Saene. We also organised a round table
debate on the topic of sustainable fashion, wondering if the hype was
really deserved. Eight industry professionals (of which an art director,
a fashion designer and a retail pioneer) got together for an honest and
insightful exchange, discussing everything from the true definition
of sustainability to what the fashion folks should really be doing to
make the world a better place. You can watch a video of the talk on
thewordmagazine.be.
This edition also marks the introduction of QR codes to the magazine.
The idea is quite simple. As soon as you see a bar code somewhere
on the page, scan it with your smartphone and you’ll automatically
be redirected to the content (and much more) on our website. We’re
getting with the times, and digitalising our paper.
Nicholas Lewis
The editor's letter
On this cover
What you think you looking at?

AVAILABLE AT
BELLEROSE

6 The contents
Neighbourhood
21
The temper trap
22
Sébastien Rien
Life
30
Painting the town red
32
Red bulls
STyLe
36
The showstoppers
40
Ruby greyscale
MuSic
51
Lydia Lunch
52
Speak of the devil
60
Playing with fire
The faShioN SpeciaL
64
The prodigy
68
Walter & Dirk
cuLTure
76
The shelf
80
Brick by brick
88
Lip reading

www.essentiel.be

8
Antoine Ghuisoland
graphic design intern
About
Currently completing his final
year in graphic design at HEAJ,
Antoine keeps busy designing
flyers, working on his personal
exhibitions, helping with his
great-grand-father’s exhibition
at Botanique (see page 11), and
interning at The Word.
Task
Antoine has helped out with
everything from drafting presentations
and designing our annual
greeting card, to spreading The
Word out on distribution rounds.
Quote
“Sorry I’m late again…”
It’s a Word’s world
Simon-Pierre Toussaint
stylist
Pages
40 — 49
About
Since recently graduating
with honours from Antwerp’s
fashion academy, Simon-
Pierre has been splitting his
time between styling editorials,
staging installations
and launching his own label,
Dearest.
Task
Simon-Pierre's avant-garde and
bold aesthetic, a mix of emerging
and established style, proved to be
the perfect tone for this edition's
colour-splashed fashion feature.
Quote
“Red. It forbids, excites, punishes,
underlines, alerts and
stands out.”
The contributors
Brecht Vandenbroucke
illustrator
Pages
78 — 79
About
A young illustrator and proud
Belgian, Brecht sketches
every day, in a trademark
style that features his bitingly
sardonic humour in magazine
illustrations or painstakingly
detailed spreads.
Task
For this edition, we asked him to
give Wally the Brecht treatment,
transposing our cherished comic
hero in a dark world of strange
settings and twisted tales.
Quote
“You may rest when I'm dead.”
brechtvandenbroucke.blogspot.com
Memymon
photographers
Pages
88 — 93
About
Mother (Marilène Coolens) and
daughter (Lisa De Boeck) duo
Memymom sees photography as
a leap through the rabbit hole:
whether making a statement,
taking their revenge against life
or simply creating beauty (and
the beast).
Task
For this Portfolio, the ladies
imagined something of a
Lynchesque intrigue following a
mysterious lipstick trail.
Quote
“It was a nice stay in the Red
Room (all the rest is yours to
fantasise about).”
memymom.com

EAU DE LACOSTE L .12.12
THE LACOSTE POLOSHIRT IN A FRAGRANCE COLLECTION

10 The blackboard
Exhibitions Arts Music Shows Parties
01 02
07
10
05
04
08
01. The 10 th Kitsuné Maison Compilation, dubbed the Fireworks Issue. Stand out tracks: Punks Jump Up’s Blockhead and Justus Kohncke’s Sorry (featuring Alexis Taylor). / 02. A red hot chili
pepper. / 03. Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shine lipstick. / 04. Deep Throat (1972): a young woman who can’t have orgasms is told her pleasure point is nestled in her throat. You guess the rest. / 05.
Atypyk’s Kiss, a makeshift lipstick stamp. / 06. Prince’s infamous 1999 album. Little Red Corvette is track number two. / 07. Our new intern Kathy suggested we add a pinch of Wild Hibiscus
flowers to our end-of-week drinks, instantly colouring them red. / 08. Other red-faced magazines: Berlin’s 032c, an August 1990 copy of Brussels’ The Bulletin (featuring breakdancing crew
Brussels Rap Convention on its cover), Redbull’s The Red Bulletin, the UK’s original The Word and, last but not least, NME. / 09. A red pen. The ultimate office essential come proof reading
time. / 10. An infrared lamp. We can't quite imagine how we faced the biting cold winter days without this one. / 11. A nostalgic look back at the many (red) report cards we got at school. / All
photography Yassin Serghini.
09
11
06
03

01. breaking with tradition
The days of the autonomous, immutable
and material nature of art are long gone.
Celebrating this realisation with a big bang,
Wiels has opened its space to young international
artists for whom a situation, event
or action is the central medium. American
performance artist Sharon Hayes (pictured)
will show an installation of her staged demonstrations
in different cities and Berlin-based
Tino Seghal will present his latest brand of
living sculptures, which has Wiels’ attendants
spontaneously reciting the day’s newspaper
headline to each visitor as they purchase their
ticket.
The Other Tradition
Until 1 st May
Wiels, Brussels
wiels.org
*
The PARTY
YOu CAN’T MISS
pias Nites
@ Tour & Taxis (Brussels), on 25 th and
26 th March – The cult Belgian label has
convened the finest acts of its current
roster for a double whammy of dance
and rock‘n’roll with, amongst others,
Faithless, The human League, Matt &
Kim, Crystal Fighters, Cassius as well
as local talents The Van Jets, Aeroplane
and Mustang.
piasnites.com
02. Standing on the shoulder
of giants
Thomas Lerooy took the international
art scene by storm with his sculptures of men
suffering the weight of their disproportionately
enlarged heads. Using the typical trademark
of caricature humour, the Belgian artist’s
grotesque creations, whilst managing to move
beyond the stereotypical joke, never fail to
make one laugh. Toying with visually contradicting
propositions, he places his sculptures
within the highest traditions of sculptural art
(the production’s solidity and systematic use of
a plinth to emphasise the artistic pretensions
of the statue) yet undermines those very same
conventions (such as proportion, symmetry
and balance).
Thomas Lerooy
From 2 nd April to 14 th May
Rodolphe Janssen Gallery, Brussels
galerierodolphejanssen.com
Neighbourhood
Belgium
03. The haunting faces of our past
Born to a family of miners, Norbert
Ghisoland spent 40 years of his life photographing
his peers from the Borinage region,
at the start of the 20 th century. By inviting
them in his studio to pose in front of exotic
backdrops, he was able to offer them a break
from their grim reality. Despite the lavish
settings, details such as a missing button or
eyes filled with sadness betray the harshness
and precariousness of their living conditions.
Acting as what could be described as
an “accidental anthropologist”, Ghisoland’s
sole ambition was to project and offer his
customers the image they had dreamed of for
themselves. The result is at times entertaining,
at others deeply moving.
Norbert Ghisoland
Until 24 th April
Botanique, Brussels
botanique.be
04. one in, one out
In a world saturated with images, our eyes
gorge on visual stimuli yet simultaneously
seem to bring on forgetfulness, every new sight
erasing past ones. These ideas form the catalyst
for Dubois Friedland Gallery’s latest group
show, whereby four artists have joined around
the themes of time and memory. Whether
facing the formatting of Carole Benzaken's
motifs, Gregory Forstner's intimate and surrealistic
sights, the dreamlike materiality of
Thomas Fougeirol's paintings (pictured) or the
mental investigation that accompanies Hervé
Ic's compositions – the focus remains on the
human consciousness that gives the world's
mechanisms an inquisitive look.
Of The Limits of my Thoughts
Until 7 th May
Dubois Friedland Gallery, Brussels
duboisfriedland.com
*
The FeSTIVAL
TO CATCh
domino festival
@ AB (Brussels), from 6 th to 12 th April –
For it’s 15 th edition, the AB plays host
to about 30 performers in seven days,
ranging from headliners such as Battles,
Belle And Sebastian or José Gonzales and
his 20-man string ensemble Göteburg
String Theory orchestra, to rising stars
hype Williams, Darkstar, and Wu Lyf.
We’re there already.
abconcerts.be
( 01 10 )
01.
02.
03.
04.
11
© Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin
© Courtesy Rodolphe Janssen Gallery
© Courtesy Dubois Friedland Gallery, Bruxelles © Marc Ghuisoland

© Courtesy Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp © Etienne Tordoir © Courtesy Twig Gallery, Brussels
© Michel Mazzoni
12 The diary
05.
06.
07.
08.
05. Mapping the invisible
Part of the Brussels Art Fair’s sideprogram,
You Are Here! gathers contemporary
artists whose works explore the notion
of territory. The ideas of maps, trails, space,
borders, landscapes and explorations are
evoked through photographs, videos, drawings,
paintings or sculptures. In this day and
age of globalisation, it seems that our world is
ever shrinking. Yet art manages to perpetually
explore and re-invent this very same world,
just as “constituting a territory is almost akin
to the birth of art,” as French philosopher
Gilles Deleuze duly noted.
You Are here!
From 22 nd April to 14 th May
L’Escaut, Brussels
escaut.org
06. Seeing sounds
The LA based artist Tyler Vlahovich
has been attracted by the intangible essence
of music for as long as he can remember. His
obsession with music software, which he
manipulates with amateurism, has allowed
him to transpose musical notes into paintings
or drawings. And just as a sound becomes
music, the imaginary grouping of gestures and
lines become a pictorial composition. Softer
strokes and tense contours co-exist in what
becomes an improbable tangled mess. The
viewer’s eye is guided by the dynamics of each
line, Vlahovich’s works carrying the same
rhythm as musical arrangements.
Tyler Vlahovich
Until 2 nd April
Twig Gallery, Brussels
twiggallery.com
*
The PARTY
YOu CAN’T MISS
bozar Night
@ Bozar (Brussels), on 26 th March –
Begin by catching a late-night run of
Luc Tuymans’ exhibition before dancing
the night away to the sounds of T.
Raumschmiere, Schakleton, headhunter,
Vermin Twins and the likes.
bozar.be
07. Time to unwind
After exploring timeless staples such as
patterns or the use of black, the MoMu takes
a deep look into another omnipresent fashion
component: knitwear. For long the playing
field of OAPs, knitting has today become more
relevant than ever, and this timely exhibition
aims to challenge any preconceived ideas that
come with the craft. Expect a mix of contemporary
and classic knitwear design houses, as
well as young designers and historical garments
presenting different technical and conceptual
approaches. With a focus on high fashion
pieces and their vernacular interpretations,
catching the show is sure to have you digging
through the attic for yarn and needles.
unravel: Knitwear in Fashion
Until 14 th August
MoMu, Antwerp
momu.be
*
The LeCTuRe
TO GO TO
Shapeshifters
@ Beursschouwburg (Brussels), on 6 th
and 29 th April – Investigating the way
in which graphic designers use signs to
achieve sensitivity, Shapeshifters invite
German Andréas uebele and British
Peter Crnokrak of The Luxury of Protest
platform, as well as Lizá Ramalho and
Artur Rebelo of Portuguese design studio
R2 to address the matter.
shapeshifters.be
08. abstract reasoning
Labelled “the father of a new abstraction”,
Jack Whitten underwent numerous reinventions
throughout his career. The American
artist began experimenting with colours and
dynamism in the 60s, turning to abstraction
and a new method in the 70s, dragging
paint across his canvas with unusual tools
such as squeegees, rakes and Afro combs.
Reintroducing gesture with aspects of sculpture
and collage in the 80s, Whitten experimented
with “casting” acrylic paints to create
new surfaces and textures, before moving
closer to sculpture in the 90s. For his first
show at Zeno X, Whitten will be showing three
paintings and 10 drawings from 2009-2010.
Jack Whitten
Until 7 th May
Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp
zeno-x.com

09. you’ve come a long way baby
Unfolding stories with fictional characters,
situations and landscapes, sometimes
in a detailed and elaborate manner, other
times in a few but precise lines, Paula Mueller
shares her thoughts and strikes the spectator.
Reflecting on drawing (“that is never able
to lie”), the German artist deems painting
more playful. In So Far, Honey, she will show
works on paper as well as on canvas, combinational
frames and works on glass in frames,
installed on a wall drawing. And by stimulating
dialogue between her works, the room and
the spectator, it is more than paintings that
will be on show. Expect to enter a whole new
dimension.
Paula Mueller: So Far, honey
Until 7 th May
Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp
timvanlaeregallery.com
*
The FAIR
YOu CAN’T MISS
art brussels
@ heysel (Brussels), from 28 th April to 1 st
May – With over 170 galleries showing, the
majority of which coming from abroad,
Art Brussels is once again the go-to place
for an immersion into contemporary art’s
most promising talents.
artbrussels.be
10. When east meets west
Joy and Disaster will revisit the issues
raised 30 years ago when former S.M.A.K.
director Jan Hoet selected six Hungarian
artists for the Prospect 80/1 exhibition.
These artists acted on motivations similar to
those of their western peers, by withdrawing
themselves from society (a necessity in
the East). The show comes just in time for
the Hungarian presidency of the European
Union, offering a wonderfully challenging
dialogue between the work of contemporary
Hungarian artists and those from the
Belgian cultural institution powerhouse’s own
collection.
Joy and Disaster
From 26 th March to 5 th June
S.M.A.K., Ghent
smak.be
© Courtesy Vintage Gallery, Budapest ©Courtesy Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp
09.
10.
Neighbourhood
United Kingdom
11.
12.
© Wellcome Library, London
© Dieter Roth
( 11 16 )
13
11. dirty pretty things
Taking a closer look at the “filthy reality
of everyday life,” the Wellcome Collection’s
latest exhibition travels across centuries and
continents to explore our ambivalent relationship
with dirt. Assembling around 200
artefacts spanning visual art, documentary
photography, cultural ephemera, scientific
artefacts, film and literature, the viewer is
faced with a rich history of disgust and delight
in the grimy truths and dirty secrets of our
past. The highlight of the show points to the
uncertain future of filth, which poses a significant
risk to our health but, whether we like it or
not, is also vital to our existence.
Dirt: The Filthy Reality of everyday Life
From 24 th March to 31 st August
Wellcome Collection, London
wellcomecollection.org
12. Travelling without moving
Iceland enthusiasts will be delighted
to know about the Dieter Roth exhibition
opening this month at London’s Hauser &
Wirth. No less than 31,035 photographs
taken by the composer/musician/poet/writer
and artist will be shown simultaneously on
multiple projectors. Inspired by the distinctive
character of Icelandic architecture,
Reykjavik Slides documents every building
of the city. The exhibition offers a mindboggling
homage to this beautiful and mysterious
capital, where the Swiss-German artist had
settled, and the sensation of actually being
there.
Dieter Roth: Reykjavik Slides
Until 30 th April
Hauser & Wirth, London
hauserwirth.com
*
The FeSTIVAL
TO CATCh
camden crawl
@ Various venues (London), on 30 th of
April and 1 st May – What started out as
a low-key conduit to showcase emerging
artists alongside surprise guests to
die-hard music lovers has grown into an
established urban festival, which will see
no less than 250 gigs and events take
place in 50 venues of the North London
borough.
thecamdencrawl.com

