The Word Magazine - March-April 2008

Page 1

volume 01 1 — issue 02 0

Ç ;G::

Neighbourhood Life + Global Style

lifestyle Walking-the-walk

fashion Paper or plastic

Do not throw on the public domain.

belgium You say potato

— the green revolution issue —

design Materialize it

culture Plane Simple





Editor's Letter

Conventional wisdom would have it that a green-themed issue be accompanied by the customary global warming-scare talk and allround green fatigue. If you’re anything like us though, the mere mention of terms such as organic, bio, fair-trade and many others has you running for the nearest “eco-protection” pod. Indeed, their overuse and exploitation has been blatant, and, we believe, calls for a fresh perspective to be brought to the topic.

The Word Magazine Is Nicholas Lewis Editor-at-large Hettie Judah Design delphine dupont + pleaseletmedesign Photography Yassin Serghini Geneviève Balasse Erwin Borms Opération Panda

And fresh this issue is. The Word being The Word, don’t expect to read about DIY composting and “don’t print this email” campaigns; we don’t know about the former and, sorry folks, but rather laugh at the latter. Surely, we thought, we can do better. We, as a magazine, can look at the issue in a different light, presenting it in the forwardlooking, sexy and encouraging way it is evolving. Especially so in Belgium.

Writers Hettie Judah Stéphanie Duval Jacques Moyersoen Julien Mourlon Collette Hutchinson Géraldine Van Houte Mariola Heslop Séverine Vaissaud Nicholas Lewis

Bringing us to The Green Revolution issue. In the following pages, we meet a fashion designer who puts our seemingly green lifestyles to shame and discuss the importance of food provenance with passionate culinary types. We go vintage shopping in Antwerp, report on champion of the small and vulnerable Les Petits Riens and meet a design company revolutionising R&D. For the second in our “eyeopener” series, we asked photographer Olivier Cornil to capture his vision of Belgian pollutions of all kinds whilst for our fashion series, we pit the matt against the glossy, the subtle against the shiny and the bland against the bling.

Thank you’s Benoit Berben Alex Boshkai & Jen Paul Coerten Alex Delforce Christophe Derenne Tanguy du Monceau Antoine Geerinckx Benoit Lechat Anita Lixel Monika Mischalik Andy Round Vincent Vanhaleweyn

For those of you who still haven’t done so, remember to subscribe online at www.thewordmagazine.be/readers/subscribe to receive The Word’s every issue delivered at home. Or simply fi ll-in, tear-up and post us the subscription form on page 77. You can also send me an email at n.lewis@thewordmagazine.be to ask for the magazine, tell us how much you love it or, better yet, if you have a party you’d like to invite us to… Keep wording wordsters. Nicholas Lewis.

The Word is published 6 times a year by Jampublishing SPRL, 107 Rue Général Henry Straat, 1040 Brussels Belgium.

© Olivier Cornil

Reproduction, in whole or in part, without prior permission is strictly prohibited. All stockist and price information is correct up to the time of going to press. The publishers cannot be held liable for any changes in this respect after this date.

On this cover Self Explanatory

THE SECOND WORD — 5


Contents Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Cover The Green Revolution Ad Lee Make History Ad Lee Make History Ad Zanotta Editor’s letter. No2. Contents Page No1 You’re Looking at it Ad San Pellegrino Contents Page No2 The page after this one. Ad ING The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers - Belgium The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers - Belgium The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers - Belgium The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers - Netherlands Ad Vlaams Radio Orkest The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers - UK The Diary Our Pick of Agenda Fillers – UK Belgium The Green Papers Belgium The Green Papers Around Your Way The Green Mile Around Your Way The Green Mile Around Your Way The Green Mile Ad Aspria In Word The Magazine Trail In Word The Magazine Trail In Word The Magazine Trail Ad Ehsal Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women Ad Avakian Three of the Best Compressible Plastic Bottles Three of the Best Compressible Plastic Bottles The Institution Potato Man Potato Man The Institution Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word Money Laundering Green Fashion Green Fashion Money Laundering Money Laundering Green Fashion


THE SECOND D WORD — 7


Contents Page

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Ad Frey Wille Vintage Shopping Top Tier Second Hand Vintage Shopping Top Tier Second Hand Vintage Shopping Top Tier Second Hand Vintage Shopping Top Tier Second Hand Cosmetics Beauty & The Green Cosmetics Beauty & The Green Cosmetics Beauty & The Green Ad Volvo Essential You Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Essential You Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Essential You Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Essential You Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Report What are You Hiding? Report What are You Hiding? Report What are You Hiding? Ad Tamarind Foods The Design Word Green Like a Laser Beam The Design Word Green Like a Laser Beam The Design Word Green Like a Laser Beam Ad Conrad Hotels Round Table Don’t Bite it, Fight it Round Table Don’t Bite it, Fight it Round Table Don’t Bite it, Fight it Round Table Don’t Bite it, Fight it Advertorial The Word & World Class Ad The Word Cross Border London’s Green Scene Cross Border London’s Green Scene The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez The Word on the Street Dimitri Carez www.thewordmagazine.be Ad The Word & Marriott Advertorial Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Damaged Goods Eye-Opener Advertisers Round-Up Advertisers Round-Up The Last Word Paper or Plastic? Plastic and Paper! The Last Word Paper or Plastic? Plastic and Paper! The Last Word Paper or Plastic? Plastic and Paper! Peugeot Ad Samsonite Ad


THE SECOND WORD — 9


The Diary

10 — THE SECOND WORD


The Diary

Our Pick of Agenda-Fillers

Belgium, poses four “poles” around which to enjoy the various events: Pure Energy, Independent People, Bad Tastes and Sagas…

Regional Expression

Drawing on a wide range of historical and contemporary works of art, the exhibition presents a raw-and-uncut view of Wallonia from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Curated by renowned MAC director Laurent Busine, the exhibition showcases his own personal account of what “his Wallonia” is to him. At a time when the region seems to be lagging behind it’s artier and more dynamic northern neighbor, we gladly welcome any opportunity to learn a tad more about the country we live in and the historical background it is steeped in.

Iceland on the edge À From 15th February 2008 until 15th June 2008 ☞ Centre for Fine Arts & Ancienne Belgique, Brussels

www.bozar.be

www.bozar.be

The in-betweeners

Quantic Soul Orchestra, Het Depot (Leuven) - 22nd March 2008 Quantic do nu-funk, and they do it well. Four words: not to be missed. www.hetdepot.be

Welcome to the Edge

From Vikings and trolls to Bjork and giant geysers, Iceland is an oddity of a country, combining the most unforgiving of climates with an energetic and dynamic cultural scene. Bozar’s Icelandic festival puts these attributes on display, focusing especially on the tiny island’s considerable contribution to the arts: dance, cinema, literature and music. The exhibition does a good job of linking the island’s pure and unspoiled natural landscape to its contemporary culture and pro-

Visual Titbits

If we had to choose between a DVD-night or a club night, chances are we’ll opt for the former (although we’ll probably give-in to the urge of going-out later in the evening after all…). Brussels’ Short Film Market, showcasing all there is to see in, you’ve guessed it, short films, is the perfect occasion to gear up for a good night (or even a couple of days if you so wish) of visual goodness. With an international and national competition for fiction and animated movies as well as screening of grandees such as Kusturica and Polanski’s first steps, all we now need is our bucket of popcorn.

© Friorik Orn Frioriksson

© Communauté française de Belgique

www.abconcerts.be

Treasures old and new from Wallonia À Until 18th May 2008 ☞ Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels

11th edition of the Short Film Market À From 25th April 2008 until 4th May 2008 ☞ Cinema Vendôme, Petit Théâtre Mercelis and Place Fernand Cocqplaats, Brussels

www.courtmetrage.be

© Francois Zachary

THE SECOND WORD — 11


The Diary

© Jozsa-Aggtelek

© Aeroplastics Contemporary

www.labelle-exhibition.com

An emotionally-charged experience for the artist himself, this exhibition retraces his voyage in search of lost childhood memories. Beginning his trip in Istanbul, Philip Herbet crossed the black Sea in an ancient Ukrainian cargo ship arriving in Odessa to continue his long-winding eastern journey. Ukraine, Russia, Byelorussia and Kazakhstan all form the basis for this study of some sort which embarks the viewers on a journey of their own. Being big fans of photography, and having a thing or two about what the eastern part of Europe has to offer, we’re convinced this one will only help to increase our sense of intrigue and amazement.

