Accessory Designer
of the Year 2024
— Marie Artamonoff
The jewelry and objects Marie Artamonoff crafts for Espèces are shaped by her deep fascination with both the animate and inanimate worlds around us. Marie reimagines classic designs while exploring new shapes and playing with scale. Trained as a jeweler, she handcrafts each piece in her workshop in Charleroi. In addition to her personal collections, Marie creates bespoke jewelry, valuing a personalized approach and connection with her customers – an essential aspect of her work. Since 2017, Marie has also been designing costumes and props for dance and theater companies, collaborating with artists such as Ayelen Parolin, Greffe/Cindy Van Acker, Leslie Mannes, Amir Reza Koohestani, and Julien Carlier. For the past two years, she has worked regularly with Hermès, creating costumes for their Arts Vivants department and social media platforms. Her latest project is a series of four costumes for horses, one for each season.
Picture © Laetitia Bica
— Stephanie d’Heygere
‘Anything can be jewelry.’ This phrase succinctly encapsulates Stephanie d’Heygere’s manifesto as an accessory and jewelry designer. After studying Fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, she went on to design accessories for Martin Margiela and jewelry for Dior. As a freelancer, she collaborated with renowned brands such as Vêtements, Louis Vuitton, Jil Sander, Jacquemus, A.P.C., and Gaultier. In 2017, she launched her own brand, d’Heygere. Her work is elegant yet playful, witty and humorous – an approach she carries into campaigns for companies like Bic, Moomin, and Longchamp.
Picture © Spela Kasal
— Sofie Nieuwborg
After graduating as a womenswear designer from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Sofie Nieuwborg began her career as a handbag designer for Louis Vuitton. She continued her professional journey at Balenciaga, where she spent over six years working closely with a tight-knit team to bring Demna’s innovative vision of luxury to life in handbags. Many of these designs became cult products, some even breaking the internet. Sofie has recently returned to Louis Vuitton, where she continues her work behind the scenes and enjoys training the next generation of designers. Although Sofie values the anonymity of being an in-house designer, she proudly represents a generation of Antwerp Academy graduates who are quietly shaping the world’s biggest fashion houses from within.
Picture © Balenciaga
— Mats Rombaut
Born in Ghent and now based in Paris, this multidisciplinary creative launched his first independent footwear project, ROMBAUT, in 2013. His mission is to transform the fashion industry from within by creating plant-based accessories with a reduced environmental impact. As the Creative Director and Founder of ROMBAUT and Co-Founder of Virón – another independent footwear brand offering eco-friendly, durable, vegan and ethically made shoes – he is at the forefront of sustainable fashion. Additionally, he works as a Creative Consultant and Sustainability Expert, drawing inspiration from natural and scientific processes, art, and especially music.
Picture © Pietro D’Aprano
— Moutton colleT’
Matthieu Mouton and Nicolas Collet began their careers working for Martin Margiela, Nina Ricci and Kenzo. However, it was during their time with Loulou de la Falaise at Yves Saint Laurent jewelry that their passion for jewelry and accessories truly blossomed. With their deep knowledge of the Parisian luxury industry, they founded the house Moutton colleT in Belgium, creating collections that encapsulate eccentricity, poetry and modernity. Their designs, which range from classic pieces to inspired, avant-garde creations, reflect a Belgian spirit combined with an urban, elegant style. These qualities have attracted a roster of famous clients, including Lady Gaga, Kate Moss and Madonna. They credit their collaboration with French, Belgian and Italian craftsmen as a key part of their success. Additionally, they have created unique pieces for shows and capsule collections for designers such as AF Vandevorst, Mugler, Lutz Huelle and Paule Ka.