14
13. american life
In An American Experiment, 12 paintings
by George Bellows and the Ashcan Painters
are presented, introducing viewers to a seminal
period in the history of American painting. The
Ashcan School was formed at the beginning of
the 20th century as painters, principally in New
York City and Philadelphia, began to develop a
uniquely American point of view on the beauty,
violence and velocity of the modern world –
and a new way to represent them. Don’t miss the
1913 painting The Big Dory (pictured), one of
Bellows’ most audacious images – which anticipated
the stylisations of Art Deco a generation
later – and the true highlight of this exhibition.
An American experiment
Until 30 th May
National Gallery, London
nationalgallery.org.uk
*
The ShOW YOu CAN’T MISS
powder Train
@ Cielo 3 (London), until 12 th April –
Collaborative duo Ant&Co are showing
a selection of portraits touching upon
the contemporary art scene as well as
pop-culture’s fixtures. Photographer
Alisa Connan captures celebrities; the
pictures then transformed by artist
Karl Anthoney’s painting or silkscreen
techniques.
antandco.com
14. playfully yours
The Tate Modern’s retrospective of
Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco has generated
much deserved hype. Featuring over 80 works
– including a new installation – it highlights
his substantial production of sculpture,
photography, drawing and painting. Orozco is
renowned for his experimentation with found
objects, both natural and man made, which
he subtly alters. This will be your chance to
witness some of his most famous creations,
including Black Kites, a human skull upon
which Orozco drew a geometric checkerboard
pattern, Horses Running Endlessly, or La DS,
a classic Citroën DS that has been sliced into
thirds and deprived of its central part to exaggerate
its streamlined, aerodynamic design.
Gabriel Orozco
Until 25 th April
Tate Modern, London
tate.org.uk
The diary
15. Take no prisoners
A pioneer of feminism, the late Nancy
Spero was politically active throughout her
life. The American artist created work that
was often radical – making strong statements
against war, violence, male dominance and
abuses of power. Using a more ephemeral and
immediate way of working, the ideas come
alive through the use of tools such as painting,
collage, printmaking and installation. Spero’s
approach and school of thought – which she
described as “peinture féminine” – created a
vibrant visual language that balanced ethics
with aesthetics.
Nancy Spero
Until 1 st May
Serpentine Gallery, London
serpentinegallery.org
16. rising stars
Be the first to spot the new generation
of YBA’s at The British Art Show’s seventh
edition. Widely recognised as the most ambitious
and influential exhibition of contemporary
British art, it will feature the works
of 39 artists, selected on the grounds of their
significant contribution to international contemporary
art in the last five years. Since its
beginning in 1979, the list of previous exhibitors
reads like a Who’s Who of British Art
– Lucien Freud, Gilbert and George, Anish
Kapoor, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin –
many of whom were shown long before they
became household names.
The British Art Show 7:
In the Days of the Comet
Until 17 th April
Southbank Centre, London
southbankcentre.co.uk
*
The ShOW
YOu CAN’T MISS
Modern british Sculpture
@ Royal Academy of Arts (London), until
7 th April – Brush up on your knowledge
of British sculpture with this comprehensive
review of 20 th century works,
including landmark pieces such as henry
Moore’s Festival Figure, Anthony Caro’s
early One Morning, Julian Opie’s W or
Damien hirst’s Let’s eat Outdoors Today.
royalacademy.org.uk
13.
14.
15.
16.
© Alasdair Gray, courtesy of the artist and Sorcha Dallas © Courtesy of Collection G&R Mayer
© Florian Kleinefenn, courtesy of the artist
© Alex Morganti, courtesy New Britain Museum of American Art

Shave your style.
“Make life your canvas.”
Emil Kozak, 29, Artist
Watch exclusive video footage of Emil and fi nd out how to shave,
style & trim your statement of style with cruZer on braun.com /cruzer cruZer

16
Holland ( 17 18 ) France ( 19 20 )
17. images moving slowly
Known for its socially driven exhibitions,
the Noorderlicht space in Amsterdam turns to
the photographic medium, challenging it with
Taste My Photons. The exhibited photographers,
local (Ruth van Beek, Wim Bosch, Bert
Danckaert) and international (Michael John
Whelan, Sabrina Jung, Ingo Mittelstaedt)
are invited to show works that are seemingly
formal and abstract, soliciting a longer and
deeper look from the viewer. Equally acting
as a counterbalance to the daily bombardment
of images we are all subjected to, this
show is one that is not to be missed.
Taste My Photons
Until 17 th April
Noorderlicht, Amsterdam
noorderlicht.com
*
LAST DAYS
TO See
Joris Jansen
@ Foam (Amsterdam), until 23 rd March –
Revolving around one single old picture,
Kosmos is Jansen’s ode to analogue photography.
By using words and microscopic
images to analyse the photo, the result is
both encyclopaedic and mesmerising in its
abstractness.
foam.org
18. Love never dies
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the
Caldic Collection, the Kunsthal displays a
selection of over 80 paintings, photographs,
installations and sculptures that have all been
purchased over the last 10 years, some of
which have never been made public before.
Recent works by contemporary renowned
artists like Tracy Emin (pictured), Ai Weiwei,
Louise Bourgeois, Damien Hirst, Anselm
Kiefer, Yayoi Kusama, Ernesto Neto, James
Turrell, Sam Taylor-Wood and Robert
Zandvliet are exhibited – showcasing the
undying love collector Joop van Caldenborgh
vows to art. A once in a lifetime chance to
peruse one of the most important privately
owned art collections in the Netherlands.
I Promise To Love You:
Caldic Collection
Until 15 th May
Kunsthal, Rotterdam
kunsthal.nl
© Ruth van Beek
© Caldic Collection
17.
18.
The diary
19.
20.
© Courtesy the Estate of General Idea © Société Réaliste
19. empire state of mind
Evoking the legendary New York skyscraper,
the exhibition by Société Réaliste – a
Parisian cooperative that works with political
design, experimental economics and social
engineering consulting – is articulated around
two pivotal pieces: Culte de l’Humanitée
(a new collection of colours) and The
Fountainhead (a movie based on the eponymous
Hollywood film made by King Vidor
in 1949, itself based on Ayn Rand’s novel).
By removing the soundtrack, as well as the
characters from the original film, the viewer
is left facing 111 minutes of pure architectural
setting, devoid of narrative. An absolute mustsee
for building buffs.
Société Réaliste: empire, State, Building
Until 8 th May
Jeu de Paume, Paris
jeudepaume.org
*
LAST DAYS
TO CATCh
patrick guns
@ Polaris Gallery (Paris), until 30 th March
– The Belgian artist will be presenting a
series of drawings featuring the trademark
irony that he casts upon the world.
Titled May 35 th , the exhibition sees Guns
taking a crack at hitchcock, migrations,
and police brutality.
galeriepolaris.com
20. art made to be laughed at
The first Parisian retrospective of General
Idea offers an impressive selection of 300
works by the Canadian collective. Founded
in Toronto in 1969, the trio adopted a generic
identity that “freed itself from the tyranny of
individual genius.” Their complex intermingling
of reality and fiction took the form of a
scathing and often parodic take on art, society
and media culture, including beauty pageants,
boutiques, television talk shows, and trade
fair pavilions. All in all, the show provides a
comprehensive overview of the collective’s
refreshing oeuvre, considered by many as true
pioneers of early conceptual and media-based
art.
haute Culture: General Idea
Until 30 th April
Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris
mam.paris.fr
C
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CM
MY
CY
CMY
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18
The go! Team
@ Botanique
on 23 rd March
If you haven’t experienced
the explosive energy,
instrumental eclecticism
and clashing madness of
The Go! Team live on
stage, now is your chance.
After two critically
acclaimed albums, the
exuberant Brighton-based
sextet is back with Rolling
Blackouts, their latest psychedelic
pop/rock release.
Just close your eyes, clap
your hands and let yourself
get carried away.
Play Rennes
(L’Ubu)
on 24 th March
Play Paris
(Flèche d’or)
on 25 th March
Zombifff Night
@ Magasin 4
on 9 th April
Cheap Satanism Records
paired with the Brussels
International Fantastic
Film Festival to program
a ghoulish bill to end the
Zombie Parade day. Inviting
Parisian experimental
psychedelic duo Zombie
Zombie, French dark-pop
duo and “goth’n’roll” outfit
Cercueil, Philippe Petit
– as well as all the acts of
their current roster (Vitas
Guerulaïtis, Keiki, Baby
Fire, Joy As A Toy and
Trike), it’s safe to say that
the Belgian label managed
to pull off what promises to
be one hellish night.
aloe blacc +
Maya Jupiter
@ L’Ancienne
Belgique
on 28 th March
Although he’s been
around since 1995, it’s
the 2010 track I Need A
Dollar – the theme song to
HBO’s How To Make It In
America – that saw Aloe
Blacc’s smooth retro soul
gain mainstream reach. His
charisma and feel-good
tunes are sure to turn the
AB into a church of love
and happiness.
Plays Paris
(La Cigale)
on 21 st March
Plays Amsterdam
(Paradiso)
on 27 th March
Plays London
(La Scala)
on 1 st May
deerhunter +
Lower dens
@ Botanique
on 11 th April
Ambient punk quartet
Deerhunter, hailing from
Atlanta, are renowned for
their intense live shows.
With Baltimore-based
Lower Dens (whose
ghost-heavy weird-fi has
gotten everyone excited)
supporting them, get ready
to lose yourself in a sea of
guitar-driven shoegazey
soundscapes.
Play London
(Shepherd’s Bush)
on 31 st March
Play Amsterdam
(Melkweg)
on 2 nd April
Play Paris
(La Gaîté Lyrique)
on 9 th April
The diary
The pick of gigs to come
The Kills
@ Trix
on 29 th March
When Jamie Hince isn’t
pictured in tabloids with
fiancée Kate Moss, he’s busy
recording with Alison Mosshart
– recently on vocal duty
with super-band The Dead
Weather – in stripped-down
and blues infused garage
rock outfit The Kills. Catch
them in Antwerp for a chance
to hear their fourth album
Blood Pressures before
anyone else.
Play Amsterdam
(Melkweg)
on 30 th March
Play London
(Heaven)
on 31 st March
Play Paris
(Bataclan)
on 6 th April
The young
gods
@ Botanique
on 13 th April
The Swiss trio has somewhat
stepped away from
the aggressive machinedriven
post-industrial
music that saw them rise
to fame in the mid-80s, in
favour of a more approachable
and polished upbeat
sound. The result is nonetheless
captivating and
their live performances
remain legendary.
Play Utrecht
(Tivoli)
on 11 th April
Play Paris
(Café de la Danse)
on 21 st April
Play Toulouse
(Le Bikini)
on 19 th May
dan le sac vs
Scroobious pip
@ Botanique
on 30 th March
Scroobious Pip’s fast-paced
MCing and his insightful
lyrics, together with dan
le sac’s bouncy electronic
rhythms and banging beats
have earned the Essex duet
a wide following and solid
live rep. And whilst their
sophomore effort The
Logic of Chance might
not live up to the striking
brilliance of their 2008
debut Angles, we’re still
definitely there.
Play Rotterdam
(Rotown)
on 31 st March
The Subs
@ L’Ancienne
Belgique
on 14 th April
No one gets the party started
and the kids dancing
like Ghent’s home-grown
rave-punk sensation The
Subs. Playing their new
record to a packed AB, and
after more than 150 shows
under their belt, The Subs
have honed their stagecraft
to the millimetre.
Play Ghent
(Vooruit)
on 7 th April
Play Ostende
(Kursaal)
on 16 th April
Play Bourges
(Printemps de
Bourges Festival)
on 20 th April
i blame coco +
Washington
@ L’ Ancienne
Belgique
on 31 st March
Although having a father
called Sting undeniably
helped Coco Sumner get
her name out there, her
strong debut The Constant
quickly put to rest those
who might have dismissed
her as yet another “daughter
of”. Supported by Washington,
this one promises to
be a refreshing evening of
disarming female talent.
Plays Köln
(Luxor)
on 27 th March
Plays Paris
(Théatre de
l’Alhambra)
on 1 st April
Plays
Luxembourg
(Den Atelier)
on 2 nd April
angus
& Julia Stone
@ Cirque Royal
on 2 nd May
Angus & Julia Stone’s sweet
folk pervaded pop seems
to have taken the world
by storm. The Australian
siblings have a soft spot
for acoustic music, clean
arrangements, vocal harmonies
and simple production.
At times too gentle
and soft, their music will
provide the perfect backdrop
to anyone’s excessive
May Day partying.
Play Paris
(Le Trianon)
on 26 th April
Play Luxembourg
(Rockhal)
on 3 rd May
dum dum girls
@ Vooruit
on 7 th April
Riding on the wave of 60s
inspired lo-fi fuzz-rock,
with the likes of Vivian
Girls, Crystal Slits and
Best Coast, Dum Dum
Girls have assembled all
the elements that foster a
well-deserved hype: catchy
reverb-laden tunes, a welltailored
goth-punk attire
and a critically acclaimed
debut on legendary indie
label Sub Pop.
Play London
(Dingwalls)
on 5 th April
Play Rotterdam
(Binnenstad
Festival)
on 7 th April
Play Paris
(La Machine)
on 24 th April
Metronomy
@ VK
on 6 th May
After conquering clubs
in 2008 with the electro
pop dance floor favourite
Heartbreaker, Metronomy
returns with the equally
catchy and bittersweet She
Wants from sophomore album
English Riviera. Don’t
miss their even funkier
live show, which includes
quirky dance routines and
lights beaming out of the
band members’ chests.
Play London
(Shepherd’s Bush)
on 16 th April
Play Amsterdam
(Paradiso)
on 5 th May
Play Paris
(La Cigale)
on 4 th May
See page 96 for live venue contact information.

Order your programme leaflet for our concerts
in Brussels at tickets@symfonieorkest.be
Brussels.
Palais des Beaux-Arts
TOCCATA
Saturday. 09.04.2011. 20:00
Martinu . Haydn . Tchaikovsky
Conductor. Andreas Delfs
Soloist. Claudio Bohórquez. cello
FANTASTIQUE
Friday. 13.05.2011. 20:00
Enescu . Mozart . Berlioz
Conductor. Seikyo Kim
Soloist. Alina Ibragimova. violin
reservation & tickets
www.symfonieorkest.be
Alina Ibragimova © Sussie Ahlburg

20
The papers
Society Photography Industry Cinema
The red papers
A lesson in cooling-off, breeding snakes as art, why your local
porn haunt is no more and the absurdity of slasher movies.
We've got today’s community of the weird and wonderful
covered.
Writers Vincent Dechamps, Rozan Jongstra, Nicholas Lewis and Randa Wazen

The temper
trap
What sets your nerves on edge? The idiot who
suddenly cuts into your lane? The stubborn
printer that always breaks down when you most
need it? If these trivial daily mishaps are likely
to send you into a fit of rage, you just might have
a problem. “There are three stages in anger,”
explains anger management trainer Annemie
De Boye. “The first is physiological, where your
body prepares to fight something it perceives as
a threat. Your temperature rises, breathing accelerates,
muscles tense up… The second stage is
cognitive, as your mind interprets the situation.
You start wondering, for example, why your boss
is giving you a hard time, again. The third stage is
your reaction. Some people nervously click their
pen, others tap their feet. As for the people I work
with, this is when they snap.”
Before anything, it is important to note that
anger is not to be confused with aggression. Anger
is part of our behaviour and is not necessarily
linked to emotions, whereas aggression is purely
emotional and acts as a warning signal. So what
triggers a tantrum? “It comes down to frustrations
accumulating and your current level of tolerance;
an outburst is the result of one frustration
Neighbourhood
ˆ
“ Some people nervously click their pen, others tap their feet.
As for the people I work with, this is when they snap ”
ˇ
too many.” Anger issues are a sign of our times.
Crushed by the constant pressure to perform,
countless minor incidents get in our way towards
achievement, like unpredictable traffic jams or
unreliable alarm clocks. Additionally, elements
such as fatigue and an imbalanced lifestyle lower
our level of tolerance. De Boye tends to deal
with two kinds of patients: “Perfectionists, who
are irritated by the slightest flaws and therefore
continuously frustrated, or overly principled
people, for whom it’s black or white and who
can’t let things go.” Owning up to this lack of
self-control is tough – people rarely call on De
Boye of their own accord. “Usually employers
or family members have – as a final warning –
ordered them to seek help.” So what does ‘anger
management’ entail? “I teach people how to recognise
the signs of an oncoming outburst. Cooling
down is an effective remedy, while sports are a
good outlet for frustration. Next, think positive;
it’s only a dirty coffee mug – not the end of the
world. Thirdly, control your actions. Are you
pacing? Sit down. Naturally, anger management
isn’t something you learn in a day, but I hand
people the tools to get there.”
Kamil Uygun, former European Free Fight
Champion, confirms that sports can help counter
a burgeoning aggressive streak. “Professional
fighters are incredibly disciplined; we are obliged
to watch our diet and nights out. If anybody knows
about self-control, it’s us.” The intense physical
21
exercise is also an efficient way to evacuate builtup
adrenaline and frustration. “The ring is not
the place to vent your emotions, though,” Uygun
warns. “Anger will make you weak.” Geraldine
Laurys, Chief Inspector of the St Josse ten Noode
police station, spent 10 years on the streets and
dealt with aggression on a nightly basis. “Mainly
marital disputes, drunken brawls, people with
psychological problems. But fighting aggression
with more aggression doesn’t work; stay calm but
show them you’re not to be messed with.” Another
profession to suffer the rage and venom of countless
incensed consumers are phone operators.
“In one ear, straight out the other – it’s the only
way to cope,” admits Silvia Picciau, who has been
working in Sony’s complaint department for over
three years. “Some people are so worked up, they
forget to say hello.” Not all callers are angry, but
those who are upset easily resort to verbal abuse.
“The names I’ve been called!” she gasps. Her
advice on dealing with temper tyrants: “Speak
quietly. In order to hear you, they’ll have to lower
their voice!” (RJ)
For more information on anger management training visit
hipepe.be
Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/
thetempertrap or scan the QR code on
the right for more anger managment tales
and testimonials.
© Virassamy