Art World Juggernaut

Following on from the success of its 25th edition last year, Artbrussels is back with a vengeance. A wider mix of galleries, a stronger selection of work and a growing offering of off-theradar, satellites initiatives, make this year’s edition the de facto art world rendez-vous. From London’s Albion to New York’s Luxe and Brussels’ Crown galleries, this is a must for all you art-consuming, Saatchidreaming, opening-party-going arty-types out there.

www.artexis.com/ artbrussels/home.htm

© Philippe Herbet

Peat, salt and moondust À From 22nd February 2008 until 29th March 2008 ☞ Aeroplastic Contemporary, Brussels

www.aeroplastics.net

Artbrussels À From 18th April 2008 until 21st April 2008 ☞ Brussels’ Expo, Brussels

12 — THE SECOND WORD

Salt City

Whilst some artists are easily classifiable into art categories, others simply don’t fit into any of these preconceived moulds. Khan & Selesnick are of the latter type. Their work can only be described as being at the crossroads between photography, painting, sculpture and ingenuity. They tend to shoot large-scale, intricate landscapes, obtaining a certain atmosphere in their photographs more usually associated with films. We like things that don’t quite fit in and their work is no exception.

Labelle À From 11th April 2008 until 13th April 2008 ☞ ACB Factory, Brussels

Art Gives you Wings

Wow, is the only word we seemed able to utter when we got word of this new initiative. Bringing together an extremely well-curated selection of fashion and furniture designers, illustrators, food stylists, painters and photographers’ work, Labelle’s main aim is to promote and support young and local talent. Going further than your usual culture for the masses exhibitions, standardized furniture and clothes sold by the kilo, Labelle gives, before anything else, priority to creativity, passion and beauty. With office favorite Pol Quandens and photography wiz-kid Olivier Cornil exhibiting their latest work, this is one you’re sure to see us at!

Festival Belgikolor, Atelier 210, 28th March Organised by the people behind the Laid-Back radio show, this night promises to bring a much-needed breath of fresh air to Brussels’ cultural scene. On the menu: live paintings, DJ’s, exhibitions… and a pound of funk. www.belgikolor.be

© Fischer

Eastern Promise

Eastern Rhizome, Philippe Herbet À From 12th March 2008 until 27th April 2008 ☞ Espace Contretype, Brussels

www.contretype.org


The Diary

Paul Klee – Theatre here, there and everywhere À From 1st March 2008 until 11th May 2008 ☞ Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels

www.diamantmuseum.be

www.momu.be

An Artful Sickness

Looking at the causes of sicknesses and the effects they have on people and their social lives, the exhibition brings an artistic perspective to a deep-meaning question: what is sickness? Drawing on the likes of Ensor, Spilliaert and Dumas, it approaches a complex and sometimes slightly high-browed subject in the most expressive of ways. From headaches and syndromes to diseases and social stigmas, the exhibition gives an arty and original take on the most uncommon of themes.

© Veronique Branquinho

Fiestival Maelstrom, Espace Senghor, 4th and 5th April 2008 Two-day jamboree of poetry, slam, literature and music in the heart of the European quarters. Opening night includes a screening of award-winning documentary “Attikamekws Identities”, directors Corentin Adolphy and Gaetan Saint-Remy’s thought-provoking feature on the plight of Amerindians in Quebec. www.senghor.be

Diamond Divas À From 11th April 2008 until 8th June 2008 ☞ Antwerp Diamond Museum, Antwerp

© Diamond Museum

Diamonds in the Rough

With this prestigious exhibition, the Antwerp Diamond Museum invites visitors to enjoy remarkable jewellery once owned by some of the greatest divas of all time. Worn by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elisabeth Taylor or Nicole Kidman in fi lms, during award ceremonies or on the red carpet, these diamonds were flown in from prestigious private collections, world renowned auction houses and museums. In true Hollywood style, the presentation is inspired by classic movies like High Society and To Catch a Thief. Rarely-seen diamonds worn by Hollywood’s fi nest...what more could a woman want?

Moi, Veronique. Branquinho, Toute Nue À From 12th March 2008 until 17th August 2008 ☞ Antwerp Fashion Museum, Antwerp

www.bozar.be

Bare Naked

Véronique Branquinho graduated from the Royal Academy of Antwerp in 1995. She presented her first women’s collection in Paris in 1997, with her men’s collection debuting in 2003. A flagship store in Antwerp quickly followed, and it is now hard to imagine a Belgian fashion scene without her. For the past 10 years, she has surprised everyone with her singular take on fashion. Now, Antwerp’s Fashion Museum dedicates a retrospective to the designer’s work. Through a combination of film, photography and music, the exhibition is the opportunity to take a sneak peek into the magical and ambiguous world of the designer. A must for any selfrespecting fashionistas out there.

© SABAM

Accepted Kleetectic

Accepted Kleetectic Part of Bozar’s international program of bringing to light innovative and singular figures of 20th century modern art, the centre’s Paul Klee’s exhibition is a fitting tribute to one of the most forward-thinking artist of his time. The fi rst major retrospective of its kind in Belgium for the past 60 years, the exhibition mostly presents the artist’s work in which his love of shows – be them opera, theatre or puppet ones – can be witnessed. Perfect for those Sunday afternoon family outings!

Sick. Between body and mind À Until 27th April 2008 ☞ Museum Dr. Guislan, Ghent

© Jan W. Hespeel & Randoald Sabbe

www.tussenlichaamengeest.be

THE SECOND WORD — 13


The Diary

…Belgium,

The Netherlands

National Pride

www.design.museum.be

14 — THE SECOND WORD

www.vangoghmuseum.com

Access is the Key

Photography books sections always seem to be our fi rst port of call upon entering an art book shop. And, in the past year, American photographer Taryn Simon’s recent book - An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar - was the only one that seemed to stand out from the lot, in our view at least. Gaining access to some of the most bizarre and conspiracyinspiring American places from JKF Kenny’s Contraband Room to a Research Marijuana Crop Grow Room in Mississippi – Simon combines fi ne art photography and photojournalism to present some of the most intriguing prints we’ve seen in a while. A must! Taryn Simon – An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar À From 18th January 2008 until 6th April 2008 ☞ Foam Gallery, Amsterdam

www.foam.nl

© Taryn Simon

www.abconcerts.be

Nedda El-Asmar: Bare Essence À From 9th February 2008 until 27th April 2008 ☞ Design museum Gent, Belgium

John Everett Millais (1829 – 1896) À From 15th February 2008 until 18th May 2008 ☞ Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Antipop Consortium, Ancienne Belgique, 14th April 2008 Part of AB’s Domino ’08 festival – which highlights the alternative, lesser known and less obvious genres in music – Antipop descend on Brussels with West coast rapper Busdriver. Renowned for their heavy bass lines productions, smoky lyrics and dark vibes, Antipop is experimental hip-hop at its best.

In our previous issue, we talked about Design Flanders and its relentless pursuit of the promotion of Flemish design. Well, one of its protégés, Nedda El-Asmar, has just been named Belgian Designer of the Year for 2007, and rightly so we say. With commissions from the likes of Hermes, Gense and Puiforcat under her belt, the silversmith-come-designercome-artist has been rewriting the rules of jewelry designing ever since graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. We told you we loved her work and we continue to do so. This one most definitely has our vote.

© The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

© Hermès

Brotherly Love

From time-to-time, we like to escape from the madness of the contemporary art world for the serenity and confidence of the old classics. And that is exactly what to expect from Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum’s John Everett Millais exhibition. The leading painter of the PreRaphaelite Brotherhood, Millais was reputed for advocating a return to simplicity at a time when the Renaissance had all put rejected the principle, making him somewhat of an unlikely ‘enfant terrible’. Now, him and the Brotherhood are feted for their back-to-basics approach. We always said less is more.



The Diary

& United Kingdom.

© Marcel Duchamp

Movement Grandees

When art is an expression of certain persons’ outlook on life, the result can sometimes be fraught of subjectivities, distorted judgements and, put simply, bad taste. Not so for the Dada movement, created by artist Marcel Duchamp, photographer Man Ray and painter Francis Picabia. The movement’s artistic expression revolved around jokes, a sense of irony, iconoclastic gestures and a sometimes coded interest in sexual relations and erotica, which the exhibition does a good job of bringing to light. With some of the work on show in Europe for the first time ever, a trip to London wouldn’t be complete without a quick stop at London’s Southwark station, home to Tate Modern.

