Is it Colin Farrell’s fault that Antwerp isn’t better known, or loved? Ever since the 2008’s In Bruges, that is the city that has cornered the market as Belgium’s quirky tourist destination, while the country’s actual coolest city flies under the radar. With a historic centre that’s a blend of picturesque streets and shopping heaven, Antwerp ought to be far better known. In size, population and cultural significance, it’s comparable to Edinburgh, and if you’re coming from London the train journey is an hour faster.
Fashion rules here, thanks to the global influence of a breakthrough group of 1980s designers that included Dries van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester. The Antwerp Six, as they became known, cemented the city’s reputation as a happening place, and their legacy manifests today in the hundreds of ateliers, outlets and concept stores among the shopfronts. Many of the streets have their own individual feel: Meir, the most famous thoroughfare, is dominated by high-street brands, Schuttershofstraat offers high-end luxury labels, while Nationalestraat and Kammenstraat are the places to go for new names and local designers, from haute couture to streetwear. The ModeMuseum (or “MoMu”) has been hosting impressive exhibitions of contemporary fashion for 20 years, with a library, bookshop and cafe that have turned it into a spiritual home for fashion students and industry professionals alike. Expect it to be an even more popular hangout when it reopens in October after a major expansion and two-year renovation.