22
Any artist’s main goal and driving force is
creation, and creating life could be deemed
the ultimate achievement. Sébastien Rien, a
27- year-old multidisciplinary artist fascinated
by reptiles and marine creatures for
as long as he can remember, found a way to
regroup his passion with his work as an artist.
His current project, Sang Mêlé (literally translated
as “blended blood”), sees him play God
by crossbreeding colubrids in order to create
new hybrids. Messing around with snakes is no
innocent choice; such is the strength of mythology
associated with them and the fear they seem
to elicit in a vast majority of people. “There is a
clear will to demystify the animal,” admits Rien,
“but they’re also of an extreme beauty, colour
and texture wise.” Working in collaboration
with other breeders, Rien purchased several
snakes, mostly red ones, and began experimenting
three years ago. “You can predict the
outcome of the colour and pattern, but there are
no guarantees.”
One could obviously question the true
artistic value of this project. After all, this
The papers
ˆ
“ His current project, Sang Mêlé (literally translated as “blended blood”), sees him
play God by crossbreeding colubrids in order to create new hybrids”
The snake
farmer
ˇ
could very well happen in nature. Yet the
boundaries of artistic creation keep on being
pushed, as technology, scientific research and
biology merge into new forms of expression.
Commonly referred to as BioArt, made popular
in the late 90s when Eduardo Kac introduced
Alba, the world’s first transgenic fluorescent
rabbit, Sébastien’s work is more traditional in
that he simply exploits accidents and genetic
flukes. The overiding power of the selection
is key in differentiating his approach to that
of a scientific researcher or a mere breeder.
Sang Mêlé is a study on form and colour. “Just
like a painter, I chose my colours by selecting
certain individuals, and like the sculptor, my
work operates in shapes as the snake is a threedimensional
object,” he explains. Sang Mêlé
could therefore very well earn its place within
art history, even though having living creatures
as main medium inevitably tests its archetypes
and the way people perceive art. If anything, the
dichotomy between nature and human productions
is one in which Rien does not believe, as
he firmly stresses. “We often speak of nature
as being something external to our productions
but when you think of it, if we are products of
nature, then our very own productions are those
of nature too.”
Having worked on Sang Mêlé for three
years, he lacks distance and results. His
livestock currently counts about 18 specimens
and he produced one baby in August, which
sadly died a few weeks later. The product was
a blend of four different species, and Sébastien is
unsure as to the exact causes of this failure. The
defunct one has now been recycled into another
project. “It sounds sordid, but I’ve always kept
all my carcasses in a freezer,” he says with a mischievous
smile. Frozen into interesting shapes,
his colubrids, boas and pythons have become
sculptures, which he then photographs. Busy
with countless other projects, such as his collective
Phase 3 or Le Bestiaire – a line of silver
pendants cast in the shape of small animals’ jaws,
created in collaboration with jewellery designer
Artamonoff – Sang Mêlé currently remains a
non-profit side-enterprise (the artist can’t sell the
products in order to keep the process going). It
is also a never-ending one: “there will always be
new ways of pushing the selection in other directions.
It’s a work in movement, like life. Like the
world.” And just like life, this project doesn’t have
an ultimate goal, if only perhaps to achieve the
creation of specimens that become as far removed
from their original forms as possible. (RW)
Sébastien Rien’s photographs of frozen specimens will be
displayed at the MAAC, Rue des Chartreux 26-28 Kartuizersstraat,
1000 Brussels, from 27th May to 25th June.
sebastien-rien.be
© Sarah Eechaut

Kitsch, crimes
& Ketchup
With Wes Craven's Scream 4 due for official
cinema release in spring, avoiding slasher films
has become quite the challenge. This was not
always the case. In fact, slasher movies are
more of a subcategory within horror films,
verging onto caricature and exaggeration. The
rules are simple and have yet to be changed:
a masked villain – often disfigured or who’s
identity is concealed by smart camera angles –
leads the action, perpetuating several bloody
crimes, devoid of pity and hungry for violence.
He’s usually after a defenceless heroine, surrounded
by her posse of spotty teenagers. John
Carpenter's Halloween – which goes back to
1978 – was the first blockbuster to impose
the slasher movie's basic protocol with its legendary
opening scene. A distressed audience
witnesses the ruthless murder of a teenage girl
through the eyes of a masked killer. As he leaves
the house where the killing took place, two
pedestrians – who happen to be his parents –
stop him. Once they remove his mask, one discovers
the angelic face of a 10-year-old. With
that, the evil Michael Myers’ cult figure status
Neighbourhood 25
ˆ
“It is precisely the honest – perhaps naïve even – nature of the genre that turned
it into a repetitive and bland exercise”
ˇ
is sealed, as he quickly adopts a huge butcher
knife and a terrifying anonymous white mask
to commit his sins.
From that point onwards, the slasher
caravan was on the move and the killers barking,
drawing more pints of blood and generating
increasing revenues each year, its most prominent
figures being Jason Voorhees, who sports
his signature hockey mask and machete in
Friday the 13 th (1980) and the disfigured Freddy
Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
The 80s marked the heyday of the slasher
movie, spawning iconic features that are still
worth watching today. The success of the genre
resides in its directness and simplicity, making
it rather effective and pleasurable to watch.
However, it is precisely the honest – perhaps
naïve even – nature of the genre that turned
it into a repetitive and bland exercise, boring
audiences towards the end of the decade as a
result. Producers felt forced to increase blood
scenes, looking for more disturbing ways to kill
their victims. In the early 90s, irony was the new
black. Films were no longer about frightening
audiences, but having them in stitches instead.
Peter Jackson's Braindead (1992) is a great illustration
of how horror and humour could happily
coexist at that time. There had never been that
much haemoglobin on screen before, but there
was laughter in equal parts, too.
In the early 90s, American horror films were
not in great shape. Only mainstream productions
– such as Interview with the Vampire
(1991) or Jurassic Park (1993) – could get
people queuing at the box office. The era of B
horror films seemed over, but someone came
along who revived the category. Thanks to an
unknown writer called Kevin Williamson,
Scream was born in the mid 90s, convincing
studios and audiences of its appeal. A huge
commercial and critical success, Scream was
initially thought of as an homage to slasher
movies and revived their scope, paving the
way for new categories, such as “torture porn”
with Saw (2004) and Hostel (2005), as well as
“gore parody” with Piranha 3D (2010). With
its fourth instalment ready for release, Scream
is set to prove that slasher films are far from
over, with audiences enjoying what can only be
described as a bloody good laugh once again.
(VD)
Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/
kitschcrimesketchup or scan the
QR code on the right for a selection of
cult slasher scenes.
© Vincent Dechamps

26
Shoot or die
It would be fair to say that Lionel Samain got
into photography by accident. He studied
law, then decided to branch out into cinema
instead (his first movie, a tribute to The Jazz
Man, was selected for a number of festivals in
both France and Belgium) before finally setting
his sights on photography. And, even then, it
was more out of sheer necessity than vocation:
“Cinema wasn’t paying the bills. A lot of my
friends worked as journalists, so I started going
on assignments for them.” One thing leading to
another, the Belgian-born, self-taught photographer
quickly found himself doing portraiture,
finally then taking up fashion photography
in the shape of magazine editorials and
advertising campaigns. His approach is clearly
informed by his early obsession with cinema,
although his overall aesthetic is shaped by
his own personality – timid, somewhat tormented
(“My wife always says I’m a tormented
artist.”) and restrained. “I find it harder when
I’m given complete free reign over a shoot’s
artistic direction,” he says in between two long
drags on his cigarette, “I work better when
given some boundaries to work within.” Not
one to be pigeonholed, Lionel’s photographs
www killed
the xxx star
Looking back at the 20 th annual International
Festival of Eroticism of Brussels, held early
March, the lack of local talent amongst the 180
stalls was striking. It turns out not much is left
from the domestic business since the worldwide
web took us all by storm. “There is no more
industry in Belgium, whatever was left has disappeared,”
stated Patrick Deltour, the founder
of the festival (which happens to be the first of
its kind in the world). With most video stores
and specialised newsagents closing down, skin
flicks and dirty mag production has ceased.
Everything is available online and people quite
obviously prefer making these kind of purchases
in the privacy of their own homes. Considering
German online megastore Pabo dispatches
more than 35,000 parcels a day, it’s no wonder
that local sex shops are slowly vanishing from
the streets too. With the amateur style gaining
so much popularity, even the industry’s big
guns such as Video Marc Dorcel – the leading
production company in France – has started
exploiting the genre. Flemish filmmaker Eddy
Lipstick, one of the last survivors in Belgium,
The papers
retain a certain mysticism to them, one which
he clearly entertains through a continuous reevaluation
of his work. Indeed, despite having
honed his singular technique of shooting
against a backdrop of projected imagery – one
which has defined his work ever since – he felt
confident enough to set it aside for a while in
order to avoid any categorisation. His clearly
is an approach to photography that comes from
the gut, an extension of his own self: cerebral,
intense and painful. (NL)
recently dropped the gig too, devoting his time
to the management of his swingers website. “It
became impossible to rival with the online competition.
I don’t bother with DVD’s anymore.
The only productions I’m involved with are
aimed at Video On Demand. That’s the future
for the industry.” Yet his 90s masterpieces such
lionelsamain.com
Visit thewordmagazine.be/wonders/
shootordie or scan the QR code on the right
for a portfolio of Lionel’s recent work.
as Polder Sex or Hete Nachten in Gent have
become sought after classics, and proof that
there still is a definite appreciation for good old
fashioned homegrown hanky panky. (RW)
© Lioenl Samain
© Yassin Serghini

7.
ing eyes and ears.
g room and leave
i7 Processor and
ate audio perforo-developed
with
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The fuTure iS free
buT free doN’T coMe cheap
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28 The study
Graphic design Illustration Talent
A spicy meal by OBLIQUE
oblq.be

The Word & Levis
present
The red album’s colour chart
—
A collaborative study in different shades of red
C2.57.28 C0.50.40
C8.50.50
B6.46.41
C0.48.20 C4.75.30
C4.60.30 B6.50.40
C0.45.20
C4.60.40
C0.60.30
C0.40.20

30 The institution
Nightlife Society Heritage
The interior of Brussels’ Le Bar Rouge.
Painting the town red
Reknown as an eccentric, sometimes even seedy, after-hours haunt symbolic
of everything that is right and wrong with Brussels, Le Bar Rouge didn’t
originally begin as such. We talk to the owner about record-breaking
champagne consumption, its celebrity clientele and that infamous little red
book…
Despite its attempts to keep a low-key profile,
you won’t find many people in Brussels claiming
never to have heard of Le Bar Rouge. Founded
in June 2004 by Didier Plasch, a well-known
figure on the city’s night scene, this intriguing
club with a racy past rapidly became the spot
of choice for high society’s party-hungry night
owls. Didier – who already had three successful
restaurants under his belt – wanted to open
his own after-hours playground and discovered
the tiny bar out of sheer luck. “At the time I was
looking for something and an architect friend of
mine, who was in charge of renovating a building
that had a bar on the ground floor, thought I
might like it. The private club had been closed
for two years but everything was still intact.
Vases with fake flowers were still lying on the
tables,” he remembers. “The minute I entered,
it was love at first sight. Pure and simple.”
Didier acquired the building and refurbished
it, making sure to keep the same dimmed vibe
and lush spirit. Everything was red, from the
Writer Randa Wazen Photographer Veerle Frissen
wooden entrance to the floor and low ceiling,
walls, velvet couches and tables. The previous
owner, Otto, had set up the premises in 1962
and christened it the Tudor. It was – despite the
urban myth – not a real brothel per se, rather
more of an “amateur escort bar,” as Didier puts
it. “Sure there were girls, but they weren’t professionals.
Let’s just say they were punching in
extra hours.” Alcoves covered by heavy velvet
crimson drapes had been set-up, behind which
customers could be privately entertained. The
small locker behind the bar containing keys
labelled with room numbers even suggests that
some of the chambers upstairs might have been
used for, you know, a “happy ending”.
The Tudor was also famed for being a poker
hotspot but above all, for attracting a very exclusive
clientele, apparently the country’s most
powerful and influential men. As for the rumour
of the owner’s little book containing the names
of all the clients, “it’s true,” reveals Didier. “We
did find a few of them. At the time, all private
clubs had a register at the entrance and whomever
passed the door was requested to check in.”
Not one to name drop, he remains carefully discreet,
only disclosing that the bar was “extremely
well frequented.” This heritage of exclusivity
is one Didier firmly intended on perpetuating,
establishing an ultra-strict door policy. Simply
put: you had little chances of getting in unless
you were a friend or acquaintance. This resulted
in the overly familiar and carefree vibe. With
everyone knowing everyone, it had the casual
atmosphere of a house party. Only one where
bottles never ran dry and the owner wouldn’t
kick you out at one in the morning. Initially
called Le Club, regulars quickly came to refer to
it as “Le Bar Rouge” for evident reasons, a name
that stuck and has been adopted as its official
appellation.
Didier has now entrusted his baby to
Morad Wabi (pictured on the opposite page),
who’s been part of the team for the past four
years and has become the current manager