© Barry Reigate Courtesy Paradise Row

Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia À From 21st February 2008 until 26th May 2008 ☞ Tate Modern, London

Mind the Gap

We love initiatives whose principal aim is to bridge a gap between two worlds. And “Brussels meets Brighton” does just that, bringing together art collectives from London, Brighton and Brussels. Held in London Bridge’s membersonly The Shunt Lounge, this showcase brings together a range of multimedia artists from Brussels, Brighton and London for what is guaranteed to be a melting-pot of cross-border creations, collaborations and improvisations. Live music, puppetry, video and sound installations, photography and slam poetry are amongst the many artistic techniques celebrated at this week-long gathering. The fi rst of its kind, we can only hope these “gettogether-improvise-and-create” jamborees will one day actually cross the border and settle in Brussels for a week…

www.tate.org.uk

© I. Simon and S. Monnoye

Cartoon Characters

It seems London’s art scene is being overtaken by an undercurrent of idiosyncrasies, absurdities and playfulness. And Barry Reigate’s first London solo show is no exception. Reputed for his stupidly funny sculptures, paintings and drawings, Reigate presents riotous and carnivalesque work sure to awaken the sternest of souls. Steeped in personal emotion – Reigate was taught to paint and draw by his father, who made cartoons and drawings as a means to communicate with his children when in prison – whilst not afraid to laugh at himself, we love Reigate’s work as it exudes a child-like impulsiveness we only wish we still could allow ourselves to have. Happiness À 14th March 2008 until 20th April 2008 ☞ Paradise Row, London

www.paradiserow.com

16 — THE SECOND WORD

'Brussels Meets Brighton: The Meta-Hub' À From 30th April 2008 until 3rd May 2008 ☞ The Shunt Lounge, London

www.shunt.co.uk


The Diary

Prize Time

We couldn’t possible dream of having a London diary without mentioning one of our favourite galleries in London: The Photographers’ Gallery. Situated in the heart of London’s West End it has, over the past few years, been responsible for showcasing new photographic talent and highlighting the best in international photography. Its Deutsche Borse Photography Prize recognises a photographer whose work is geared towards the social and political aspects of society. With office favourite Alec Soth a previous prize winner, we strongly recommend this one to any selfrespecting photography-buff.

Isa Genzken À 3rd April 2008 to 17th May 2008 ☞ Hauser & Wirth, London

Deutsche Post Photography Prize À From 8th February 2008 until 6th April 2008 ☞ The Photographers’ Gallery, London

www.hauserwirth.com

www.photonet.org.uk

© Jan Bitter

Tragic Beauty

Hauser & Wirth‘s recently inaugurated London outpost, on the city’s Piccadilly, brings Isa Genzken’s work to town. One of last year’s most talked-about artists, Genzken’s sculptures bring a fresh take on contemporary reality as we know it. Described in 2007 as the world’s most important artist by Monopol magazine, we especially like her ability to make statement objects in the most magical and abstract of ways. We all agree the world we live in could do with a pinch more beauty and it seems Genzken is the artist entrusted to serve us some. A must for all you frequent channel-hoppers out there.

© Cc Jacob Holdt

What We’re Giving Away 3 pairs of tickets to Quantic Sould Orchestra @ Het Depot, 22rd March 2008. 2 pairs of tickets to Jools Holland @ Ancienne Belgique, 4th April 2008. 2 pairs of tickets to Bettye Lavette @ Ancienne Belgique, 8th April 2008. 3 pairs of tickets to Girls in Hawaii @ Het Depot, 12th April 2008. 5 pairs of tickets to Short Film Market @, 25th April to 4th May 2008 What you need to do

Email your name and postal address, plus that of 15 of your friends, to n.lewis@thewordmagazine.be. Clearly mention the name of the concert/festival you wish to win tickets to in the email’s subject line. CONDITIONS - until tickets last. Addresses provided should all be for different persons and cannot apply to the same address. Applies to Belgium only. Normal conditions apply.

THE SECOND WORD — 17


Belgium

01

The Green Papers — A unique view from the moon, hordes of northern urban bike riders, quaint city bio markets and an abundant fresh water source. Belgium lives green, the Belgian way of course. Over the next couple of pages, we bring you the small, the great, the Belgian and, well, the green. Writer Nicholas Lewis

18 — THE SECOND WORD

01.

Highway Illuminati

It was once said that Neil Armstrong, whilst moon walking back in 1969, could see three things: Paris’ Eifel tower, The Great Wall of China and, wait for it, Belgium’s road network. Indeed, Belgium is one of the only countries in the world to illuminate its sprawling highway network in such a far-reaching way. Out of a total of 1,747km of highways - 869km in Wallonia and 867km in Flanders – more than 1,500km of these are illuminated. Each region is responsible for its own parcels: keeping Flemish highways lit up costs the taxpayer € 3.5million per year whilst Walloons end up forking-out about € 5million per year. Energy-use is even more staggering: 0.25% of Wallonia’s total annual energy consumption is swallowed up by its highways whilst Flanders is closer to the 0.18% mark. Although both regions are adopting innovative ways of reducing their highwayrelated energy consumption - sodium-based light bulbs and turning off certain sections at specific times being some of them – a total black-out is far from being on the political agenda. And rightly so we say. Switzerland has its immaculately kept airports. Germany has its highway-racing cars. Holland has its bicycles. London has its black cabs. And Belgium has its illuminated highways. Sometimes, some things don’t always make for the

greenest, or most responsible of countries, but they make the country nonetheless.

02.

City-Scapes

This was an instant hit the minute we set our eyes, or more exactly our ears, on it. It is original, it is well-thought of and, wellmade. The idea is simple: you are given an appointment at a precise location in the city, from where an audio tour, downloaded onto your IPod or MP3 player, starts guiding you through the city’s streets. Using a combination of narrative, musical and other ingenious sounds, d.tours manages to take its listeners into a universe of its own, imbued with local knowledge and insightful anecdotes. With extensive audio guides to various different neighbourhoods in Brussels, and others planned for Barcelona, Paris London and even Mumbai, this one is going global. And so it should be. www.d-tours.org

03.

Veggie-in-the-City

Farmers markets seem to have taken on a whole new meaning lately. Whereas at its core, the concept thought to bring fresh, organic and affordable produce to us city slick-


The Green Papers Belgium

05

© Valéry Lippens

03

02

04

ers, most farmers markets gradually evolved into the remit of the elite, rarely fulfilling their original purpose. Not so for our pick of the moment, the Bio Market in Brussels’ Ateliers des Tanneurs, whose bookshop’s owners we interviewed in our previous issue. Taking place every Sunday, the market’s sole purpose is to promote bio produce in Brussels, offering a direct link between growers and consumers. And with potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages and beetroots going at country-side prices, what we wonder needs to be done for such markets to take the lead once and for all? Either way, see you there… Every Sunday, from 10.00 to 16h00 58, Rue des Tanneurs 1000 Brussels

04.

People’s Best Friend

Telling you most of the northern end of the country is in love with bicycles is like telling you Belgians drink beer and eat fries. Duh would probably be your quickest reaction. Indeed, riding a bicycle in Flanders is steeped in local culture for as long as we can remember. Be it because of its proximity to bicycle-loving Holland or the region’s relative flatness, the Flemish people have been riding bicycles ever since day one. And they have reasons to.

Flanders has more than 6,495km of cycling paths whilst Wallonia scores a measly 1,558km. And, as with most things, it all boils down to the cash. Flanders’ budget for the promotion of bicycle mobility has more than doubled in the past couple of years, reaching a staggering € 25,5million whilst Wallonia only manages to block € 4.5million for its two-wheelers. This, however, wouldn’t be making justice to the latter’s recent attempts at catching up with its northern counterpart. Brussels and Walloon politicians are, realising the rewards a scheme such as Paris’ Velocités can bring, waking up to the benefits of a more engaging and encouraging bicycle policy can have and are finally finding the necessary budgets to promote and ultimately increase bicycle use in their respective fiefdoms. We can’t wait for the days when our cities will be crawling with even more Gazelles, Skepphults, Minervas and Kettlers… just don’t expect us to be meeting advertisers and distributing the magazine on them.

05.

the past year or so, religiously going to this source, on the outskirts of Brussels, with empty glass bottles, neatly packed in a basket, waiting to be fi lled. Nestled in the kind of country village we defi nitely would like to see more of on our weekends, this little fi nd might just give us the right reasons to do so. We loved the sheer back-to-the-roots nature of the whole process and wished that these kind of sources could be found closer to home… And for those of you eager enough to know where it is, we’ll have to ask our friends if we can reveal their little secrets. Drop us a line at wewrite@thewordmagazine.be and we’ll see what we can do.

Back to the Source

When a friend of ours told us about a fresh water source he and his girlfriend went to to fi ll-up on their week’s supply of water, we knew we just had to go and check this one out for ourselves. This couple has been, for

THE SECOND WORD — 19


Around Your Way

The Green Mile — Reputed as one of the world’s greenest cities, we simply had to tell you about the parks we rush to at lunchtime, those we prefer to keep a secret and those we still need to discover ourselves… Writer Julien Mourlon

01

20 — THE SECOND WORD


© Julien Mourlon

The Green Mile Around Your Way

02

04

03

05

I usually write about music and art but when The Word asked if I’d contribute to their “Green Revolution” issue, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to write about another one of my favorite pastimes: walking. I am what some might call an urban cat, constantly roaming the city in the hope of discovering something new behind every corner. I love getting myself lost in the city’s many side streets and alleyways, which is often when I stumble upon something worth remembering. And Brussels, trust me, has a lot to remember… The fi rst thing would be its plethora of green spaces. Well aware that my beloved city is home to a wealth of urban green oases, I set out to rediscover them and bring you the best of what is only my limited selection…

01. + 06.

its wide green spaces and its fantastic views over Brussels. It also is more rural, untidier and wilder than its sister Parc Duden Park.

