Company
of the Year 2026
Picture © Walter Van Beirendonck
— Cousy
Cousy is a fifth-generation, family-run Belgian knitwear manufacturer with more than a century of expertise. Combining specialist craftsmanship with advanced knitting technology, the company develops and produces high-end knitwear for Belgian and international designers including Dries Van Noten, Walter Van Beirendonck, Jan-Jan Van Essche, Wales Bonner, Y-3 and Meryll Rogge. Its team of around forty programmers, knitters, garment workers and coordinators works closely with designers to translate technically demanding ideas into finished garments.
Alongside its role as a production partner, Cousy actively shares its expertise with the next generation. The company regularly opens its doors to fashion and textile students, including students from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, offering company visits and practical guidance on knitwear development and production. By combining more than 100 years of Belgian manufacturing knowledge with technological innovation and continued support for emerging talent, Cousy plays an important behind-the-scenes role in both the present and future of fashion.
Picture © Ferry van der Nat
— Wouters en Hendrix
Founded in Antwerp by Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix in 1984, Wouters & Hendrix has built an international reputation by approaching jewellery with imagination, craftsmanship and a distinctly surrealist spirit. Rooted in Antwerp’s avant-garde tradition, the independent label produces its pieces in its own atelier and has developed a strong presence across Europe and Asia. Over the years, the designers have also expanded their creative universe beyond conventional jewellery, including a collaboration with Serax that brought their aesthetic into the home.
Recent projects continue to demonstrate the brand’s appetite for experimentation. Together with model, artist and mindfulness teacher Hannelore Knuts, Wouters & Hendrix created L’Issence, an innovative jewellery concept centred around a scented ring. For Spring/Summer 2026, the duo also collaborated with Meryll Rogge on jewellery for her collection. More than four decades after its foundation, Wouters & Hendrix continues to combine independent atelier craftsmanship with unexpected collaborations and new interpretations of what jewellery can be.
— FAÇON JACMIN
FAÇON JACMIN is a Belgian fashion label founded by twin sisters Ségolène and Alexandra Jacmin. After graduating from La Cambre, Alexandra gained experience at Maison Martin Margiela and Jean Paul Gaultier before joining forces with her sister to build their own independent brand. Known for its distinctive use of denim, FAÇON JACMIN explores the codes of seduction and the interplay between masculinity and femininity, combining denim with contrasting fabrics to create playful yet enduring silhouettes. Upcycling and responsible production are integral to the label’s approach.
In 2025, FAÇON JACMIN celebrated its tenth anniversary and reached a new international milestone with the presentation of its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, The Morning After, on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. The label also presented during Antwerp.Fashion Festival and took part in Natan’s June show. At the same time, it continues to strengthen its international distribution through a growing network of agents, with an increasing focus on Asia.