and main shareholder. Both men are as bubbly
as the champagne that flows there on a nightly
basis. Asked to define Le Bar Rouge’s concept,
Morad’s answer is to the point: “champagne!”
He proudly states that his is the bar that has the
highest champagne turnover in Brussels which,
by the size of the watch on his wrist, we’ll take as
a given. Very fairly priced at ¤55, it’s no wonder
to find Mumm buckets gracing every table.
“When we first opened, the bottle was sold for
¤50. It was unheard of at the time, especially for
such a decent brand,” asserts Didier. “It’s more
festive and gives people a sense of prestige,”
adds Morad.
ˆ
The previous owner, Otto,
had set up the premises in
1962 and christened it the
Tudor. It was – despite the
urban myth – not a real
brothel per se, rather more
of an “amateur escort bar”
ˇ
Pigeonholing the clientele is an impossible
task, such is the odd mix that composes it.
It’s probably one of the only venues in Brussels
where old and new money, average Joes, jet
setters, restaurateurs and celebrities (local and
international such as Kim Bassinger or David
Copperfield) as well as plain oddballs mingle
with such ease, creating an unusual combination
of high meets low. There is no apparent link or
connection between these people, if not a shared
love of all the excesses the night can offer, and
a rather loose set of morals. What truly sets Le
Bar Rouge apart from other clubs is the complete
absence of clan behaviour. The place is tiny
and narrow, at times claustrophobic even, with
the booths tightly fitted next to each other. It’s
almost impossible to avoid eye contact or physical
interactions, leaving you with little choice
but to strike up a conversation or share a drink
with whoever is next to you. Those are the only
house rules, and you’re expected to play by them
the minute you step in. Think of it as the place
where everybody just might know your name.
Die-hard fans of Le Bar Rouge treat it like a
second home and can be found there most nights
of the week as of 10pm. Others stumble through
the entrance – whose door policy has relaxed
quite a bit in recent years – in the wee hours of
the morning, when all the other clubs have shut
their doors. And some folks simply seem to have
landed there by accident, curious to see what
the fuss is all about and experience the legend
for themselves. Chances are this last group of
people will either love the cramped, sweaty and
shady atmosphere, or run for their lives before
ordering the first round, as time has proved over
and over again that Le Bar Rouge certainly has a
knack for generating divided opinions.
Life
The place’s notoriety built up over the
years. Didier had initially seen it as a champagne
bar that opened at five pm but quickly realised
that the party rarely stopped before five am,
so he shifted the opening time to 10pm. Doors
close at five am, but the festivities go on until
six, often even later. The service is excellent and
guaranteed by a steady staff of four, lead by Fifi,
chief barman, Rob and José, who tend the room
and Morad, always firmly posted behind the
bar, managing the till and popping champagne
open all night long. Music-wise, expect corny
mainstream dance hits and French classics such
as Dalida (during which it’s not unusual to see
customers grab wigs from behind the bar and
lip-synch). Old movies and animated Pixar’s are
continuously screened to create an atmosphere
– not that you’re bound to get bored people
watching. “During the first couple of years, we
used to project a slideshow of previous party
pictures,” explains Morad. “But clients repeatedly
asked us to end this tradition. It’s obviously
tricky to chat up someone when your face
31
suddenly appears on a screen, in someone else’s
company…” The entire neighbourhood used to
have a vibrant nightlife, paved with bars and
restaurants. The red façade of Le Bar Rouge
is one of the last remnants of that era, and one
whose thick curtains hardly betray any of the
action going on inside. “People who enter for
the first time are usually taken aback, but once
you’ve been here two or three times, you’re most
certain to become hooked,” assures Morad. And
although many might argue that Le Bar Rouge’s
heyday is long gone, the exuberant party spirit
still reigns supreme and whether the loud and
sleazy – often verging on seedy – vibe is or isn’t
your cup of tea, it is still as infectious.
Le Bar Rouge
Open from Tuesday to Saturday 10pm – 6am
Rue du Pépin 41 Kernstraat
1000 Brussels

32 The Word on
People Photography
Red bulls
There’s nothing embarrassing about a man who
blushes. At least not when he’s just spent an hour
in the ring, knocking his opponent to the ground
harder than Jake La Motta.
Photographer Sarah Eechaut
Ivo Cilurzo – 20
Portrait taken at the Capitol Academy in Ghent, after two boxing matches
with a 20-minute rope skipping session in between.

Life
Jeffrey De Clercq – 19
Portrait taken at the Golden Gloves Boxing Club in Ghent, after an intensive training session followed by a match.
33

34 The Word on
Jean-Pierre “Junior” Bauwens – 22
Portrait taken at Het Godshuis in Sint Laureins, after giving a 30-minute boxing lesson.
A few days earlier, he sucessfully defended his lightweight world champion title.

Life
Anthony Bombello – 13
Portrait taken at the Capitol Academy in Ghent, after a 20-minute warm-up.
35

36
01.
Just click it
We’ve become experts at commissioning
photography, art directing as well as styling it,
but when it comes to photography itself, we let
the professionals do the talking. It’s not like
we wouldn’t enjoy getting behind the camera
and shooting a gorgeous pair of… shoes. Its
rather that, well, we can’t really be bothered
with the technical aspect of it all – you know,
aperture, shutter speed, contrast, focus and
what not. Imagine our joy, then, when this
beauty landed on our desks for a little test. It’s
light, has interchangeable lenses and, wait for
it, does it all for you.
α NEX-3 16mm interchangeable lens camera by Sony
(¤500).
Available from Sony Centers throughout the country.
sonycenter.be
The showstoppers
Fashion Beauty Technology Consume Play
Red hot like a chili pepper
We’re raising the stakes and turning the
temperature up this month with our pick of red
marvels – everything from a life-changing camera
to a revolutionary little notebook.
Photographer Benoît Banisse Art direction and styling Flore van Ryn

02.
prints please
It’s a known fact that we’re of the type to look
down on people when first meeting them.
Often wrongly interpreted as snobbism, it's
only really a sometimes worrying obsession
with footwear. We won’t judge you by your
looks, your intellect or even your personality,
but we will judge you by the shoes you wear.
Call us shallow, we believe the shoes a person
wears are just as telling a character clue than,
say, whether or not you bite your nails. You’re
on safe ground though if we meet for the first
time and these are the shoes you’re wearing.
Part of Converse’s collaborative collection
for women with Finnish textile printmaker
Marimekko, they’d say three things to our
trained eyes: she’s cool, confident and carefree.
Jack Purcell x Marimekko (¤89,95).
Available from Bellerose (Brussels).
converse.be
04.
Teenage angst no more
For as long as we can remember, bloodshot
eyes and red spots were as central to our teenager
looks as Dr. Martens and ripped 501s.
For bleary eyes, Minhavez was the make of
choice, never failing to whiten our eyes just
in time for afternoon classes or inquisitive
dinner with the elders. For the red spots, the
perfect miracle remedy somehow eluded us as
we painfully saw our faces turn from smooth
operator to rough calculator with each year
going by. If it were today, however, we’d find
solace in Kiehl’s blemish control cream,
a now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t kind of
magic.
Minhavez eye drops (¤4), available in pharmacies.
Kiehl’s Acne Blemish Control treatment (¤39), available
from Senteurs d’Ailleurs (Brussels) and Kiehl’s (Antwerp
and Ghent).
kiehls.com
Style
03.
The revolution in red
37
Although you could argue that, in this day-andage
of virtual protests and desktop unrests, all
you need to organise a revolution is a Facebook
page and a handful of Twitter followers, we’d
like to think of ourselves as a touch more old
school – even in the small matter of deposing
governments. Fact is, if we ever were to seriously
consider overthrowing the powers that
be (not such a far-fetched idea considering the
country’s record-breaking political deadlock),
we’d start with plotting the downfall on paper.
Not any kind of paper of course. You see, if
we’re going to spend time musing on coup
conspiracies, you better believe it’s going to be
done in keeping with a certain colour-coded
structure. Thus, a red notebook. What else?
Red notebook by Atypyk (¤13), available from Bozarshop
(Brussels) and Magazin (Antwerp).
atypyk.com

38 The showstoppers
06.
The red hiking hood
Come spring, this pullover jacket by favoured
hiking and extreme sports brand Napapijri
could very well become your new best friend.
Part of the label’s Geographic line, which
focuses on sportswear and urban pieces,
this summer take on their classic Skidoo cut
packs a polyamide shell fabric that makes it
extremely lightweight, windproof and water
repellent. We’ve always been purvey to
somewhat of a mix-and-match aesthetic, and
this bright but bold hoodie just about does it
for us.
Skidoo summer jacket for men by Napapijri (¤199).
Available from Napapijri (Antwerp).
napapijri.com
See page 96 for full stockist information.
Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/redhot
or scan the QR code on the left for full
purchase links.
05.
death traps
Equally as terrifying as they are beautiful,
these carnivorous plants feed off small flies
and insects that get lured into their traps. And
whilst some species from the exotic jungles of
Borneo or Guinea are big enough to gobble up
entire rats, these apartment-sized carnivores
won't be turning your living area into the Little
Shop of Horrors just yet. Indeed, these imported
versions rarely outgrow their pots, although
that’s not to say you won’t catch them snapping
up a fly or two. You know, just for starters.
From left to right: the venus flytrap (dionaea muscipula),
cobra plant (darlingtonia californica) and the rosy sundew
(drosera hamiltonii), between ¤4 and ¤6.
Available from Velvet Café (Brussels).
velvetine.be

40
The fashion Word
Consume Photography
Ruby greyscale
She teases, plays with the camera and engages,
whilst he’s slightly more passive, neither here nor
there. She’s clearly the one having all the fun,
putting on a show whilst he’s in the passenger seat,
at the mercy of her sanguine singularity.
Photography Sébastien Bonin Fashion Simon-Pierre Toussaint

Style
Jules wears Scarf Celine De Schepper – Anne-Laure wears Hat Christophe Coppens,
Silk shirt Diane von Furstenberg, Bra Eres, Necklace Cats
41

Neoprene "Fox" jacket Celine De Schepper, Long silk dress Jean Paul Knott, Platform shoes Lanvin

Dress Leonard Archive (from Pièce Unique), Massaï jewellery

Wool cap Elvis Pompilio, Socks Uniqlo, Massaï jewellery

Striped polo Hackett London, Panties worn as a bow tie H&M, Parachute sleeveless vest Michèle Bagdassarian

Stetson hat Elvis Pompilio, Silk scarf Hermès, Sleeveless leather jacket Maison Martin Margiela

Anne-Laure wears turban made of an Hermès silk scarf as well as an Yves Saint Laurent vintage scarf (from Pièce Unique), Vegetabletanned
leather dress Ada Zanditon, Socks H&M, Platform shoes Lanvin, Lambskin gloves Hermès, Sunglasses Thierry Lasry
– Jules wears Suit jacket DEAREST, Underwear HOM, Socks Uniqlo, Massaï jewellery

48 The fashion Word
Raincoat Ermenegildo Zegna, Plastic cape DEAREST

Style
Photographer
Sébastien Bonin
Photographer's assistant
Ludovic Hanton
Fashion
Simon-Pierre Toussaint
Retouching
Jonathan Steelandt
Hair and make-up
Sigrid Volders
for Chanel and Bumble & Bumble
Model
Anne-Laure
@Dominique Models
and Jules Hugal
@New Models
See page 96 for full stockist information.
Teddy Raf Simons Archive, Mask Michèle Bagdassarian, Shirt, mesh top and printed pants Cacharel
49

50 The columns
Consume Talent Nostalgia Heritage New release
01.
The city slicker
The way My Sister Klaus' magnificent debut LP
Chateau Rouge (2007, Tigersushi) begins, with
Guillaume Teyssier – the 30-something singersongwriter
behind the somewhat disturbing
moniker – hauling out “its privateer, never
shed a tear” on the haunting opener Privateer,
you'd be forgiven for thinking the album would
turn out being yet another perfectly-crafted
ode to The Velvet Underground – well-made
yes, but safe and overdone. The moment you
get to the album's next track, Chateau Rouge,
you sense there's something more to it tough - a
simplistic and seductive succession of songs,
bound to the past certainly (“I admire someone
like Dylan”) but with a modern-day relevance.
To give you a little context: “Chateau Rouge
is a neighbourhood in Paris with an important
African community, a lot of junkies and
dealers,” says Paris-based Guillaume, who used
the notoriously shady 'arrondissement' as a lifelike
moodboard upon which to pin his many
urban visual references and shape much of his
writing. The daily struggle of big city living
coupled with the violence often experienced in
such areas as Chateau Rouge gave the album its
intensity, its edge. “It’s clearly an urban album,”
he says. In the space of 14 tracks, it goes from
Joy Division-like hypnosis and psychedelic
rock to garage and electro. The tempo from
song to song differs too, with energetic, punk
belters such as Kick of Sand a reminder that,
in certain ways, Guillaume sings about the
urban angst shaping our generation, whilst
softer, more poetic tracks such as La Tour de
Nestle confirms his talent to combine a somber,
sinister even, lyrical ability with a touching and
courtesan delivery. With the painful insight
of a poet living on society’s fringes, he takes a
condemned, forgotten and fallen area of Paris
and turns it into his metaphor, his memory, his
territory. (NL)
The soundtrack to La Femme Invisible, written by
Guillaume Teyssier, is out now on Tigersushi.
myspace.com/mysisterklaus
tigersushi.com
02.
belgian punk's not dead
The year is 1978. The Sex Pistols have
disbanded and punk rock is taking its last
breath. Yet it is at that very moment that a
16-year-old Peter Slabbynck discovers their
music on a Dutch radio show, instantly finding
his calling. Recruiting three friends from his
local Boy Scout troupe, they went on to form
Bruges-based Red Zebra, the country’s finest
contribution to the genre. “We got together but
couldn’t play,” he recalls. After a few performances,
a name change and a slot opening for
The Cure in 1980, they release an EP whose
B-side I Can’t Live in a Living Room would
become an instant hit and seal their fate as
a cult band. In typical Belgian fashion, the
lyrics weren’t intended as serious, yet their
urgency and sense of constantly feeling out of
place struck a chord with an entire generation.
Choosing to keep music as a passion project,
all band members kept day-jobs. “We’re
punks in a certain way and we didn’t want to
depend on money,” Peter explains. Coming
from someone who chose to make a living in
the advertising business, it rightfully sounds
phony. But then again, in a world where
Johnny Rotten sells butter on TV and Iggy
Pop advertises car insurance, who are we to
judge? Spanning three decades, the history of
the band has been filled with line-up changes,
break-ups, reunions, and the drama continues.
Last December, the remaining members
attempted to oust Peter, yet he ended up
kicking them out. Currently recruiting a new
set of musicians, he’s set to hit studios this fall.
Unsure about the new sound or direction, he
does however have a title: There’s No Future
For The Future. Mr Slabbynck might have
lost his childhood friends; he certainly hasn’t
parted with his sense of humour. (RW)
myspace.com/redzebra1
© Yassin Serghini
03.
a good presentation is
half the battle won
If you think record labels were the hardest
ones hit in the digital revolution's onslaught
of the music industry, think again. Opera and
symphony orchestras have it worse, way worse.
Think of them as the Harrods of the music
industry: aloof, arrested and with a dying
audience. Not so long ago, symphony orchestra
bosses could previously bank on sales of live
recordings to fill the financial gap left by empty
seats, the Last FMs and Pirate Bays of this new
world make that now a thing of the past too. So,
what options are left to a national symphony
orchestra's management intent on reshaping
itself for the digital generation? Facebook fan
pages are a good start, as are podcasts and live
streaming sessions - all very 21st century. Those
in it for the long run however know the change
they need to engineer needs to go deeper – a
point Flanders’ Symphony Orchestra seems
to have understood all too well. Its entire
communications strategy is an exercise in
contemporary relevance: an engaging and fresh
visual identity (clean fonts and bright colours),
an instantly recognisable advertising campaign
(vivid colours and tongue-in-cheek imagery)
as well as a magazine. That’s right, a magazine.
Published four times a year, the magazinecome-program
perfectly captures the orchestra’s
spirit, never straying too far from its core
(and, consequently, its loyal fan base) whilst at
the same time appealing, essentially through its
graphic design, to a younger audience. Designed
by studio MDASH, its design has obvious
classic undertones (the paper stock as well as
the format) whilst also being bold (most of the
magazine’s content is set against a backdrop of
striking, diagonal red lines). But it really is the
magazine’s cover (arresting and eye-catching)
which further anoints the orchestra as a forward-looking
cultural institution. And, whilst
you may be wondering how reshaping oneself
for the digital age involves a print publication
(so very old media), it is the conversation the
orchestra has with its many stakeholders, and
the way it initiates them (with understated style
and confidence), that will, ultimately, cement
its relevance to a new breed of Schubert and
Mozart lovers. (NL)
symfonieorkest.be