02.

Glamour in the Park

Situated on Chaussée de Vleurgatlaan, and hidden behind the Indian Embassy, is the Parc Tenbosh Park. An exquisite little fountain of “greenness”, the park is extremely well-kept and acts as a second garden to the neighborhood’s well-heeled “madams” who can often be seen walking their cherished little pet dogs. The relaxing, serene and peaceful vibe present in the park makes it a favorite for mid-Sunday afternoon book-reading and nap-taking sessions…

Twin Peaks 03.

Let’s begin with what I like to refer to as the twin parks of Brussels: Parc Duden Park and Parc de Forêt/Park van Vorst. Situated close to Brussels’ highest point, these two parks offer incredible panoramic views of the city. Although only separated by a road, they are worlds apart from each other. Parc Duden Park is more your family-going park and has conserved its forest-like feeling. With its highest point at 90m and its lowest, right beside football club St Gilles’ Union’s stadium, at approximately 50m, this park isn’t for those suffering of vertigo. The Parc de Forêt/Park van Vorst, on the other hand, is more your “landscape” park, complete with

Dream and the city

Nestled in the hustle-and-bustle of Louise, and right behind the Hilton Hotel, is what can easily be described as Brussels’ quaintest, and dreamiest, of parks: the Parc Egmont Park. Often referred to as the secrete one for its hard-to-fi nd entrances, this is the neighborhood’s judges, lawyers and clerks’ chosen lunchtime retreat during summer. Entrances can be found on Rue aux Laines/ Wolstraat, Rue du Grand-Cerf/Grote Hertstraat and Boulevard de Waterloolaan. For all you newcomers and green space novices out there, this one simply has to be seen, if only for its cute Peter Pan statue.

04.

Off-the-beaten-track

Saint-Guidon might not be your usual destination but it will certainly surprise you, if not entirely change your perception of what can easily be considered one of Brussels’ lesser-known neighborhoods. From its cute little streets, municipal church and essential “Friture René” to its Erasmus house, St Guidon is full of welcome surprises, the Erasmus House being one of them. Home to the famous humanist reformer from 1521 onwards, the house is surrounded by two gardens, medicinal ones at that. Indeed, over 100 plants are grown and cultivated in the garden, which Erasmus himself used when he was sick. With works of art and meditative Latin quotes accompanying any walks in the park, this is one of my favorites and one which I strongly recommend to any self-respecting, botanical enthusiast out there…

05.

Born to be Wild

As you’re surely starting to notice, Brussels has its fair share of parks. And I haven’t even mentioned the better-known ones: Abbey de La Cambre/Abdij ter Kameren, Parc de Woluwé/ Park van Woluwe, Parc de Josaphat/ Park van Josaphat. But what, I wondered, about the wilder places in Brussels, those pockets of “greenness” not regulated by communes and looked after by over-zealous environmentalists? Well, Brussels actually has three classified natural reserves, where plant diversity is higher

THE SECOND WORD — 21


Around Your Way The Green Mile

Julien Mourlon is amongst other activities the founder of the Laid Back radio show.

06

www.laid-back.be than that found in usual parks. These are called Moeraske, Scheutbos and Avijl and can respectively be found in Evere, Molenbeek and Uccle. Although not much more than swamp, fallow land and vegetable gardens these three natural reserves are still well-worth the visit, if only to see a piece of the country side in the middle of the sprawling concrete jungle that is Brussels. Green with a capital “G”

One might say that parks and reserves are green islands lost in a sea of concrete jungle. But that would be missing the point. Consider the following: the “Green Grid” is a project undertaken by the Brussels Environment Institute (IBGE) which aims to link all of Brussels’ green spaces with green roads. Although the main purpose of the initiative is to allow for the free and safe movement of animals from one park to the other, the scheme is slowly extending to citizen’s use of the city’s green spaces. Indeed, one will soon be able to cross Brussels from one point to another simply by wandering from one park to the other, using a grid of green avenues. Although still in its infancy, the Green Grid project is a welcome initiative for all us keen walkers out there. More than half our capital city is green if you take into account its parks, forests, natural reserves, private gardens and sport playgrounds. Research conducted by UCLA's Institute of the Environment found Brussels to be the world’s 16th “greenest” city. But Brussels’ relative “greenness” shouldn’t solely be attributed to government actions. Indeed, a great

22 — THE SECOND WORD

many individual, private projects are leading the way in the city’s “re-greenification”. Longabandoned industrial areas, for instance, are now being taken over by the very communities living in and around them, to ensure they are preserved and maintained in such a way that benefits these same communities. “Tour & Taxis” for example, is home to community association “Le Début des Haricots », which has worked since April 2007 to inject new life into some old gardens, previously maintained by railway workers and left untouched for the last 10 years. A similar project exists on Ixelles’ Rue Graystraat. Here, gardens are given to neighborhood residents who all work together in the gardens, sharing the workload as well as the crops. This, if you ask me, does a wonderful job of keeping Ixelles’ concrete-locked citizens in touch with Mother Nature…

The article was written in collaboration with Architecte and Urban planner Antoine Munier.

www.amunier.be

Look up at the sky…

But nature is not solely to be found on the ground. Green roofs and hanging gardens are also a good way to increase Brussels’ green clout. Balconies, terraces, flat roofs or even windows can easily be turned into green sources. On the back of several American cities that enacted rules imposing green roofs on new buildings, Belgium is slowly but surely enforcing the same kind of policies. So, here’s hoping that next time I write about green spaces, I’ll have the chance of telling you about that incredible park on top of one of the “Cité Administrative” towers… In the meantime, happy green-walking people…

As you’ve probably noticed, we only gave you a guide to green spaces in Brussels. This isn’t because we don’t think of Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Liege, Namur and the rest but simply because we didn’t feel we knew the cities’ greeneries well-enough to do so. So to any of you out there who feel you could slightly enlighten us, do drop us a line at wewrite@thewordmagazine.be.



In Word

The Magazine Trail — We couldn’t possibly have dreamed of doing a green-themed issue without taking a hard look inwards at our own little publishing empire and its effect on the environment. We then called on CO2 emission consultancy CO2logic to ‘greenalyse’ the whole process and advise us as to how its ‘greenprint’ could be further minimized. Needless to say we were in for quite a surprise… Writter Nicholas Lewis Photography Damien Aresta

01.

1

Paper

• The Word's cover is printed on 200gr/m Invercote 1 paper, with a varnish fi nish. • Its inside is printed on 100 gr/m Cyclus Offset. • Our paper comes from carefully-managed forests in Denmark – our suppliers even have the certifications to prove it! • This means every inch of the paper you are holding in your hands can be traced back to its original provenance. • The paste used to manufacture the paper uses recycled, printed paper. • The whole process uses three

24 — THE SECOND WORD

02.

times less water, ten times less energy and is powered purely by natural gas. • Instead of the highly polluting chemical products other companies use to give their paper that shinny, glossy feeling, our supplier doesn’t. • They only use oxygenated water (although some chemicals are used on to give our cover some glossiness because a little bling never hurt anyone!). • This is why the paper you are holding is slightly greyish, imperfect and rough. Just the way we wanted it! • 100% recycled. 100% stylish.

Transport

• Our paper travels by train. It travels by night. As you can see, this is clearly not one of the more environmentally-friendly aspects of our operations. But, to paraphrase corporate-speak, “we are doing everything in our power to improve and ultimately eliminate this, urm, issue…”

03.

Editorial

• We print on double-sided paper. • We use low-energy light bulbs in our offices. • Some of our contributors don’t own cars. • We’ve even stopped using typewriters…


The Magazine Trail In Word

6

4 7

5

3

2

04.

Photography

• We work in digital mode. We only eat organic, locallymade food whether in the studio or on location. But we’ve yet to fi nd low-energy light bulbs to power our 2,000 megawatt fl ashlights.

05.

Designing

• Our designers print on double-sided pages too. • They use recycled paper for their graphic projects. • They also try as much as possible to fi nd systems allowing for multi-functional print jobs, such as printing a poster, a flypost and a flyer all-in-one. • They rarely print their emails. • They take the tram and the subway whenever they can. • They wear Veja’s.

06.

Printing

• The Word uses FSC certified paper. This certifies the paper comes from carefully-managed forests and is entirely traceable. • All ink residue and waste is collected, treated and recycled by our printers’ specialist sister company. • Our printers work with what is called Computer-To-Plate technology, eliminating the need for fi lm to be used. • Our printers even recycle the oil used to clean and maintain their machines.

