It's been over a week that this post title has been sitting in the vestiges of my brain chamber and for a while, I was lazing about posting this deluge of Delvaux images but I had to do my Delvaux delving after seeing the retrospective exhibition at Antwerp's MOMU museum last weekend. The first time I actually even came across the name Delvaux was not alas, through the bags themselves as they're not widely sold in the UK, but through the wonderful India Knight's 2003 book The Shops. Knight happens to be a descendent of a Belgian prime minister so she's pretty well versed in all things Belgique... she described Delvaux bags as being like 'family heirloom' and recommended Delvaux for its quality because along with companies, like Hermès, it uses continues stitching on their bags to prevent thread uprisings/knotting.
This of course means nothing to a complete no-bag-boho like me but I'll just assume that like its French counterparts, Delvaux's emphasis is on long lasting craftsmanship. What is fascinating to me though, is that Delvaux, established in 1829, is actually one of the oldest luxury brands still in existence (older than Louis Vuitotn est. 1854 and Hermes est 1837) but for some reason, has never gained the sort of international recognition that the Vuittons/Hermes have and is still inherently a very Belgian-insider brand. So it was interesting to really get to grips with this brand in the exhibition and discovering a surprising side to Delvaux (e.g. had no idea Martin Margiela created a bag for Delavux when he was still a student back in 1983...) through its curation of photos, recreation models, archive material and of course the bags themselves...
Wig cases?
Like Louis Vuitton, Delvaux started as a company that started as a travel-goods shop capitalising on the use of horse-drawn carriage, and later rail, ship and air that revolutionised travel...
Steve (who stole my blog post title...) was particularly enamoured with this newspaper bag designed by Bruno Pieters as part of his guest designer collaboration with Delvaux for A/W 08-9
I loved the timeline that formed the first part of the exhibition showing the progression of shapes that Delvaux developed and actually surprisingly, there were shapes that I think were quite progressive for the brand considering the time...
Fluro yellow tennis series to celebrate Kim Clijsters becoming the first Belgian to be ranked number 1...
I'm hoping I can still seek out this 'Ceci n'est pas un Delvaux' bag from 2008, which of course is a tribute to fellow Belgian René Magritte as well as the three cases below made as special editions for Magritte's 100th birthday in 1998...
The bits I liked the most from the exhibition was probably the recreation of Delvaux's studio environment, to try and really 'delve' into the creation process of a bag, the pattern cutting, the leather treatments...
Another collaborator Hannelore Knuts createdd this bag for the A/W 08-9 collection...apologies, mis-read captions...I think this is a protype made out of grey leather synthesis... I kind of like the texture of this artificial looking material...
I also loved the campaign imagery which of course I've rarely encountered in UK publications...
The exhibition ends on a hopeful note as of course Veronique Branquinho was made creative director of Delvaux recently and thus this may herald a new direction for the brand that could well see it leaping beyond the borders of Belgian insider luxury...
I'm beginning to fall quite desperately for the 'Ceci n'est pas un Delvaux' bag. It's incredibly simple chic. Timeless, really.
Lovely post.
~BB
Posted by: Bargain Bex | 17 October 2009 at 15:43
omg, they are so well made and crafted! thanks for posting this, really love them :D
Posted by: kelly | 17 October 2009 at 15:44
wow, i love that structured yet slouchy gray bag.
thanks for sharing!
http://monicaburnett.blogspot.com/
Posted by: monica burnett | 17 October 2009 at 16:27
Great post! I also love the "Ceci n'est pas un Delvaux" bag but also for some of their timeless models and the new line by Veronique Branquinho. Just need a Delvaux!
Posted by: Miss Glitzy | 17 October 2009 at 17:39
The picture you placed where you talk about the bag that Hannelore Knuts designed is not the right bag. This is the bag she designed: http://www.delvaux.com/uploads/a2b244e2256aa755335f8cf2739342f77ee37785.jpg
I also saw this exhibition at the MOMU and fell in love with the royal brand.
Posted by: Philosophia | 17 October 2009 at 19:11
Wow, thats super cool! That synthetic-looking gray bag is by far my favorite.
Posted by: KD | 17 October 2009 at 20:34
I want to see this too!!!
http://thesingular.blogspot.com
Posted by: Antonio Barros | 17 October 2009 at 22:13
wow i love th 2nd last photo :)
www.jetblackdye.blogspot.com
Posted by: jetblackdye.blogspot | 18 October 2009 at 07:07
Very cool!
Posted by: Acaislim | 18 October 2009 at 13:26
Sucks about Veronique's label shutting down, but I do like what seems to have been done at Delvaux (Magritte!! How could I not..)
Posted by: Dru | 18 October 2009 at 19:56
omg, all the bags are amazing!
Posted by: Lucy | 18 October 2009 at 20:29
Thanks for the photo tour, I'm definitely going to check out the exhibit. Delvaux bags are indeed a heirloom item here, my ex mum in law inherited 3 from her mother. My aunt received one from her boss after 40 years of service. They don't wear down and have a timeless feel to them. I'm hoping to get a "brilliant" (the model of the 'ceci n'est pas' bag) myself one day, it'll last me forever. But I do like that grey model as well.
Posted by: kim | 19 October 2009 at 20:06
funny i just came upon them for the 1st time a few days ago through a friend's flickr stream. shameful since they are the oldest luxury brand on the planet! definitely fascinated by the brand. from the photos i see nice 80s and 90s styles. the tennis series is amazing. i love that work "fluo". look forward to the new styles. really like their website. and agree about the texture of that prototype.
Posted by: SwanDiamondRose | 21 October 2009 at 02:02