© Yassin Serghini
04.
pump up the jam
With its minimalist rectangular design and
humble size (151x57x40mm), one can’t quite
make out what the exact nature of the Jambox
is at first glance. Yet what could easily be
mistaken for a slightly oversized paperweight
is in fact a speaker and one that is not only
wireless but also introduced as being “intelligent.”
Conceived by Jawbone, the Jambox
connects to computers, tablets, iPods, mobile
phones or any other Bluetooth device. It acts
as a seamless portable speaker, as well as a
hands-free kit and conference call unit thanks
to its built-in microphone. The absence of a
screen is resolved with a lovely female voice
who'll update you on the state of the battery
life and even awkwardly spell out the caller
ID, should someone call you. As for the
sound, it’s pretty impressive for such a small
device and definitely beats weak laptop builtin
speakers. However, don’t expect to host the
party of the year relying solely on the Jambox
as its sound quality’s limits are betrayed when
played at high volumes. If anything, volume
is a factor you’ll probably want to keep at
median since the little one tends to judder
all over the place with each bass throb when
played full blast. That said; the Jambox is
still more than decent for a portable speaker
and ideal for outdoor use, just toss it in a
bag without worrying too much as it is fairly
sturdy. Wrapped around in a stainless steel
grid, every side of the speaker is exposed
and it’s molded rubber-casing gives it a nice
feel and firm grip. Looks like the kids have
found their palm-version answer to the 80s
boombox. (RW)
Jawbone’s Jambox (¤199).
Available from jawbone.com.
Music
05.
rage in full
Autokratz almost instantly popped into my
mind the minute I started getting into “red
album mode”. I clearly remember being oddly
drawn to the red cover on their debut EP Down
and Out in Paris and London (2008, Kitsuné).
Definitely one of those records I bought
judging it more by its cover (I had at the time
only heard one track of theirs, Pardon Garçon)
than for its track listing – although it did turn
out to be one the year’s strongest releases.
“We’re here to make a point. We’re not here
to make polite, friendly music for people to
drink tea and talk about the weather to,” says
one-half of the now London-based duo Russel
(they are originally from Manchester). Since
their first LP, the band have released another
album – Animal (2009), also on Kitsuné and
also with a predominantly red cover. “From
the outset, it (red) seemed to link in a lot of the
ideas of what Autokratz is about… anger,” says
Russel only half seriously. On Opposite of
Love, the EP they’ve just released in anticipation
of the band’s third album, the contrasting
spirit of Autokratz’s music is once again
in full view, with David’s soft-spoken vocals
confronting Russel’s hard-edged production
with the kind of songs Autokratz has now come
to be known for: uncompromising, unremitting
and unapologetic. Think of them as bareknuckle
fighters talking about love. (NL)
Autokratz’s third album, Self Help for Beginners,
is out on 25th April on Bad Life.
autokratz.com
© Richard Kern
06.
Lady revolution
Lydia Lunch is angry. You’d think the
American queen of the underground would
mellow down after three decades of confrontation,
radicalism and uncompromising creativity,
but by the looks of it, she isn’t about to run
out of steam just yet. Since first stepping onto
the music scene aged 16, with her band Teenage
Jesus and the Jerks at the forefront of New
York’s No Wave scene back in 1976, the multidisciplinary
artist has made a name for herself
through her relentless battle against apathy. Be
it through musical projects (solo or collaborating
with alternative heavyweights such as Nick
Cave, James Chance, Henry Rollins or Sonic
Youth), her involvement with the Cinema of
Transgression, art installations, spoken word
performances (“words punching the audience
in the face”), or written and photographic
works, the intensity of Lydia’s work remains
uncompromised. “I’ve just been constantly
reinventing and sophisticating my message,
finding different ways of expressing the same
problem, which incurs the same amount of
rage,” she quietly explains over the phone,
speaking from her home in Barcelona. And
although her name is still relatively unknown
outside of art schools and indie scenes, that is
a thought unlikely to give her sleepless nights.
“I’m always amazed there’s anyone at my
show,” she honestly states. “It’s something I still
have to do, out of duty, perversion or exorcism.
I still have to and will continue saying the
things that I say, even if it’s one woman out on a
hill with a bullhorn and a shotgun!” And what
a shotgun of a woman Lydia is. Catch her and
her band Big Sexy Noise at Brussels’ Magasin 4
on 19th March. Don’t miss it. We could all use
a shot of the Gospel according to Lydia Lunch,
or at least – in her own words – “a good kick in
the head.” (RW)
lydia-lunch.org
Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/
ladyrevolution or scan the QR code on
the left for the full interview.
51

52
The Word with
New release Talent We love
Speak of the devil
Often introduced as “one of Josh Homme’s side projects”,
Eagles of Death Metal have gained a serious following of their
own, thanks in large part to frontman Jesse Hughes’ sleazy
charisma and his self-proclaimed sex-appeal. We talk to rock
‘n’ roll’s ultimate lover about girls, God, and his infamous feud
with that other redheaded rocker.
Interview Randa Wazen
© Ulrike Biets

The way Eagles of Death Metal function
as a band is quite special: the core is based
around Josh and you writing and recording
the music, yet you’re often the only one
repping it on the road. Do you ever miss
Josh on stage or are you just happy getting
all the attention?
Well I’m a vanity queen, honey; I would
hate to share the spotlight. But then in the same
respect, Josh was the best friend I’ve ever had
in my life. I feel a great – I hate to say it but
– respect and honour for the way I’ve been
brought out to the world of rock‘n’roll. This
band was some sort of magical fluke, we never
tried to promote it in any way – it just promoted
itself.
It also started in an unusual way – you were
in a bit of a rut when Josh stumbled upon
some tunes you had made and just dragged
you into the whole project.
That’s exactly how it happened. We did a
Desert Sessions right before I got married and I
just remember thinking: “This is lame, I would
never wanna be in a rock band, but I love you
Josh”. So we went our merry way. Everything I
ever did in my life was directed towards being
a real square, in every sense of the word, do
you know what I mean?
It’s hard to imagine…
But it’s true, you know. Imagine being a
werewolf your whole life and seeing your first
full moon when you’re thirty. That’s what it
was like. And it can’t get any more romantically
magical than this: the true story is that on
New Year’s Eve, Joshua broke into my apartment
because he was worried about me – my
mother had called him saying that I was acting
crazy – and on my computer were two songs
that he heard. When I got home, he asked me
“Could you write more shit like this?”, and I
said “yeah dude”. So I think I wrote the whole
first album in a week. He then flew back in from
a tour, my mother picked him up and we drove
to Hollywood in my mom’s car. He drove me to
a studio and literally locked me in for four days
and we recorded the first album.
And from that point on, you just morphed
into a rock star with the shades, lightning
bolts, tattoos, embracing the lifestyle and
all its excesses to the full?
Kind of more like rock ‘n’ roll started to scar
me up, real fast. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done
it purely but the second I saw the world that was
opening up to me it was like: “You’ve got the
wrong motherfucker here, ‘cause now I’m about
to be kazzoted!” Someone who loves the devil
shouldn’t come to the devil’s playground.
Music
Speaking of the devil, you’ve been known to
sport several nicknames (The Devil, Boots
Electric, Mr Boogie Man,…). Which one
are you going with for the moment?
Boots Electric.
And where did that one come from?
If you wanna know the true story, I used to
rollerblade and Josh called me Fruit Boots, so
when we were recording Speaking In Tongues,
the original chorus was “Fruit Boots”, as a kind of
homage. But while we were recording the album, I
hooked up with this girl and her boyfriend came
back one night so I snuck out of her bathroom
window. Joshua said that I had to have electric
boots to have gotten out of there so fast. So yeah,
ˆ
“Someone who loves the
devil shouldn’t come to the
devil’s playground”
ˇ
Boots Electric kind of stuck as a great nickname.
Back to the music, the two first records of the
band were about celebrating the joys of sex.
Then Heart On was a wonderful ode to what
seems to be a love/hate relationship you
53
entertain with LA and the Hollywood scene.
The next one is titled Ladies Only. Are we
right in assuming it will mark a return to the
celebration of the joys of sex and women?
That’s correct, the next Eagles Of Death
Metal is called Ladies Only. But the secret is
that I’ve recorded a Boots Electric solo album
with Money Mark (pictured above). I’m almost
finished and it will be ready for release in a
couple of months.
Is it long awaited Fabulous Weapons?
No, I’ve decided to call it Cold Lawyer.
Or Raped by Miracles. We’ll like, figure it out
right now.
So you’ll be hitting the road by yourself then?
Well by myself and probably with the same
people that are in Eagles of Death Metal, you
know how it is. We’re all like a very incestuous
gang. We believe that we surround ourselves
with the best in order to be the best. And
the sort of music on this new album is pretty
interesting. It’s like Gary Numan butt fucking
George Clinton inside Little Richard’s small
intestine, it’s really trippy. It’s going to take the
right sort of match to play it.
What themes can we expect?
I just recently went though a really terrible
breakup with Satan’s daughter. It was really
rough, so I decided to channel that. I think rock
‘n’ roll and music has forgotten about women
for real, so this album is my love letter and
Valentine’s card to ladies all over the world.

54
In terms of music, what’s your current
guilty pleasure?
My current guilty pleasure is the paedophile’s
chorus. I’m just kidding… I must say
I’m a little disappointed because not much has
shaken me recently. Do I have a guilty pleasure?
Ah yes, Barbara Streisand’s Greatest Hits
from 1975 to 1995.
Being a Belgian magazine, we were quite
curious about how a guy like Tim Vanhamel
(pictured right) would end up in the band…
Birds of the same feather flock together,
opposites just get together and fuck, you know
what I mean? Timmy’s a weirdo, and we’re all
weirdoes. And when you have a universal love
of Hannelore Knuts, the way I do, it’s easy to be
united in the spirit of beauty and music when
you’re around such weirdoes as them.
Another Belgian band you’re familiar with
is The Black Box Revelation, who were
supporting you two years ago.
Yeah, they’re here right now in LA recording
with my friend Alain Johannes. I love those
guys; I think I might actually ask them to come
record on my album.
When we caught up with them this summer
for a chat, we asked them what was the craziest
anecdote they remembered of that
time. Apparently, your girlfriend was on
the road too and would be in charge of
selecting the groupies that were allowed
backstage. According to them, she only
picked the least attractive ones and they
were complaining about being stuck with
them after because you guys would always
bail after five minutes…
(Laughs) That’s so funny that they remembered
that, I love those guys! Yeah that happens
on occasion, but see that’s a really clever way
of weeding out the ugly, no I hate to say ugly
‘cause there’s no such thing as ugly… We would
take the cream for ourselves and let only – let’s
say the mediocrity – hang out backstage. So
it would appear that the only girls allowed in
were the ones that were backstage, but see that
wasn’t true: the cream of the crop had already
been diverted to our tour bus, very sneaky shit!
You’re quite the womaniser and it makes
sense that you would have been asked to
contribute to a book called Sex Tips From
Rock Stars. What are some of the tips you
chose to share?
Yeah, I was interviewed for that, it was
quite fun. At the time I was sitting out on the
veranda of the Sportsmen hotel and I was with
some chemically altered girls, just like me. So I
don’t even remember what I said, but I think it
was honest and horny.
The Word with
On stage with on and off bandmate Tim Vanhamel.
ˆ
“I like girls in a way that
most dudes don’t typically
do. I love women, I really do.
But I’m also horny as fuck
and I can’t help it”
ˇ
You’ve quoted your father as saying:
“There are two types of rock bands. The
rock band that come out and jacks off for
everyone to see, and the rock band that
comes out and fucks everyone in the room”,
and specifying that you simply want to be
in the second rock band all the time. From
what I recollect seeing you perform, you
sure seem like a very generous lover…
Thank you baby, you’re a sweet talker you.
Oh boy. It goes back to something my grandmother
used to say. She said, “If you make a
girl banging, don’t tell anyone you get to do it
again.” And I was raised by a bunch of girls, not
in a typical macho kind of way. So I like girls
in a way that most dudes don’t typically do.
I love women, I really do. But I’m also horny
as fuck and I can’t help it. So the way I look at
it is: I would much rather have girls talk about
me in their locker room than me having to talk
about myself in my locker room, so that is the
philosophy of the sort of lover I strive to be.
Another interesting thing you said during
that gig was how you had been labelled
the Ned Flanders of rock ‘n’ roll, and by a
Belgian magazine of all things?
Yeah it was a Belgian magazine, it was great!
I fucking loved it! But see, the joke – and I hope
that everyone gets it – is that there’s an episode
of the Simpsons where Flanders comes out of
his shower and they pixellated his dick down
to his knees. That’s how I have to interpret it.
Do you prefer being on the road or in the
studio?
Those are two different animals and I love
them both equally. Recording is such a beautiful
scientific process in it’s own and being on
the road and the live performance, that’s pure
possession by the spirits and demons of rock
‘n’ roll.
And how does one manage to get fired from
a Guns N' Roses tour?
It was weird; we arrived in a 25,000
people arena where only 5,000 had shown up.
It was a dismal Guns N’ Roses turn out. So we
went on stage and the welcome we got wasn’t the
warmest but it wasn’t the worst either. By the
time Axl went on, he was 45 minutes late. I’ll
never forget, I was backstage with three hairdressers
– they were so fucking hot – and Axl
had strung PA speakers all along the backstage
stadium so you just had to listen to the set. He
got into the third song and said: “What did
y’all think of the Pigeons of Shit Metal? You
better feel sorry for them little fellas cause it’s
their last night on the tour.” I was drinking a
sip of Coke, just spit it out and went “What
the fuck?!” For a minute I was scared but
then thought “Fuck that! This dude’s a dick, I
© Ulrike Biets

want people to know that he doesn’t like me.”
I think the reason we really got kicked off is
because Axl Rose hates Dave Grohl and I love
Dave Grohl so much. Dave actually said the
next day, “Being disapproved by Axl is like
being Knighted by the Queen.” He made my
career in a single move with that comment,
because he put me on AOL.
So you just went and got it tattooed on your
arm…
Yeah, well you know, we sell so many
“Pigeons of Shit Metal” t-shirts it’s fucking
hilarious. I invited Axl to do a Christmas
record with me and do it as the Pigeons of Shit
Metal. It could have been a fucking rad song
and be like, “Come on Axl, come back into the
club of rock ‘n’ roll.” But you know, I never got
any word back.
You seem to be surrounded by or in conflict
with a lot of redheads – what’s that about?
We’re fucking out of our minds, girl. We’re
fucking crazy.
You do consider yourself as a proper
redhead, right?
Oh yeah, absolutely. I disguise my redheadedness
a little bit because I know how
fucking nuts we are.
Do you consider yourself as a redneck?
I am a hillbilly, girl.
What’s the difference?
A hillbilly makes sweet blue grass music and
when he shoots his gun, he hits what he’s aiming
at. A redneck is a lowdown illiterate son of a
bitch. One lives in a house, the other in a trailer.
Could you tell us more about the place you
grew up in?
I grew up in a place called Greenville, South
Carolina, which is literally like the fucking
buckle in the Bible belt; we’re talking about 450
Baptist churches in one small little town. When
my parents divorced, I moved and finished
growing up in the desert of Southern California,
which is probably by far the weirdest place any
child could ever have grown up in the world.
It was a freak show of extremities, like third
grade kids in 1981 selling drugs and knocking
girls up. Just unheard of, because it was a weird
clash of lowbrow working class families with
kids, brushing up with the richest of the rich.
The desert is a vacation community; it’s where
the president goes for holiday and where movie
stars hang out all the time in places like Palm
Springs. A lot of drugs and a lot of fast action.
Music
And did you grow up in a musical environment
or was it not too much part of your
upbringing?
When I was with my dad yeah, but by the
time I was eight, I grew up in a very strictly religious
environment. I listened to a lot of music
but I had no real interest at the time. It happened
by accident and by fate. Let’s put it that
way; I never ever wanted to be in a band.
ˆ
“I believe in God, I don’t
care to believe in magic
talking monkeys just to kill
my sins. I’m a fucking stone
sinner; I’m an evil dark
motherfucker, that’s the
cold hard fact”
ˇ
What’s the first record you remember
getting?
Destroyer by Kiss, with my dad in 1986.
© Ulrike Biets
And the last record you bought and liked?
The Meteors – Greatest Hits – and Electric
Wizard. I fucking looove Electric Wizard. Check
them out; they’re heavy as fuck. Funeralopolis,
that’s the song you gotta check out first.
Do you believe in God?
Of course. I believe in God, I don’t care to
believe in magic talking monkeys just to kill my
sins. I’m a fucking stone sinner; I’m an evil dark
motherfucker, that’s the cold hard fact. But is
there a God? Of course there is. I’d be a fool to
disavow what I think. I look at evolution and the
concept of accidentalism and here’s what I see:
so magic gases blew up, magically created everything
and magic talking monkeys turned into us.
OK. You can either have magic talking monkeys
or a magic man. I’d rather have a magic man.
Do you believe in hell?
Of course, and it'll be hotter in hell for me
than it'll be for you.
You’ve had quite a few struggles with substance
abuse in the past but managed to
kick them. What’s your current vice of
choice?
My current vice of choice is the ultimate
female that has ever been created by the
devil’s hand and laid to Hollywood Street.
I’ve been chasing the tail of the ultimate queen
of Hollywood and her name is Tuesday Cross.
Is she the one who broke your heart?
Hell no! She’s the one who took my heart
and re-made it in the devil’s own image.
You’re very vocal about your republican
views. Being quite unimpressed with
Obama’s performance, what would you do
if you were in charge of the Oval Office for
a day?
Let’s see, let me think about that (pauses
for a second). By executive order I would
eliminate the department of education and
homeland security. Constitutionally convene
a session and hold a hearing on the validity of
the Patriot Act, which I would then attempt
to have eliminated before day’s end. I would
ban all surveillance of citizens in America,
repeal the income tax completely and abolish
most federal legal oversights in each individual
state by executive order. And then my last act
in office would be to declare myself eternally
as the American biggest dick in the world of all
time, greatest lover and most magical person
with the greatest hands ever, beautiful eyes
and a great smile. Jesse Hughes, forever and
ever, amen.
myspace.com/bootselectric
eaglesofdeathmetal.com
55