07.

Distributing

• We post, personally handout and door-drop more than 15,000 copies of The Word’s every issue. This clearly is another end of the “production line” which generates and produces considerable amounts of waste and pollution. As much as we’d love to use good-old paper boys, we simply do not have the choice but to use traditional distribution methods for the moment.

Gutenberg, inventor of the print machine, can be seen on the picture.

THE SECOND WORD — 25


In Word The Magazine Trail

What CO2logic had to say about us (Or the Carbon Footprint of a Magazine and Tips on how to Reduce It)

The main contributor to global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 mainly derives from the combustion of fossil fuels. The production of a magazine is a long and complex process. Most of the molecules of the magazine you are holding in your hands were once in a forest. Contrary to common belief, the cutting of trees for the production of paper is not necessarily the most negative impact a magazine’s print process has on our climate. This is because a sustainably and well-managed forest encourages the growth of younger trees which capture CO2 through photosynthesis and which replace the logged trees. FSC or PEFC labels are an indication that such forests are well managed. In fact it is transforming the wood into pulp and then ultimately into paper which is the most detrimental to the environment and extremely energy-intensive and as such, contributes to global warming. Recycling paper is therefore very important, however it shouldn’t be forgotten that the process of recycling itself also requires energy. Bilan Carbone, a tool developed by the French Environmental Agency (ADEME), estimates that producing one tonne of paper results in the emission of 2 tonnes of CO2.

26 — THE SECOND WORD

Local particularities influence this figure. If the paper factory uses renewable energy such as hydroelectricity, this emissions figure would be smaller. A more detailed assessment or “life cycle analysis” is needed to get more precise figures and The Word prints 15.000 copies, each weighing 336gr. In total 5 tonnes of paper are needed to print each issue. With the Bilan Carbonne emission factor, this means that approximately 10 tonnes of CO2 are released (equivalent to the CO2 emitted annually by 3 medium sized cars). The magazine’s real emissions are probably 5 to 10 tonnes of CO2 higher due to the heating of the Word’s office, the energy involved in conducting interviews, photo shoots and other activities as well as their internal waste. Choosing a paper factory that uses renewable energy, switching to a green electricity supplier, encouraging work from home and reducing travel, using public transport and fi nally offsetting unavoidable or residual emissions are all small changes that can and will reduce the magazine’s carbon footprint. Finally you as a reader can contribute as well. By recycling this magazine you avoid it ending up in a municipal landfi ll where it will decompose and cause potent Green House Gas emissions (methane). Like many companies out there, The Word is doing its part, but it could still do much more…

CO2logic offsets your CO2 and promotes sustainable behavior. They advise businesses and individuals about their CO2 emissions and how to minimize them. www.co2logic.be



Ed & Pat’s

Greening the Women Right. High-heels, half empty (or, depending on how you look at it, half full) Krug’s, oversized bags and shopping trips to London are all fine, but what’s this global warming thing we’ve been hearing about? Most of our friends, from Miami to Shanghai, seem to be enthralled by everything remotely green: green living, green eating, green buying and green travelling… how that works with their Lear’s we’d like to know. Writers Ed & Pat Illustration Delphine Dupont

So, not the best-informed and most concerned ladies out there, we set out to meet some that were. How, we wondered, did women as busy as ourselves combine their hectic family and professional lives with greener, more earth-loving lifestyles? What, beyond no-animal-testing cosmetic products and Sunday morning strolls in local farmers markets, would make of us committed, fully-

28 — THE SECOND WORD

fledged and responsible tree-hugging women? And please don’t say “no more weekend shopping trips to New York” because that just won’t cut it. Meet the women we’ve green-screened for you…


Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s

Valérie Berckmans Valérie Berckmans is 31 years old. A Fashion Design graduate from Brussels’ St Luc Institute, she owns a boutique-cum-atelier in Brussels’ ubiquitous Dansaert area. 1. Do you consider yourself a greenite?

Yes, I’m definitely ecologically-minded. It is evident to me that this needs to be a priority. I actually don’t quite understand how it is still possible not to feel concerned for the environment. The thing is, I’ve always been very moved by this whole issue, long before its misappropriation by industries and the media. 2. From your experience, do you think it is

possible to live green at work?

Yes, to a certain extent…In the fashion industry, not many people are interested in even hearing about it but I am and realize plenty of things remain to be done. But I already do my part: only green construction materials were used in the creation of the boutique, all creations are locally-made by experienced dressmakers and I try to mainly work with natural fabrics such as bio cotton. 3. How do you travel, to work or on holiday?

I go to work by bicycle and also use the public transport. My boyfriend has a car but only for work. He otherwise wouldn’t have one. I tend to fly less and less now. We went to New York last spring and I couldn’t get over the fact that our return trip over the Atlantic

was equivalent to a year’s driving of an SUV. To compensate this, we paid the eco-tax on www.greenseat.nl, a great concept. 4. What does being green at home mean to you?

For me it means using bio cleaning products, low-energy light bulbs and sorting out our garbage. Our increased awareness of the environment has resulted in an unconscious reduction in our water consumption – although space restrictions meant we couldn’t install a rainwater-collecting well just yet. We recently changed to a green energy provider. I also have an interior composter: a purpose-made garbage can for organic waste. First you put a handful of worms, you then let them multiply. You then can feed them your organic waste: 80% is transformed in liquid and the 20% remaining becomes solid, which I use as plant engrain. 5. What do you think of organic food?

Valérie Berkmans’ favourite Excuse for being late “I was made this way” Expression “Miljard”, pronounced as it is written.

I defi nitely go for it. We actually order our weekly “bio basket”. This means we always get fresh seasonal vegetables, meaning we’re always sure to discover ones we didn’t know! For groceries we mostly go to small bio shops, sometimes even indulging in Bio Planète. A must, although obviously the priciest…We also shop at Colruyt because of its global ecological philosophy. I must admit that we sometimes do eat fast food. Then initial temptation is always there, as is the after-happy-meal deception too… 6. Why and for who would you act “greener”?

Good Cause Do you really want me to start all over again?? B-Class Celebrity Boney M’s singer

© Geneviève Balasse

Fruit Apple

I don’t want my design’s production to contribute towards harming the planet so I am committed to reducing the process’ negative effects as much as possible. I would love to be able to use as much organic cotton as possible but the supply is very limited. I also participate to various different green-minded initiatives, such as Max Havelaar’s recent commission of 9 designers, including me, to create pieces using his bio fabric label or the Petits Rien’s annual fashion show.

THE SECOND WORD — 29


Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women

Barbara Trachte A young lawyer active with the Ecolo party, Barbara Trachte entered it in 1999 whilst at university and is now member of the local, regional and youth branch of the party called Ecolo-J. 1. Do you consider yourself a greenite?

Green yes! But one who lives in the city and loves urban life nonetheless. Sadly, I don’t have a garden, nor even a “potager”. But I definitely lead an urban life and in that context, I can say that I manage to be green. I grew up in the city, my family and I lived near Schaerbeek’s Parc Josaphat. I’ve always been sensitive about the environment and always respected it.

Barbara Trachte’s favourite Excuse for being late My alarm clock Expression “let's be realists, expect the impossible” Good Cause A better public transport network at night B-Class Celebrity David Hasselhof

© Geneviève Balasse

Fruit Raspberries

30 — THE SECOND WORD

2. From your experience, do you think it is possible to live green at work?

Difficult when you’re not the boss. I do my part though: I never print emails, I print only those documents that must be brought to court….I also try to encourage my colleagues to do the same but it’s far from being easy. Whenever I make a green-ish comment, they think it’s funny, laugh it off then we’re onto the next subject. It is tough but I think change will come in little by little. 3. How do you travel, to work or on holiday?

Well, I don’t have a car, a choice I am happy with. I walk a lot and use public transport. I might, now and again, take a cab, especially when I’ve bought a lot at the supermarket. I love to walk in the city, especially at night

time, a time I fi nd the most relaxing to wander around. Plus you see the city in a completely different light at night. 4. What does being green at home mean to you?

I use green cleaning products; I know shops that sell very efficient ones where you don’t have to put more than one drop! And it doesn’t cost more than normal cleaning products. I closely watch my water, heat and electricity consumption. I flat-share, which saves energy and money! I also have a green energy provider and use low-energy light bulbs. 5. What do you think of organic food?

I’m all for it, although I don’t use and eat it as much as I’d like to. As my professional life is very intensive to say the least, I don’t have much time to cook and do groceries but when I do have time I’ll buy bio food (luckily I have a bio shop next to my office). At week-ends I make soup that I freeze for the week. During the week I’ll eat homemade sandwiches for lunch but in the evening I’ll take whatever I can fi nd wherever I am… 6. How can we raise awareness of the issue?

