Emerging Talent
of the Year 2026
Picture © Ib Kamara
— Abdel El Tayeb
Brussels-based designer Abdel El Tayeb, who is of French-Sudanese origin, studied textile design at Olivier de Serres in Paris and fashion design at La Cambre in Brussels. He gained experience at houses including Isabel Marant, Balmain Shoes, Cédric Charlier, Maison Margiela Artisanal, Franck Sorbier Haute Couture, Ann Demeulemeester and Bottega Veneta before developing his own haute couture label, El Tayeb Nation. Rooted in Sudanese craftsmanship and cultural identity, his collections are produced in Sudan and bring together his Belgian fashion education and Afro-Arab heritage.
El Tayeb has increasingly gained international recognition as part of a new generation of African diaspora designers working in Europe. In 2021, Naomi Campbell presented him with the Debut Talent Prize at the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards in Doha, while one of his knitted bead dresses appeared on the cover of Vogue Arabia. He received the Institut du Monde Arabe Design Award in 2024 and continues to expand his international presence, with a presentation at Design Doha further highlighting the dialogue between fashion, craftsmanship and cultural heritage at the heart of his work.
Picture © Michael Smits
— Mattia Van Severen
Antwerp-based Mattia Van Severen grew up surrounded by design as a member of the renowned Van Severen family. After initially studying design, he chose to focus on fashion, while the influence of furniture and product design has remained an important part of his creative process. He graduated with honours from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and subsequently spent a decade gaining experience at fashion houses including Haider Ackermann, Ann Demeulemeester and Damir Doma.
In 2026, Van Severen launched his own label with a debut collection titled Nine Jackets, a Shirt and Pants, presented in Paris during Men’s Fashion Week in January. Within months of its launch, the collection secured international distribution, with stockists including IF Soho, LOUIS Antwerp, SVRN San Francisco and BEST PACKING STORE Tokyo. His second collection is produced by Belgian company Gysemans Clothing Industry, while sales are handled by Japanese agency NORTHLIBERTY INC., giving the young Antwerp label an international framework from the outset.
— Annick Vanden Weghe
Antwerp-based designer Annick Vanden Weghe founded AVDW, a label she now develops together with her daughter Romée Bleys. Travel has long been an important source of inspiration for Van de Weghe. A discovery of traditional Lesotho blankets in South Africa, for instance, led to the creation of the brand’s signature manta coats. Characterised by bold colours, unexpected materials and an artisanal approach, AVDW operates at the intersection of fashion and craft. Each piece is made from carefully selected fabrics and handcrafted in ateliers in Belgium and Italy. Since Romée joined the label in 2022, AVDW has evolved beyond its original statement pieces into a broader ready-to-wear and accessories collection. The launch of AVDW loafers marked another step in that expansion, followed by the opening of the brand’s own Antwerp store in 2025. Today, AVDW is stocked by a growing network of boutiques in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe, while maintaining the handcrafted and individual character on which the label was built.