56 The venue
Heritage Photography
National hero
What is considered today to be one of the best music venues in Europe – if
not the world – nearly became a parking lot in the early 70s. It certainly was
a long and bumpy road, but following decades of uncertainty, Brussels’ cult
live venue L’Ancienne Belgique stands tall and triumphant, having done a
fine job at placing our capital on the musical map and establishing it as a
necessary stop on any touring itinerary. Located in a 10,000 sqm complex
that is said to go back to the 11 th century, L'Ancienne Belgique – or AB as it
is also known – was a popular concert hall in the early 20 th century. Often
threatened with closure due to noise complaints from the neighbourhood, it
underwent several renovations and even filed for bankruptcy in 1971. Saved
by funding from the Flemish government in the late 70s, the main hall was
completely soundproofed and reconditioned in 1982, resulting in the AB
as we currently know it. Entirely tinted in a deep cardinal red – commonly
used in most theatres as it absorbs the stage lights – the venue retains a
unique warmth and intimacy, even when at full capacity (2,000). Upgrading
the entire equipment with state of the art technology and a perfect acoustic
system, it has become the venue of choice for live recordings of artists such
as Iggy Pop, Oasis, Kings of Leon, Goldfrapp, Queens of the Stone Age, The
Hives and Yeasayer to name a few. Mike Patton has been quoted saying, “AB
is the best venue in Europe. No, in the world!” and Lou Reed was in awe
when he discovered the main hall before performing at last year’s Domino
Festival. Praises coming from such demanding musicians who have toured
throughout the world are no mean feat, and the 300,000 concertgoers
who flocked in last year can’t be wrong either. The 233,450 tickets sold in
2010 have earned the AB the third spot in Pollstar’s annual list of Top 100
Worldwide Club Venues, making it the only European venue in the top 50.
Photographer Merel ‘t Hart

01.
03. 04.
05.
Music
02.
06.
01. Lights, fixtures and fittings.
02. For the Morcheeba or Iron & Wine fans, 730
balcony seats are available. Free seating is on a “first
come, first served” basis.
03. State of the art technology has been customised to suit
all the needs of the wide breath of artists that come
through AB’s door.
04. The venue employs a staff of 45. This is in addition to
cleaners, security agents, bar and restaurant staff.
05. The backstage zone in front of the production room.
06. A couch from the Stella bar.
57

58 The venue
07.
08.

09.
10.
Music
11.
L’Ancienne Belgique
Boulevard Anspachlaan 110
1000 Brussels
abconcerts.be
Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/
nationalhero or scan the QR code on the
right for more backstage pictures and
videos of cult AB moments.
59
07. The catering canteen. “Proper
food” is a luxury touring
artists don’t take for granted,
something that the AB understands
only too well. Former house
cook Lut De Clercq was even
renowned abroad for her dishes and
wrote several books on the subject.
08. A dressing room.
09. The AB Sessions room, which
also doubles as an extra dressing
room on busy nights. Two
microphones and a camera are on
hand to record sessions of acoustic
sets broadcasted on the venue’s
website.
10. The AB Sessions room.
11. “If you get lost, just follow the red
line” is a sentence often overheard
in the backstage zone that stretches
from the main hall to the recording
studio and catering canteen.

60 The fetish
Play Photography We love
Playing
with fire
True musicians will
say that the way
their instrument
looks matters little as
opposed to the way it
sounds. Fair enough.
But there’s nothing
wrong with favouring
style over substance
every once in a
while. Call it the “red
Ferrari syndrome”...
Photographer Toon Aerts
Tim Vanhamel
Frontman (Millionaire)
Pictured with his Gretsch G5810 Bo Diddley (2009, USA)
Purchased for ¤399
“First of all, it’s not a real vintage, I only bought it
about two years ago. I was at Music Store in Köln
when I saw this guitar and I just had to buy it. I
had been coveting one of these for a long time,
because of its shape. I always had a problem
with the shape of most guitars because in a way,
they’re all alike. Certain designs, like Fender’s
or Gibson’s, are well known, but you rarely see a
guitar that has such a futuristic look like this one.
And of course, this is a Bo Diddley design and
I’m a really big fan of his. He’s The Originator,
the father of rock ’n’ roll; it doesn’t get any better
than that. When I look at this guitar, I can already
imagine a whole album. I have only used it once
on stage. I guess I want to keep it for the right
project. Maybe for the new Millionaire album,
or maybe I’ll just tune it in a weird way and use it
for some really crazy shit, who knows... It’s only
available in red, so I didn’t have much of a choice.
It’s the authentic colour of Diddley’s Gretsch.”
myspace.com/millionnairetheband

Aldo Struyf
Bassist (Creature With The Atom Brain)
Pictured with his Guild B-301 (1997, USA)
Traded for a vintage Fender Mustang guitar
“What can I say? This bass is just incredible. I
don’t think it looks that great. Actually, it’s so
ugly; it makes it cool in a certain way. It’s a pretty
unique bass and has this amazing pumping tone.
I’ve had other bass guitars like a Fender, but
this one just sounds right straight away. And it
plays so smoothly, too. I have no idea how old
it actually is – I got it from Bas, the bass player
from Millionaire, who bought it in the States.
I traded a Mustang for it, which I never really
used anyway. I record at home a lot, so I play
both the guitar and bass parts myself. When
recording, I don’t want to spend too much time
figuring out how to make the bass sound good,
that way I can focus on other things, like the
structure of the song. Guild is a well-respected
brand of guitars, but you don’t see too many bass
models, so I have no idea what it’s worth. It’s a
very strange and unique colour; kind of a deep
red that is infused with brown undertones. To be
honest, I’m not a fan of the colour. For me it’s all
about the tone and feel of this bass.”
myspace.com/creaturewiththeatombrain
Greg Remy
Guitarist (Ghinzu)
Pictured with his Meazzi Zodiac (1963-69, Italy)
Purchased for ¤400
“I found this guitar at my local repair shop. It
had been lying there for the past two years and
I went there every six months, asking the guy if
he would sell it. The guitar belonged to someone
who had forgotten it and the shopkeeper tried
getting in touch with the owner to see if he would
sell it. After two years of begging, I finally got it.
I was drawn to it because I like the way it looks.
I love the futuristic wave that thrived in the 50s
and 60s and this guitar totally embodies the
fashion and design of that era. It’s a bit like the
poor man’s Bo Diddley guitar. I also like the fact
that it bears my name. There’s an old worn-out
sticker that reads ‘Gregory Music’ on the headstock,
which is probably a shop from the 70s that
sold the guitar. It has a very nice neck and sounds
very ‘bassy’. It sounds great with an effect pedal
like the Bigg Muff. I‘ve used it live, but had to
fiddle with too many knobs in order for it to be
aligned with my other guitars. I actually have
two red guitars, this one and a Reverend, but
the Meazzi is definitely more unique.”
myspace.com/ghinzu
Music
61

62 The throw away project
Play Behind the scenes Photography
Vermin Twins
The throw away project debuted during festival season last
summer. Dozens of disposable cameras were dished out to a
handful of artists and bands (everyone from HEALTH to Jamie
Lidell and Jimmy Edgar, visit thewordmagazine.be/tags/throwaway-project
for the full series) with one simple instruction: click
away, then send it back to us. We’re now pleased to introduce
the on-going series to these pages with, as first-timers, Belgium’s
very own Vermin Twins. The up-and-coming experimentalvocoder-driven-electronic
two-piece gives us an insight into
their daily lives, starring synths, guitars, raging bonfires and a
teensy-weensy Chihuahua.
Photographers Vermin Twins With thanks to Ulrike Biets
Some hooligan we picked up... Jean-Pierre Jarre, Jean-Michel’s secret twin brother.
Visit thewordmagazine.be/office/vermintwins or scan the
QR code above for more of the band's throw away pictures.

Too many stickers, no talent.
5 Point Finger Fire Split Technique Skill (5PFFSTS).
Music
Fire in the hole!
Get out of my dreams, get into my car.
63

64
The
Fashion
special

The prodigy
Talent is a peculiar thing. You cannot pinpoint
where it comes from nor analyse why it moves
us, but fashion is just like any other field: you
simply know talent when you see it. Despite
being in her early 20s and still figuring out how
to launch her own label, Alexandra Verschueren
has this unique combination of creativity, drive
and flair that singles her out from the plethora
of new graduates. Sitting in the living room of
her Antwerp apartment – which also serves as
her studio – she comes across as warm and funloving,
a risk-taking forward thinker with both
her feet firmly grounded in reality.
This combination of pragmatism and imagination
is alluring, but it’s her typically Belgian
modesty that will win you over. Even though
Alexandra graduated with great distinction
from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts
not once but twice – for her Bachelor’s degree
and Master’s in Fashion Design – she’s far too
humble to point this achievement out. Her perfectionist
streak is, nevertheless, immediately
noticeable. “I work a lot with details and really
focus on them. My silhouettes are simple and
minimal, but I like the idea of embellishment.
The Fas hion s pecial
I love origami, because pleats give me a sense
of meditation. I remember ironing each piece
individually for ages last year, but didn’t mind
at all,” she explains of the collection she presented
at the Hyères International Fashion
and Photography Festival, which won her the
Grand Prix of the Jury. If pleats are one of
Alexandra’s trademarks, she also finds inspiration
in everyday objects, translating their
appeal into clothing. “I’m quite neurotic at work
and get obsessed with certain things. At the
moment, I’m really into these Japanese water
bottles, with their sleek design and moulded
curves. I’m trying to work out how to reproduce
these waves into fabric, which is not easy to do.”
Things have been hectic since her triumphant
victory at Hyères, although having a lot on
her plate is not something that scares the Antwerp
native. Inspired by paper, Japanese traditions and
architectural shapes, she produced a strong and
beautiful show, which not only managed to excite
the international press, but aroused the interest
of industry key players as well. The online site
of French Vogue added her to their list of last
year’s most influential fashion names, an accolade
she still cannot come to terms with. “It was
surreal for me and I felt like I didn’t deserve it,”
Alexandra admits. “It’s an honour, of course,
65
but other people on that list have achieved much
more than I have. I think it pushes you to prove
yourself more.” Currently working on the 15 new
outfits she will present during her comeback show
at Hyères, she’s also busy with the launch of her
eponymous womenswear brand. Researching
a PhD on the relationship between fashion and
architecture at the University of Antwerp has
allowed her to get funding and teach students
on a regular basis. She will also inject part of
her ¤15.000 Hyères prize into the launch of her
debut collection and has talked to banks, industry
professionals and experienced insiders to
find out about financing and production options.
“People here always tell you not to start your own
thing, but why shouldn’t I? I’ve already met quite
a few manufacturers and will focus on my own
label after Hyères. Manufacturing in Belgium is
expensive, but there may be openings in France
or Japan. I’m planning on presenting my first collection
in Paris next October.” (PP)
alexandraverschueren.com
Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/
theprodigy or scan the QR code on the right
for a visual rundown of Alexandra’s Hyères
collection and sketches.
© Veerle Frissen

© Yassin Serghini
66
Faguo: world
dominance
one tree at
a time
There’s something rather heart-warming about
seeing a start-up coming-of-age, especially in
the fast-paced and unforgiving world of fashion.
If you’re anything like us and keep a close
watch on the daily going-ons of the industry,
you’ll agree that certain new arrivals somehow
seem more astute than others at remaining
at the top of the hype chain, with unconventional
launches, meaningful communications
strategies and, above all, strong products with
distinctive brand attributes. Faguo, that unassuming
shoe that seems to have popped out of
nowhere, is one of those intriguing new arrivals.
Launched in 2008 by Frenchmen Nicolas
Rohr and Frédéric Mugnier as part of their end
of year project, they make starting up in the
notoriously fickle fashion industry sound easy.
“We went to Beijing as part of our Erasmus
exchange program, were taken aback with the
entrepreneurial culture there and came back
to France knowing we wanted to start our own
company,” explains Nicolas. The pair already
The fashion papers
Industry Talent Consume
being sneaker aficionados (“Not necessarily
Air Force Ones but, rather, Fred Perrys and
Feiyues”), the decision to move into sneakers
was instinctive as well as contextual, China
being sneaker kingdom. Back in France, they
asked their professors if they could, instead of
doing the classic internship in one of France’s
major employers, work on the launch of their
own brand; he accepted. “The most challenging
part at the time was balancing our student life
with launching a start-up,” continues Nicolas,
who is quick to point to their inexperience in
the field at the time. “Our philosophy was: lets
design our little shoe, put in an order for 5,000
(the minimum quantity allowed) and see what
happens.” It turns out that “what happened” is
nothing short of spectacular. The pair decided
to launch entirely through Facebook, creating
a Faguo fan page (“The perfect tool to put
us in touch with our network of friends from
business school”), which racked up a mindboggling
5,000 fans in 15 days – and without
even one pair of shoes having hit the shelves.
True to form, Faguo was on everyone’s lips,
with every self-respected hipster wondering
(worrying, even) who would end up getting the
first pair. With such preliminary buzz, it is no
surprise that the brand’s first collection sold
out in 12 days, whilst attracting the attention of
key stockists. “We begged Kiliwatch (the avantgarde
Parisian style boutique) to come visit us
at one of our private sales,” Nicolas fondly
remembers. “The buyer ended up coming, was
instantly seduced by the shoe and, the following
Monday, Faguo was sold in their store.” The
apparent ease with which Faguo manages to win
the hearts and minds of its ever-growing fan
base is essentially due to the brand’s essence,
its spirit. Simply put, it ticks all the boxes as
far as successfully launching a new product
in today’s digitally-literate and well-informed
consumption culture goes. Sustainable sensitivity?
Check (for every Faguo bought, a tree
is planted in either of three forests in France).
Responsible approach? Check (reduction of
CO2 emissions, transport by sea). Smart communications
strategy? Check (witty use of social
media platforms, reliance on non-traditional
media). Transparency? Check (“Right from
the start, we acknowledged our Made in China
label”). Appealing design? Check (think the
finesse of Tretorns, the comfort of Keds and
the style of Jack Purcells). No wonder, then,
that within four years, the company’s workforce
grew from two to 10 (including a staff of two in
China), and its turnover from 375,000 euros in
2009 to 700,000 euros in 2010, with the figure
set to double in 2011. (NL)
faguo-shoes.com