The fi rst goal is to sensibilise and educate the young. The ecological party, next to its debates and learning-sessions, often organizes innovative actions that have a stronger and lasting impact on young people than the more regular political initiatives. People still think that you either are 100% ecological or you are not. Moreover they usually associate green people to sad, boring, isolated people…But it’s not like that at all! You can act green and still live in the same comfort: consumption is not forbidden!


Greening the Women Ed & Pat’s

Edith Klapwijck Edith Klapwijck is a mother of three and works as an interpreter for Eurocontrol. 1. Do you consider yourself a greenite?

I’d like to call myself a green person, because I think that's the best way to be, but I am not rigorous enough. It starts with being careful about the things you eat and buy, the way you organise your shopping and your household, but you can only truly call yourself a green person when you strive to minimise your footprint - carbon or other in everything you do, when it becomes a way of living. I can't claim to be half that far.

2. From your experience, do you think it is possible to live green at work?

Yes, defi nitely. At Eurocontrol, where I work, we have introduced things such as 'green housekeeping' and we monitor our waste production. We sort garbage through the use of different bins (bottles, cans, paper, plastic cups etc.) and we attach messages such as 'Do you really want to print this e-mail?' to our outgoing e-mails. We also promote the use of the paperless office through automated document management and request handling systems. 3. How do you travel, to work or on holiday?

This is a difficult issue for me because there are no public transport connections between

my home and my workplace and the distance is some 25 km, so I take the car. I do have a bike, but I don't use it enough. I think my next car will definitely be a green car. I don't use city bikes, because I love walking when I am in the city. I confess I love to travel and probably think too easily about taking a plane for a trip abroad, but the world is such a fascinating place to visit. 4. What does being green at home mean to you?

I score much better in this area! I solely use green products for washing and cleaning. Unfortunately, there is no city gas where I live so I need to buy fossil heating fuel. No solar panels and the like, but I do sort my garbage quite strictly and all vegetable leftovers go into my compost bin. 5. What do you think of organic food?

It defi nitely is the way forward. I mostly buy my food in my local supermarket, because I have long working hours and not much time left to skim romantic places like markets! I am however very picky with the food we buy and try to buy as much organic, fair trade and animal- friendly produce as I can. I check the origin of my vegetables, eggs, meat, coffee and fruit, for instance. I try to eat the produce of the season and don't care for raspberries or cherries in December that are imported at great cost. I also try to avoid too much packaging. And I swear, when I'll retire, I’ll have my own vegetable and herbs garden… 6. How can we raise awareness of the issue?

Edith Klapwijk’s favourite

Just keep on hammering at it, people are no fools and they will learn, through education, raising awareness and sometimes through sheer necessity, such as fuel prices.

Excuse for being late Being an overly optimistic justin-time manager Expression Count your blessings Good Cause Sustainable development B-Class Celebrity Joker! Fruit Raspberry

THE SECOND WORD — 31


Ed & Pat’s Greening the Women

Nathalie François Nathalie François is an Art Director in advertising. 1. Do you consider yourself a greenite?

Green yes! But one who lives in the city and It is hard to admit, but I don’t think I’m the greenest person out there. To be green for me means several things: to sort your waste, to use public transport or a bicycle, to reduce your consumption of energy (air conditioning, heating, electricity). Out of these three points, I at least manage to fill one (consumption of energy)… Ouf!

2. From your experience, do you think it is possible to live green at work?

It is clearly possible, but I think owners of companies need to think about it and impose certain rules to personnel. In our agency, we sort our garbage out but not the paperboards. Most of my co-workers use recycled paper to print or to copy. We try to print in black and white as often as possible. However, each one’s behaviour is influenced by his function. As an Art Director, it’s not always possible for me to use recycled paper.

transport (tram-metro-bus). But if nothing else, my car fi lls the criteria of reducing CO2 emissions. I always take my car, except during weekends when I walk or use the subway. 4. What does being green at home mean to you?

As a tenant, I will not invest in renewable energy (solar panels, cistern). Moreover, I’ll use this interview to launch a call to my landlord: install double-glazing! Regarding cleaning products, to be very honest, the least expensive products will have my vote.

3. How do you travel, to work or on holiday?

I always go to work by car. I have "a good" excuse: the agency is outside Brussels. It would be such a nightmare to get there using public

5. What do you think of organic food?

I think it defi nitely is a trend. The last 10 years, it became very trendy to eat organic. I think it’s possible to eat healthily without necessarily having to buy organic food. 6. After all these questions, do you still think of yourself as a “green” person?

When I compare myself to the ultra-green person, it is clear that I still have progress to make. However, I believe that thanks to the media and public awareness campaigns, it is impossible not to reflect or to act at least slightly greener. It is essential that they continue in this direction. That can only make people more responsible.

If you know of people you think we should have a drink with, shops you think we would go wild in or a new cocktail you'd like us to try, drop us a line at

wewrite@thewordmagazine.be

Nathalie François’ favourite Excuse for being late Don’t have one, I’m always late Expression “ nothing is impossible” Good Cause Rabbits B-Class Celebrity Kate Moss Fruit Mango

32 — THE SECOND WORD



Three of the Best

Compressible Plastic Bottles — Drinking our recommended litre of water per day, we often end up with more plastic water bottles than we had bargained for. What, we wondered, would happen if we pitted one against the other and took on some heavy-duty compressing? We twisted, pressed, sat on and near-hammered over 30 bottles with the sole purpose of finding out which one, based purely on height, would compress itself the best. Although not claiming to be specialists of any kind, here we bring you “The Compressor”, “The Compressed” and “The Compressive”. Writer Nicholas Lewis

2. Evian

1. Contrex Name

Name

“The Compressor” (1.5L)

“The Compressed” (1L)

Name Weight when empty

Weight when empty

Weight when empty Original height

Original height Compressed height

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), 25% of which is recycled.

32.3cm

10cm

7.2cm Raw material

31gr

31.6cm

25.5cm Compressed height

“The Compressive” (1.5L)

31gr

31gr Original height

3. Vittel

Compressed height Raw material

10.9cm

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

Raw material

Quantity of bottles produced per year

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

Quantity of bottles produced per year

More-or-less 600 million 1.5L bottles per year.

Quantity of bottles produced per year

More-or-less 500 million 1.5L bottles per year.

Made in

More-or-less 500 million 1.5L bottles per year.

Vittel Made in

Made in

Evian

Vittel

34 — THE SECOND WORD


Photography & Styling: Opération Panda - www.operationpanda.be

Compressible Plastic Bottles Three of the Best

THE SECOND WORD — 35


The Institution

Potato Man — If the Sainte-Catherine area is still referred to in many city guides as the Fish Market, as it once was, not many remember that not so long ago, its Place was not only home to Brussels’ fish market, but also to its much sought-after open-air fine foods market. Of the hundred of stalls it once held just two still survive to this day. The Word lets you in on the story of the oldest of the two: Potato man Valère. Writer Jacques Moyersoen

36 — THE SECOND WORD

Valère is your quintessential city landmark. Huddled underneath his vintage potatocoloured stall, he’s been occupying the exact same spot in front of Saint-Catherine’s church ever since 1964. The city’s fi nest connoisseurs know that he treasures the tastier, 100% natural spud. Others simply acknowledge that he’s always been part of the scenery, just like the oddly placed outdoor urinals along the church’s exterior wall. He bears witnessed to the market’s prestige and popularity shrink to nothing, and seen its merchants and clients be replaced by young trendsetters and low-cost weekenders. Today, along with Jeannot’s mussels-and-oysters stall right across the Place, he is one of two unfl inching nostalgic to have refused o accept the market’s seemingly inevitable demise. You’d be forgiven for thinking that, at age 65, attending to an outdoor market stall under Belgium’s harsh climatic conditions, 10 hours a day and solo, could only be motivated by survival. Think again. Being his family’s only descendent, Valère inherited enough money not to have to work for the rest of his days. He got his fortune from his father and uncle, who had made theirs as merchants at the Saint-Gilles market. So it seemed only natural for him to follow in their footsteps. To Valère, the market has always been about a certain way of life rather than a way of making a living. It is also the only trade he’s ever mastered. As far as he can remember, he always was out there helping his father, packing and carrying goods. At the time, he already was the talk of the market and known to everyone as “Le Blanc”, due to his unusual white hair. Today, he practically doesn’t have any hair left and cheekily presents himself as “Valère! Pas Voleur!” (“Voleur” meaning “thief” in French), although he still remains the vanishing market’s favourite. When he arrived on the market at the tender age of 21, an available stall on the Place was a golden opportunity. Customers came from afar to get their hands on the freshest fi sh, meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruits money could buy. The Place Sainte-Catherine Market was reputed for the quality of its produce. There even was something slightly snobbish about the market’s reputation. Every class-conscious housewife’s would pride herself with revealing to her guests that the food came from there. You could fi nd the best mushrooms, the juiciest tomatoes, the freshest mussels, the crunchiest chestnuts, the biggest lobsters, and –let’s not forget- the tastiest potatoes. With no su-

permarket chains or food distribution giants to rival, those were the golden days of popular outdoors and indoors daily markets. With the advent of tramways and cars which eased the transportation of the public, the markets were getting larger and larger. And in its league, Place Sainte-Catherine’s fi ne food market was just about the most prestigious of them all. Valère sources his potatoes (mostly the “bintjes” kind) directly from a handful of carefully selected local farmers. We’re not talking about professional agricultural farmers cultivating tons of tasteless and uniform vegetables for supermarkets. What he has always emphasised is that his potatoes come from human-size productions cultivated by potato lovers. And what is not delivered in quantity, is defi nitely compensated in quality. Valère’s potatoes are a tad pricier than the local grocery store’s, but taste is what attracts regular potato fiends back to his market stall on a weekly basis.