Jessie
Lecompte:
when
structure
meets style
Step into the minimalistic white office and
your eyes are immediately drawn to the large
black and white mood boards. Three recurring
themes stand out amongst the abundance
of images: feathers, modern architecture and
strong women. Meet Jessie Lecomte, winner of
the 2010 Modo Brussels Award.
That Jessie would grow to become a
designer made no doubt. From age 14 to 24,
she worked at a jewellery shop in Bruges, her
hometown, where she created her own pieces.
Studying jewellery design, however, wasn’t on
her agenda. “Jewellery completes a silhouette.
I always pay attention to accessories within my
collections but for me, limiting myself to jewellery
design wasn’t enough. I wanted to dress a
woman from head to toe,” she firmly asserts. So
it was off to Antwerp, where she graduated in
1996. Unlike other aspiring fashion designers
who try to make it by settling down in Belgium’s
The Fas hion s pecial
perennial fashion capital, Antwerp soon proved
too small for her and she moved back to Brussels.
“I love to get lost in the anonymity of a city like
Brussels. In Antwerp, that’s impossible.”
Brussels is her home base, the city in which
she works and lives with husband Jean-Louis
and daughter June. Nevertheless, the capital
isn’t her primary source of inspiration. “Brussels
is a great place to come home, to structure my
thoughts and start the production of each collection.
I usually get inspired during holidays and
always carry a sketchbook with me. Nothing is
more inspiring than drawing while gazing at a
beautiful sunset or watching my four-year-old
daughter play in the sand.” Her fondness for
travels and exotic countries is most noticeable
in her Un peu Pop collection, for which she
reinvented Indian embroidery and mirror work
fabrics. She also uses a lot of pleating in her
work. “I love pleats. I use pleating to create new
volumes. It’s very architectural but also very
elegant.” Her graduate collection at Antwerp’s
Royal Academy featured strong structures,
something that is still noticeable in her current
collections, yet in which she has also developed
her own aesthetics. Having come of age during
the golden years of brands such as Comme des
Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto, she still admires
their designs. Another long-standing passion
of hers is modern architecture. On her wall of
inspiration are pictures of le Corbusier alongside
the organic shapes of Zaha Hadid, although
her collections are far from futuristic. “I guess I
67
want to create new shapes with my creations, but
I also want them to be timeless and elegant.” The
woman who wears Jessie Lecomte is certainly
artistic – perhaps a gallery owner or art collector.
“She wants to feel special but not outrageous
and she appreciates quality fabrics such as cashmere
and silk.” As my eye wanders further on
her mood boards, I spot pictures of three different
women coming back: Grace Jones, Audrey
Hepburn and Leigh Lezark. “I think they represent
my collections very well. Grace has her
own personal style and Audrey embodies pure
elegance. Leigh is a contemporary style icon,
I just love the way she dresses.”
One last glance at her mood boards reveals
her soft spot for birds. She loves their feathers
and movements. Their presence is either
obvious – feather prints on silk and large
embroideries – or more subtle in patterns.
“Maybe birds are metaphors for freedom. I love
travelling and I want to do what I truly love to in
life, and I guess that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Next on her list: pursue the development of her
brand and, hopefully someday, show her collections
on the runways of the prestigious Paris
Fashion Week. (SV)
Jessie Lecomte collections are available from Glorybox
(Brussels) and Alex Schrijvers (Antwerp).
jessielecomte.com
© Veerle Frissen

68
The insight
Talent People
Walter & Dirk
Walter Van Beirendonck and Dirk van Saene are a bit
of an oddity in the fashion world. Think of them as the
industry’s answer to Eddie and Patsy, Cagney and Lacey
or Laurel and Hardy. Both men were part of the infamous
Antwerp Six – which also included Dries Van Noten and
Ann Demeulemeester – although their story began much
earlier than that: the Belgian, bearded and bear-like designers
have been partners for the past 33 years. We meet them on a
cold winter afternoon in their Antwerp store.
Writer Philippe Pourhashemi Photographer Veerle Frissen

Walter is the flamboyant one: massive rings on
each finger, a thick beard and a bright sweater.
Dirk appears more discreet, slouching on his
chair and with a preppier look. What unites
both men is a deep-rooted creativity, a complicit
sense of companionship and an ability
to enjoy themselves. Their story reads like
the ultimate telenovela, minus the expected
drama, “We were really young when we met,”
explains Walter. “We both came from outside
of Antwerp and were here to study. I got into
the Academy (Antwerp’s Royal Academy of
Fine Arts) to do fashion and Dirk started his
degree while I was in my second year. I remember
thinking about jewellery or architecture
at that time, but it was seeing the graduates'
fashion show that sealed the deal. You know,
it's not something I got into when I was 12 years
old, playing dress up with dolls in my room. No
Barbies for me, please!” Despite his Big Jim-less
childhood, little Walter was not into macho
comics either, “A lot of people think I'm crazy
about them when they look at my pieces, but
that's not the case. I guess you can find traces of
superheroes and other figures in my work, but it
was never a fixation for me.” Van Beirendonck's
clothes have an urban and direct appeal, which
he has been working on and refining since the
80s. Colour, geometry, ease and utility are all
part of his vocabulary. His clothes make you
smile, but they also make you think. Making
statements that are often political, social, sexual
or cultural, his shows promote inclusiveness, as
opposed to elitism. His decision to use bigger
guys for several collections was seen as a clear
reaction to the industry's limitations. “I think
my clothes have always been very personal and
my message hasn't really changed with time.
I had used bears and larger guys in a previous
show in 1996 and remember that it was quite
a small scene then. When I did it again recently,
I was taking a stance against anorexia and
models that were too skinny. I just wanted to
show another type of physique on the runway.”
One could describe van Saene's fashion
sense as more subdued and elegant. “I guess
a lot of people talk about a Couture feel when
they describe my clothes, and it's something
I'm actually fine with. Deconstruction was all
the rage in the mid-90s and what I was doing
was so different... People thought I had lost it,”
he jokes. “They couldn't understand what I was
doing. It was just so out of context in a way,
but also true to my own taste. I wanted to react
against that movement and do exactly the opposite.”
Van Saene hesitated between canvases and
clothes before joining the Academy. He could
perfectly live without fashion, “I don't really
need fashion to feel creative. Walter does. I've
developed a new passion for ceramics lately and
am still learning about the craft. I've always loved
the act of painting, too. You need a team when
you're making clothes and there are so many
external forces involved. I'd rather spend time
alone and create what I want. Fashion is such
a huge investment, both financially and emotionally.
You see that with young designers now.
There's hardly a chance to grow anymore. People
expect you to be huge in three seasons only.”
Although they never worked on a collection
together, the pair opened WALTER in 1998, a
The Fas hion s pecial
unique space located in the heart of Antwerp
which stocked furniture as well as edgy fashion
brands. During our conversation in the store,
I can't help but wonder what it must be like for
two designers to live together. Fashion being the
“Cursed Land of Inflated Egos,” many would
probably end up strangling each other. “It's a
lot,” admits Walter. “Everything is doubled:
deadlines, commitments, pressure. When we
started our careers, we were in it 24/7, but
now we're much better at taking a step back and
separating things. I still take a lot of my work
home, but it's different now. We never felt the
need to compete with each other either. There
was no reason to.” Dirk is very much involved
in Walter's work, helping out with the shows,
models and offering constructive feedback.
“I do give my opinion, yes. I also work on the
casting for his shows. We were invited to San
Francisco last May to show his Spring Summer
‘10 collection and that was a lot of fun. There
were many fans coming to the event and we felt
very welcome. We're used to doing things like
that together.”
69
They also can't help finishing each other's
sentences, which is both sweet and amusing. The
initial reserve I felt at the beginning of our chat
slowly disappears and I'm enjoying being with
them as times passes by. The store closes and it's
time to say goodbye. When I ask Walter what he
would do if he were not in fashion, he answers
with his now customary cheek, “I've always loved
animals, you know, so I could have worked in a
zoo, or something to do with flowers. And porn,
too… I would direct, of course.” But of course.
waltervanbeirendonck.com
dirkvansaene.com
Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/
walteranddirk or scan the QR code on the
right for catwalk images of Walter’s latest
show.

70
The round table
Industry Debate Sustainable fashion Photography
Sustainable fashion : Believe the hype
As hot and trendy as it may be, sustainable fashion remains
a divisive subject. Eco-evangelists believe it's the only way
forward, while others cannot help raise an eyebrow or two.
We invited leading industry professionals and fashion insiders
to Brussels to discuss the issues at stake. As we settled down
in the cosy settings of the Amigo Hotel’s Blaton suite for the
day, the six participants could not wait to get started. The
coffee had barely been served that thoughts were already being
exchanged and minds educated.
Moderator Philippe Pourhashemi Photographer Merel t’Hart

Ada Zanditon
London-based designer dedicated to
innovative ethical fashion. She set up her
eponymous company in 2008 and presented
her womenswear line for the first time
at London Fashion Week in September
2009.
Laurent Dombrowicz
Fashion editor and consultant. he styles
for various international publications,
casts models for shows and talent scouts
for companies. he lives and works in Paris,
but hails from the Walloon city of Liège.
Didier Vervaeren
Artistic director of Modo Brussels,
an association promoting the work of
Brussels designers in Belgium and abroad.
he also teaches accessory design at La
Cambre and is a firm fixture of the local
fashion scene.
Sonja Noël
Retail pioneer in Belgium and the owner
of two designer stores in Brussels: Stijl
and haleluja, her latest project focuses on
high-end, luxury sustainable clothes.
Javier Barcala
Belgium-based art director, photographer
and film-maker. his latest project, called
“The Believers”, is dedicated to sustainable
fashion and raising awareness across
educational and industry circles.
Alexandra Lambert
Director of the Fashion/Design/Luxury
Products department at the Foreign Trade
Department of Brussels export. She’s also
involved in the creation of a forthcoming
Centre of Fashion and Design in Brussels.
Laurent — The problem I have with the
word “organic” is that it is not perceived the
same way in every country. Look at “organic
cotton” for instance. How do you precisely
define it? The same rules don't apply to this
label everywhere, depending on the area where
the fabrics are developed.
Sonja — To me, “organic” means that no
herbicides or pesticides were used to produce
the yarns and this is something that is regulated
and controlled.
Ada — There are a lot of rules actually.
Laurent — Still, the word “organic” is not
protected by law the same way in every country.
American regulations are therefore completely
The Fas hion s pecial
Left to right: Alexandra Lambert, Javier Barcala, Philippe Pourhashemi, Ada Zanditon, Sonja Noël and Didier Vervaeren
different from Indian or European ones.
Philippe — There are no real standards
in place then, unlike the food industry where
labels are clearly indicated.
Laurent — Let’s say you have produced
organic cotton and want to dye it. How do you
do that sustainably? We know there are some
colours that cannot be reproduced with vegetable
dyes only.
Sonja — That is something we know about
and are working on. With Haleluja – my latest
retail project in Brussels – I want to go much
further than a bioshop and try to see how negative
impact on the environment can actually be
minimised.
Laurent Dombrowicz and Javier Barcala
71
Laurent — It’s not even the production
that is the main problem. What do we do about
the packaging and shipping of these garments?
People should be informed about how these
steps were carried out when they buy sustainable
fashion.
Sonja — I completely agree with you. We
try to use our common sense when it comes
to such issues. I'm not here to impose rules
on anyone, this is not what I'm trying to do.
I guess we should be rational and logical about
it, trying to see how we can improve on each
step gradually.
Javier — I think it’s important to offer
choice as well.

72 The round table
Sonja — I agree. It’s also about education,
raising designers' awareness on sustainability
and how to create and produce garments that
are kinder on our ecosystems.
Alexandra — How do you choose the
designers you sell?
Sonja — It’s the result of a very long
research. I spent quite a few years looking at
new developments in the field and imagining
what lines could sit well together. There's still a
lot of work to be done, because there are not so
many known designers offering high-quality,
sustainable collections, but I'm sure existing
labels will improve and grow, becoming better
each year.
Laurent — There are not many people
doing these kinds of projects right now. You
have great knowledge of the fashion industry
and know what you are talking about, but there
are not enough people like you at the moment.
Ideally, you would have someone doing the
same sort of thing in France, Italy, Japan or the
US. I know similar projects have been done in
Germany and Sweden before, but that's still not
enough.
Sonja — It has to grow and more shops
should embrace that concept. The world can
only change gradually and I believe in small
– but significant – steps. This is about new
beginnings and I've always worked that way.
I guess it's an instinctive way of doing things.
I'm not saying that the whole fashion world
will become like that, but it's one approach
I believe in.
Ada — You can have a big, bloody revolution,
but it doesn't necessarily improve anything.
Systems change over longer periods of
time and it’s something that gains momentum.
That doesn't happen overnight. What annoys
me sometimes about the design world is that
people keep on telling you that everything has
been done before, which is a terrible message
to give. This is certainly an area where there is
a lot to do. For me, it was a conscious choice
and an innovative one. People like Katharine
Hamnett have given several talks about such
issues throughout their career and this has
definitely inspired designers to investigate
this approach. Companies like Junky Styling
– which has been around for more than a
decade now – have become cult and successful
in London, selling to international stockists.
As a designer, it's my intention to create something
beautiful, and it's no longer beautiful if
there are negative consequences attached to it.
If I could choose a different path, I'm sure my
life would be much easier, but, at the end of the
day, what I create has to be aesthetically pleasing
and fair at the same time.
Laurent — My field of expertise is luxury
and that is what I specialise in. When you look
at luxury clients within emerging markets, such
as South-East Asia, Saudi Arabia or Russia,
they do not care about sustainability at all.
These people are the ones keeping the luxury
sector alive and they don't even think about the
environment.
Sonja — These clients will always be
there, we know that, but I think luxury and
ecology can go hand in hand. I don't see any
contradictions there.
Javier — It depends on the market you’re
looking at. If you go to the UK, for instance,
sustainable fashion is huge. There are more
brands competing within that segment and a
lot more options, too. I guess the challenge is
to pick and choose the best designers within
Ada Zanditon
Alexandra Lambert and Javier Barcala
that field. Consumers are confused in terms of
image, because they often have this vision of
sustainable fashion as bland and boring. Still,
sustainability is a wider process that does not
limit itself to clothes: food, design and architecture
are also part of the same movement.
Alexandra — It’s about having a certain
lifestyle, like eating slow food or avoiding planes.
People are bringing sustainability into their lives,
depending on the level of awareness they have.
Javier — It’s a lifestyle and a trend, too.
Ada — I don’t want to fight against the
system as a designer. It’s just not realistic for
me. I’m not going to produce one single collection
a year to advocate this idea of slow fashion.

Being able to match what the rest of the industry
is doing – in terms of fabrics or production – is
the most challenging part. What scares me the
most is that this is a trend that may eventually
fade. There are designers with this so-called
ethical aesthetic who actually give the press an
opportunity to put sustainable fashion into a
box, isolated from everything else.
Laurent — They give sustainable design
the wrong image, too. It ends up having this
cheap, boho look that nobody wants.
Ada — That is precisely the problem.
How can we expect the customer who has been
exposed to that kind of fashion to actually
understand and appreciate what we are doing?
You cannot go to one of these big companies that
promotes this look and ask them to evolve their
design style.
Sonja — Sustainable clothes have to be
desirable products, otherwise there’s no point
selling them. My role is to bring that sustainable
message into the luxury segment, which
is the hardest aspect. There's nothing such as
overnight success in fashion. You have to be
patient and grow your business slowly.
Philippe — Why do you think the UK has
been so instrumental in promoting and developing
sustainable fashion?
Ada — I live in London and there have been
several initiatives supporting it in the city, such
as Estethica for instance, which was created
five years ago and funded by the British Fashion
Council. These projects have focused on creating
a specific area for sustainable fashion, based
on principles of fair-trade and ethical practices.
London Fashion Week reacted on that creative
movement quickly, which was a smart move.
Sonja — At London College of Fashion,
you can actually do a Master's in Fashion and
the Environment. In fact, they have a proper
Centre for Sustainable Fashion, too. This is
currently not an educational option in Belgium.
Schools here don’t even know about this.
Didier — I teach accessory design at
La Cambre and guess this is something that
is not part of our culture. I find it interesting
though. To be honest, it's all very new for me
and I don't know that much about the subject.
If you want to inform and teach students, you
need to know exactly what you're talking about.
It's a tricky area, too.
Ada — I also think high technology can
play an important part in developing sustainable
fashion. The problem I face as a small
designer is mainly availability. It's hard for me
to get hold of these newly developed materials,
even though there are incredible recycled materials
out. The problem is that they are not used
in fashion, but in different industries. What we
have at the moment is a gap between amazing
technological advances in textile design and the
availability of it to designers who are supposed
The Fas hion s pecial
to benefit from that progress. I really hope we
can find solutions in the near future to make the
use of such fabrics easier for people like me.
Sonja Noël
Laurent Dombrowicz Didier Vervaeren and Alexandra Lambert
Ada Zanditon adaz.co.uk
Laurent Dombrowicz laurentdombrowicz.com
Javier Barcala lafortunaknows.com
Modo Brussels modobrussels.be
Brussels Export bruxelles-export.be
Hotel Amigo hotelamigo.com
Haleluja haleluja.be
With special thanks to Nadine Neuckens at the Hotel
Amigo for her help in welcoming our guests in style.
Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/
sustainablefashionhype or scan the QR
code on the right for a video edit as well as
more images of the round table.
73

74
The special showstoppers
Consume We love
The wish list
From underwear to accessories, our selection of
fashion showstoppers are as timeless as they are
light-hearted.
Photographer Ismaël Moumin With thanks to Françoise Salinger
01.
penny for your style
Belgian-born Diane von Furstenberg knows women. Her upbeat
energy, passion for life and positive attitude shape her work. She likes
to empower her customers and caters to her desires and aspirations.
With talented Frenchman Yvan Mispelaere now at the helm as creative
director, new blood keeps flowing through the house's many lines. This
fresh direction stands out in DvF's accessories, including her gorgeous
handbags that are stylish, yet remain functional. This season, the
Penny is a must-have. With its jazzy colours, roomy size, soft feel and
playful pattern, it puts a cheeky smile on our sun-starved faces. (PP)
Penny leather bag by DvF (¤1,100).
Available from Diane von Furstenberg (Brussels and Antwerp).
dvf.com

02.
inside out
Rarely seen on the outside, let alone regarded
as an object of aesthetic value, artificial pacemakers
have been saving lives since the late
50s. It should come as no surprise that with a
cardiologist father and years spent working
in a morgue during his architecture studies,
young jewellery maker Michael Guérisse
O’Leary would become fascinated with these
simple yet vital medical devices. Diverting
it from its conventional use, he turns these
recycled sterling silver and titanium lifesavers
into brooches. Limited to a five-edition
run, each Pulse Generator is as precious and
unique as the organ they once served.
Pulse Generator brooch by Michael Guérisse O’Leary
and Philippe Humbeeck (price upon request).
oleary.be
04.
and chauncey created
womanswear
It’s no secret we have a soft spot for Brusselsbased
knitwear brand Chauncey. Their minimalist
yet stylish designs, backed by impeccable
craftsmanship and top-notch quality
yarn, carry everything one could ever dream
of from a jumper. Our only damper came
from the fact that Nathalie Bouhana’s designs
catered to an exclusively male clientele so
far. Imagine our joy, then, to find out that
she has decided to expand to womanswear
for this spring. The line sees navy polo’s,
cute Bermuda shorts, classic cardi’s and, our
personal favourite, a gorgeous knit dress that
comes in black and grey – sturdy in appearance
yet subtle in feel.
Knitted linen and cotton dress by Chauncey (¤365).
Available from Mapp (Brussels).
chauncey.be
The Fas hion s pecial
03.
Lady and the tramp
75
The name may be misleading, but Lady Violette is
underwear for guys. Don't expect scary fishnet or
see-through lycra. The recently graduated Anne-
Julie Wesel introduces her line this season, which
is made out of soft bamboo cotton. Inspired by
old-school styles – such as kangaroo briefs, fitted
tank tops and contrasting trims – her vision of
men’s undies is both playful and ironic. Choosing
traditional toile de Jouy motifs depicting erotic
scenes from Belgian artist Felicien Rops’ etchings
as her only print, this first collection combines
textile tradition with a sense of playful refinement.
And with fabric this smooth, don’t be surprised if
your very own Lady suddenly nicks your favourite
pieces from your drawer. (PP)
Lady Violette underwear (between ¤45 and ¤50).
Available from Blender (Brussels).
ladyviolette.be

76
bankrupt (2004)
by Phillip Toledano
Twin Palms Publishers
Bankrupt presents no foreword nor summary,
its subject matter being quite self-explanatory.
A handful of anonymous termination emails
are featured as the only textual elements, alluding
to the sense of incomprehension or disbelief
their recipients might have felt upon first
read. New York-based photographer Phillip
Toledano started taking pictures of recently
abandoned offices in 2001, documenting what
he referred to as “economic archaeology”.
The oversized dimensions of the book and
Toledano’s large-scale prints emphasise the
desolate character of these vacant offices. Page
after page, we are faced with empty drawers,
dying plants, the mess and chaos of desks that
have been hastily abandoned, piled boxes,
coatless hangers, lifeless rooms, ending with its
most moving and ironic image: a cleared desk
above which a blue sticker on the wall reads
“We’re all in this together”.
anish Kapoor (2009)
by David Anfam
Phaidon
From its beautiful and rich cover reminiscent
of the textures of his wax works to the colour
pictures that capture the intensity of pigment
sculptures, this book – prefaced by art historian
David Anfam – is a useful resource for
understanding Anish Kapoor’s highly rated
oeuvre. Famed for his larger-than-life pieces
that involve trompe l’oeil and site-specific
installations, the British sculptor has rapidly
become one of the most respected artists
of his generation. With hundreds of images
ranging from reproductions of his work, photographs
of Kapoor in his workshop, as well
as sketches from his most ambitious projects,
this weighty volume certainly lives up to its
promise of being the most comprehensive
monograph ever published on the artist.
The shelf
Arts Photography Nostalgia
The scarlet letter
After spending the better part of winter buried in horror
fiction, pulp magazines and crime novels, these childhood
classics, monumental monographs and stunning photography
volumes sure are a welcome alternative.
Photographer 354 Photographers
gang Leader for a day (2008)
by Sudhir Venkatesh
Allen Lane
When American sociology student Sudhir
Venkatesh infiltrated a gang to gain an in
depth understanding of urban poverty in
early 90s Chicago, he certainly had no clue of
how far it would take him and how drawn he
would become to the subjects of his interests.
Spending nearly a decade in the Robert
Taylor Homes in Chicago, one of the worst
ghettos in America, he quickly found himself
in the midst of a crack dealing crime ring.
Recounting his trials and tribulations with an
unexpected candour, this book tells the tale of
a curious young man that ended up getting far
more than he had bargained for.
The red balloon (1956)
by Albert Lamorisse
Doubleday
Based on the French movie of the same
name, The Red Balloon tells the story of
little Pascal, a lonely only child whose vivid
imagination leads him to befriend a large
helium filled red balloon which he manages to
tame and turns into an obedient pet. The pair
embark on a series of adventures through the
streets of Paris, until a gang of jealous schoolmates
“burst his bubble” by throwing rocks in
its direction. The minimal amount of colour
stands out amongst the beautiful black and
white photographs taken during the filming of
this 1956 children’s classic. As heart-warming
as it is poignant, this naive tale will bring out
your inner child, a few smiles and possibly
even tears.
urban interventions: personal
projects in public places (2010)
by Robert Klanten
Gestalten
Part street art, part agitprop, urban interventions
have become a permanent feature of
cities’ landscapes in recent years, gaining both
in notoriety and interest. Whether artists, that
chose to make use of public spaces for creative
expressions, or activists, who go to the street
to spread political messages, both use the city
as their personal drawing board. The results
are often amusing, and whether political or
simply aesthetic, always thought provoking.
This book showcases the projects of over
70 individuals and collectives, who operate
throughout Europe and America, taking art
out of white cubes and into the agora.
Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/
thescarletletter or scan the QR code on the
right for more photographs of the books as
well as Amazon purchase links.

from left, clockwise
Urban Interventions (Gestalten),
Gang Leader for a Day (Allen Lane),
Bankrupt (Twin Palms Publishers),
Anish Kapoor (Phaidon) and
The Red Balloon (Doubleday)
Culture 77

78
The pencil
Arts
Spot me if you can
Our favourite childhood brainteaser seemed almost too
easy. Spot the red stripes and Wally was yours. Get rid of the
attention grabbing red and it’s a whole different game. Just in
case you were wondering, he really is in there. We promise.
Illustrator Brecht Vandenbroucke

Culture
79

80
The view
Photography Heritage
Brick by brick
Typical of the 60s, and deeply rooted in Flemish culture, these
red brick houses were made popular by several uninspired
construction firms. Some look like they have a cold, or
probably drank too much. And even though most Belgians
loathe their peculiar style, or lack thereof, there’s something
strangely human, endearing even, about these residences.
Photographer Ulrike Biets
41 Sevensstraat, 3640 Kinrooi, Limburg

Culture
81

82 The view
47 Roosterbergstraat 47, 3680 Maaseik, Limburg
14 Asterstraat, 3660 Opglabbeek, Limburg

Culture
16 Asterstraat, 3660 Opglabbeek, Limburg
47 Steenberg, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, 3460 Bekkevoort, Flemish Brabant
83

84 The view

35 Groenstraat, 3670 Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Limburg
Culture
85

86 The view
45 Steenberg, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, 3460 Bekkevoort, Flemish Brabant
119 Ophovenstraat, 3670 Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Plokrooi, Limburg

Culture
77 Ophovenstraat, 3670 Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Plokrooi, Limburg
74 Muisvenstraat, 3670 Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Limburg
87

88
The portfolio
Photography Talent We love
Lip reading
Agatha Christie with a Lynchesque twist.
Part crime story, part lipstick trail.
Photographers Memymom

Culture
89

90 The portfolio

Culture
91

92 The portfolio

Culture
93

94
Pages 2 – 3
Swatch
swatch.com
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Jack Purcell
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96 The stockists
Consume We love
Alex Schrijvers
(for Jessie Lecomte)
Everdijstraat 8
2000 Antwerp
+32 (0) 479 71 21 02
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Ancienne Belgique
Boulevard Anspachlaan 110
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 548 24 00
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Bellerose (for Jack Purcell)
Rue des Chartreux 11
Kartuizerstraat
1000 Brussels
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Blender (for Lady Violette)
Rue des Chartreux 18
Kartuizerstraat
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 503 61 83
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Botanique
Rue Royale 236 Koningstraat
1210 Brussels
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Bozarshop (for Atypyk)
Rue Ravensteinstraat 15
1000 Brussels
+ 32 (0) 2 514 35 05
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Celine De Schepper
+32 (0) 476 42 06 01
Christophe Coppens
Rue Léon Lepagestraat 2
1000 Brussels
+ 32 (0) 2 512 77 97
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Cirque Royal
Rue de l’Enseignement 81
Onderrichtsstraat
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 218 20 15
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Cook & Book
Place du Temps Libre 1
Vrijetijdsplein
1200 Brussels
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Dearest
+32 (0) 2 611 14 75
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DvF Brussels
Rue du Grand Cerf 11
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1000 Brussels
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DvF Antwerp
Steenhouwersvest 44
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elvis Pompilio
Rue Lebeaustraat 67
1000 Brussels
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eres
Rue Jean Stasstraat 15
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Boulevard de Waterloolaan 30
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h&M Brussels
Rue Neuve 80 Nieuwstraat
1000 Brussels
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h&M Antwerp
Meir 87-89
2000 Antwerp
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hackett
Boulevard de Waterloolaan 16
1000 Brussels
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haleluja (for Ada Zanditon)
Place du Nouveau Marché aux
Grains 6 Nieuwe Graanmarkt
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 513 42 50
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hermès Brusels
Boulevard de Waterloolaan 50
1000 Brussels
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hermès Antwerp
Schuttershofstraat 19
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hom
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hotel Amigo
Rue de l’Amigostraat 1-3
1000 Brussels
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Icon (for Thierry Lasry)
Place du Nouveau Marché aux
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1000 Brussels
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Kiehl's Store Antwerp
Lombardenvest 80
2000 Antwerp
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Kiehl's Store Ghent
Koestraat 18
9000 Ghent
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Jean Paul Knott
Rue Lebeaustraat 19
1000 Brussels
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+33 (0) 1 44 71 33 33
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Leonard
+32 (0) 2 347 48 96
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Louis (for Cacharel)
Lombardenvest 2
2000 Antwerp
+32 (0) 3 232 98 72
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Magasin 4
Avenue du Port 51b Havenlaan
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 223 34 74
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Maison Martin Margiela
Rue de Flandre 114
Vlaamse Steenweg
1000 Brussels
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Rue Léon Lepagestraat 5
1000 Brussels
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+32 (0) 477 40 45 92
Napapijri Store
Huidevetterstraat 44
2000 Antwerp
+32 (0) 3 234 10 61
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Pièce unique
Rue Franz Merjaystraat
167-169
1050 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 347 48 96
Raf Simons
+33 (0) 1 73 54 19 50
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Senteurs d'Ailleurs
(for Kiehl’s)
Avenue Louise 94 Louizalaan
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 226 14 60
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Sony Center Brussels
Avenue Louise 104 Louizalaan
1050 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 640 31 47
Sony Center Antwerp
Eiermarkt 33-35
2000 Antwerp
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2140 Antwerp
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Velvet Café
Chaussée de
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Rue de l’École 76 Schoolstraat
1080 Brussels
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Vooruit
Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23
9000 Ghent
+32 (0) 9 267 28 28
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Sint-Antoniusstraat 12
2000 Antwerp
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Yves Saint Laurent
+33 (0) 1 56 62 64 00
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belgium
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design
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Gate Crashing
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Handle with Care
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Tainted Love
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volume 01 — issue 04
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culture
Made-to-Order
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Belgium Behind the Curtains Lifestyle Feeding Power Fashion Manicured Mysteries
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Volume 03 — Issue 04
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Neighbourhood Out of bounds Life Boxed in Style Can you dig it ?
Design The raw cut Culture Murder on the tarmac + The Design Special
The Russian Issue November – December 2010
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Volume 03 — Issue 05
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Neighbourhood Soviet stories Life The face of Russia Style Under surveillance
Design More is more is more Culture Comrades at sea + The Food Special
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98 What’s next
Play The team
A new edition, a new colour.
yeLLoW.
Reliving our acid years.
Stand up comedy heroes.
Gold reserves.
Laughing therapies.
The next generation of bright little things.
Those ubiquitous yellow bags you see everyone carrying in London.
Short of putting a smile on your face, the yeLLoW album will shine a new light on your neighbourhoods.
Something of a ray of sunshine on paper. A bright sunny day.
The Word’s yeLLoW Album
( + The Photography Special )
Out on 20 th May 2011
© Pierre-Jean Baeyens

Hotel Amigo offers you a special package : the “Art Amigo”
Illustrated catalogues of the pick of current Brussels exhibitions
await you in your room, together with an entry ticket.
For more information please contact +32 2 547 47 07
The art of simple luxury
Hotel Amigo Brussels
Rocco Forte & Family Brussels S.A. • Member of the Leading Hotels of the World
Rue de l’Amigo 1-3 • B-1000 Brussels
Tel. : +32 2 547 47 47 • Fax : +32 2 513 52 77
enquiries.amigo@roccofortecollection.com
www.roccofortecollection.com

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