" Valère sources his potatoes directly from a handful of carefully selected local farmers " Our potato man approximates 200 to 300 kilos of potatoes per day. Most of his clients date back some 20 years. There’s this old man who comes by car every Friday around 15:00. In what seems like a carefully-rehearsed routine, he stops his car on the one-way road just in front the stall - incidentally blocking the cars irritatingly hooting behind him - steps out and opens the trunk. Valère, swiftly interrupts any transactions he’s doing, grabs the pre-prepared bag of potatoes and gets around his stall reassuring the fulminating immobilized drivers with a casual “Coming through, coming through!”, and drops the bag in the trunk at the exact place designated by his old and faithful client. No passing of money here; as most good clients the old man has his own personal account. Just a “Thank you!” and “See you next week!” For those kinds of clients, their relationship with Valère is cherished because it is part of their way of life: a belief in an ideal which celebrates not only the prime quality of the products, but also the loyalty and respect which goes with the service. Sadly, the celebration is not shared by modern-day, hurried drivers who, having lost a minute of their precious time, re-


©Jack Moyersoen

Potato Man The Institution

Local celebrity Valère with his beloved "Bintjes".

main un-bemused by the unolding spectacle of this authentic commercial scenery. Encouragingly though, Valère reveals that the police are rather tolerant of the occasional traffic stopage he provokes, especially when involving old people. Business, however, is on the decline. The potato king now only comes towards the end of the week, usually from Thursdays to Saturdays. As years went by, he’s seen his co-workers quitting or going into retirement one after the other. And the City of Brussels’ commune - in charge of managing the market - hasn’t been very prompt in fi nding replacements for the emptying places. What’s more, the Place and its surroundings have undergone several urban planning initiatives, which incidentally hampered the market’s survival. Parking space around Place Sainte Catherine disappeared and access by car made difficult by reduced street widths. By favouring walkers, these modifications actually make shopping less practical for the elderly and out-of-towners accustomed to shopping at the market. Harsh working conditions do not help the profession either. The daily drudge of installing and packing a stall, in all kinds of weather, can dissuade even the bravest. Until a year ago, there was

a vegetable stall next to Valère’s. But when the lady holding it had the opportunity of buying a shop in an adjacent commercial road, she did not hesitate. She now owns her own permanent vegetable store and enjoys the work in the comfort of climate control. Valère looks in great shape despite his respectable age. The physical work involved in manning his stand has made his body strong and resistant to sickness. Sadly though, he confesses to suffering from depression. For the fi rst time in his career he took a 3 week brake after Christmas to go to his holiday home in France. Jeannot, his lasting market colleague of 22 years, recounts that Valère has never missed more than a week in his entire career. Valère announces that he’ll probably stop his lifelong work at the market by the end of 2008. The reasons of his sadness are unclear. If he gently regrets that his son, although “perfectly able to takeover the job” has opted to become an accountant at the sea-side, deep down, he knows this is a better option for him. He might feel some rejection by the fast changing society in which he lives now, and the dawn of his generation. This Christmas season he bitterly recalls being shunned from his place, “to a dark spot with a mean drought and

no passage” to free-up the slot for the city’s invited foreign merchants that animate the Place Sainte-Catherine’s annual Christmas Market. Probably not the kind of appreciation the City of Brussels should show at the busiest period of the year to a man who has devoted his entire life to the Place, and truly makes it authentic. When Valère eventually retires, it is a cultural landmark that will leave with him. His retirement will leave a visual absence for those used to his reassuring and seemingly eternal presence in the shadow of Saint-Catherine’s church, a historical end as the last real representative of a 120 years old traditional food market, an economic hole for small potato producers who depend on him to sell their goods, a sociological gap for his old-time customers who will reluctantly have to adapt to more modern ways of shopping, and fi nally a “gastronomical” catastrophe for the potato gourmets themselves! So be sure to enjoy Valère and his tasty potatoes while you can! Do you know of an institution we should write about? Let us know at

wewrite@thewordmagazine.be

THE SECOND WORD — 37


The Fashion Word

When it comes to the season’s latest picks, the choice is yours. Be it bright colours and rectangular shapes or paler shades and oversized cuts, confused-and-conquer is the name of the game. Photography Sébastien Bonin Stylist Jennifer Defays

38 — THE SECOND WORD


Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word

Trench-Coat AF Vandevorst, Shirt Bernhard Willhelm, Dress Maison Martin Margiela

THE SECOND WORD — 39


The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic

Baggy Trousers, T-shirt + noir by Yohji Yamamoto, Boots Maison Martin Margiela, Brooch Mickael Guerra, Jewels Collectors Gallery / Optic Cube, Kartell

40 — THE SECOND WORD


Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word

Pea jacket Paul Smith, Hoody If I... Baggy jodhpurs Levis, Boots Maison Martin Margiela, Rings John Richmond / Optic Cube, Kartell

THE SECOND WORD — 41


The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic

Shirt Comme des Garçons, Under shirt Sonia Rykiel, Trousers Sonia Rykiel, Sneakers Alexander McQueen for Puma, Necklace Dior Homme, Rings Mouton Collet, Bag Raf Simons for Eastpack

42 — THE SECOND WORD


Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word

Overcoat If I… Scoubidou Skirt Paule Ka, Socks Cos, Court Shoes Celine

THE SECOND WORD — 43


The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic

Black trousers & Mao Shirt Yohji Yamamoto, Feather Necklace Stylist's own / Optic Cube, Kartell

44 — THE SECOND WORD


Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word

Tank top-sarouel Maison Martin Margiela, Pull-over Sonia Rykiel, Body Pelican Avenue / Optic Cube, Kartell

THE SECOND WORD — 45


The Fashion Word Paper or Plastic

Him — Jacket Maison Martin Margiela, Shirt and Tie Les Hommes Her — Sweat-shirt If I… Brooch Mickael Guerra, Jewels Collectors Gallery Optic Cube, Kartell

46 — THE SECOND WORD


Paper or Plastic The Fashion Word

Photographer SĂŠbastien Bonin Assistant Ali Thabet Stylist Jennifer Defays @ Vision talent management Hair & make up Miaou (Mathieu de Mayer) with Dior Models Margaux @ Vision talent management & Nicolas Ly With thanks to PH, Brussels Balthazar, Brussels Maison Martin Margiela, Brussels Yoji Yamamoto, Antwerp Kartell Visual News Tamarind Foods

THE SECOND WORD — 47


Green Fashion

Money Laundering — Demand for organic cotton has become so high that it is more noteworthy if a brand doesn’t offer it than if they do. Currently there is nowhere close to enough organic cotton to supply the market, and those who came late to the party may have to wait a few years to catch up. We talk with three early adopters of organic cotton about the significance that environmental tag has for their brands, and ask whether green garments really turn a profit, or whether they simply give labels an image boost? Writer Hettie Judah

Above: from Nike's organic cotton, H&M Organic Cotton and Adidasrecycle collections

48 — THE SECOND WORD


Money Laundering Green Fashion

H&M, Stokholm Katarina Midby

We did a collection in the early 1990s called Nature Calling, it was all organic; organic cotton and organic dyes, organic thread and trimmings. It was extremely wholesome looking and didn’t sell so well. From that we learnt that we needed to try to make fashion and environmental care go together better. Now we have organic garments within every concept range within our stores, it’s not just one coordinated collection. The feedback we get is that our customers are buying it – fi rst of all it’s the style that’s most important – people are interested in organic cotton, but the style has to be right for people to look at the garment in the fi rst place and to discover the organic cotton label inside.

demand for organic cotton, then it’s up to the production office to fi nd more growers; hopefully it will be an incentive for some growers to convert. It is a little bit more expensive for us to buy organic cotton, but the production process costs the same, so it’s not that much more expensive. We order very large quantities so we manage to keep prices down. The clothes costs a little bit more, but by quite a small margin - 50 instead of 40 for a pair of jeans or for a t-shirt maybe a difference of 3, if anything. Sometimes we just sell things with a smaller profit margin. It depends. As well as organic cotton, we make clothes out of recycles polyester. We are looking at soy and hemp and bamboo and all those materials too. So far we’ve just tried some of these new organic materials out on our baby clothes. There aren’t any particular goals set for us over the next ten years; we are still learning how we can work with this. It is defi nitely part of the inevitable future, it’s something you can’t get away from, we want to keep our production up to par both ethically and technically. Nike, the Netherlands Stephan Lub

" …our customers are both fashion and world conscious " We are doing this now is because the debate and interest from our customers is growing. People are becoming are getting more and more aware; our customers are both fashion and world conscious; for a product to be organic is a defi nite bonus. We’re a large consumer of cotton and we are eager to help our cotton growers to convert to organic rather than conventional methods. At the moment, even if we used all the worlds’ organic cotton there wouldn’t be enough. We have ordered and used about 1.500 tonnes of organic cotton for this spring’s collection. This is the fourth season we have used it, and it is really starting to take off – last year in total we used 1,300 over two seasons. It will go up again for this autumn to1,700 tonnes. There are organic cotton suppliers in Turkey, India and Bangladesh, but we’re also looking at some new markets. It takes four years to convert. We can increase our

In 2004 we set up a time line; by 2010 we wanted a minimum of 5% organic cotton in all our cotton materials. We had used organic cotton before, but in 2004 we started working with the Organic Exchange to focus on the production of organic cotton because there was not enough produced worldwide; there needed to be larger quantities of organic cotton produced for us to reach our goal. In our fi scal year 2006, 52% of our cotton garments [approximates 52 million garments] contained a minimum 5% cotton. It’s a huge amount. Currently you can buy apparel that contains 100% organic cotton as well as 5%, I think they’re a little bit more expensive,

but the difference is just a couple of Euros. It is difficult to say if the organic cotton is popular because it is present in every range we produce; football, nike women, running, sport culture and outdoor clothing; you can’t just go to a store and ask for an organic cotton collection, it’s everywhere.

" There is a lot of waste when it comes to producing apparel and footwear " The size of company that we are, we have to take responsibility and look at the environment and see how we can produce greener. Three years ago we started the Nike Consider boot; the first was a boot made out of leather and rubber with hardly any glue because glue is not very good for the environment. We have come up with other Nike consider boots from different materials, such as the Soaker boot made from recycled rubber and recycled soda bottles. The boots have two goals; first we want to produce in an environmentally friendly way and those products show that, and second we learn from producing these boots things that we can integrate into existing procedures. For example with Nike Air and Air Max, we changed the gas inside the air unit to be more environmentally friendly. In Europe the Consider collection sells thousands of boots, but I couldn’t really say whether they are profitable, although demand is growing. We haven’t done any specific promotion for our organic cotton or the Nike consider boot, since they are integrated in other campaigns, but we do mention it in our press kit. As a company we want to make profit so we do stuff for our customers. There is a lot of waste when it comes to producing apparel and footwear. We waste a lot of raw materials because you have to cut in a certain way, we are looking into how to cut materials as efficiently as possible. We also have programs to reuse all the waste from the factories we work with. We focus on waste elimination, a way of reusing the waste and the way we cut the raw product. With the Re-use a shoe program, we collect worn-out sneakers and we recycle the upper and sole for different purposes, we re-grind the sole of the shoe to use in sports surfaces. You can dump sneakers of any brand in the in store bin and we take it apart and build, for example, the surface of a football pitch using the shoes.

THE SECOND WORD — 49


Green Fashion Money Laundering

Filippa K, Stokholm Maj-La Pizzelli

We already produce quite responsibly because we produce high quality clothing, but we had to do something more, to make a statement about responsibility. People are starting to buy more and more organic in their private life. We wanted to learn more about the organic process, so we decided to pick a few products and push them all the way. [Nordic environmental licencing organisation] Ecolabel is controlling what we are doing. We want to learn from this process so that we can adjust the production of our other products. Currently around 150,000 pieces annually– more than 15% of our garments - are Ecolabelled and we want to do more for the future. The organic cotton pieces have been selling more that we expected, but in the fi rst season there were very few – only four styles. The pieces are in soft cotton lycra; our basic product range, and one that we can make money on. We use this material for basic products and fashion styles, and from this season we have turned it all over to organic cotton. The dying process will be Ecolabel-approved from the Fall ’08 collection onwards. The products are the same as before; perhaps the black is not so dense and the white is softer. The price has increased slightly, but before that it hadn’t increased for ten years, so it was long overdue. The biggest selling article in the range is T-Shirts, which come in 6 styles for men, and 7 or 8 for women. Just because something is organic it is not attractive to the customer, it has to be a nice style. The products come in a thin cotton jersey wash with nice detailing. Usually people buy it because they love it; it looks and feels good. We do also get people coming into the shops and asking for organic products. You shouldn’t only focus on organic cotton. Even synthetic materials like tencel and viscose are actually better for the environ-

50 — THE SECOND WORD

ment than traditionally produced cotton – it is a complicated subject. Tencel is made from cellulose from trees – mostly it’s made from Eucalyptus, which grows very fast. Of course there is always some negative part – everything you do affects the environment, but the waste from the tencel process can be recycled and put back into the process, so it is a closed process. We’d like to be the first to have Ecolabelled tencel; we’re launching it in April or May this year. It’s been complicated getting the Ecolabelling certificate because they’re not really used to this material, they’re more focussed on cotton.

" Just because something is organic it is not attractive to the customer, it has to be a nice style " We didn’t make this change for the brand image; we felt it was a natural development. We have always wanted to make products that last, not disposable fashion, so it is natural for this to be part of our profi le. The fi rst thing we did was make changes within our own office; fruit, tea, coffee, milk, paper, soap – everything had to be Ecolabelled. We felt that we had to make a difference as consumers ourselves. Part of this thing is to be a role model so that other people do it, but we will not push it in our marketing very strongly. Every garment that is Ecolabelled has a tag, but it is quite discreet. You shouldn’t over push it; the importance is to do it. I think that to be profitable in the future you have to go in this direction – consumers will demand it more and more, and after a while they will take it for granted.



Vintage Shopping

Top Tier Second Hand — A green-themed issue seemed like the perfect occasion to unveil our pick of favourite vintage boutiques. We’re not exactly second-hand aficionados but somehow the idea of stumbling upon a 1950’s Chanel dress or a Hermes Birkin bag (well, we can only hope can’t we?) pushes the right button. From Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels, we present the good, the even better and the frankly surreal shops and their sometimes just as interesting owners… Writer Stéphanie Duval

Jutka & Riska's window

52 — THE SECOND WORD


Top Tier Second Hand Vintage Shopping

Antwerp

02

01

01.

03

Sussies

This warehouse-like vintage shop bulk buys vintage goodies from the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s and sells them for all kinds of prices, and usually by the kilo! This is the essential shop for all those crazy pantsuits, extravagant shirts and eclectic print-adorned dresses. This is the one shop to go to when you’re on the lookout for that add-on accessory guaranteed to give you that extra little bit of edge... And Sussies doesn’t stop at fashion (although it is its clothes selection which seems to be the crowd-pleaser). Indeed, it also sells 1950’s to 1980’s vintage furniture and interesting one at that; we even spotted a Panton chair at our last visit there. Corner of Oude Koornmarkt and Zwaluwstraat 69 www.sussies.be

02.

Belchique

This shops present owner Maïta’s carefully curated selection of second-hand clothes and unique vintage pieces. From Parisian flea markets to people’s long-forgotten basements, her ability to always dig up the most original of treasures makes for a well-stocked and fashionably diverse boutique. Be it that authentic Burberry trench coat or that exquisite Yves Saint Laurent dress, Belchique is always sure to catch you off-guard.

Kloosterstraat 177 +32 497 584 902 www.belchique.com

03.

Jutka & Riska

These two Dutch ladies’ passion for original 1960’s and 1970’s vintage clothing led to the opening of their own little boutique. Alongside a large collection of dresses and coats sits an equally impressive selection of real and faux leather handbags, oversized sunglasses and colourful shoes. Offering a mixand-match of heavyweight designers and no-name brands, Jutka & Riska do vintage fashion at its best, purest and simplest.

Nationalestraat 87 +32 473 52 82 52

THE SECOND WORD — 53


Vintage Shopping Top Tier Second Hand

Ghent

03

03.

04

La Boîte Noire de Gavilan

This one shop is as much about its owner as the clothes sold in it. Welcome to the wonderful world of Bernard Gavilan, famous for his customizing genius and allround creativity. Not only is he the brains behind Customisez-Moi, an annual contest for unknown designer talents who dream up exquisite creations using vintage clothing, but his shops in Brussels and Ghent are also known as the places-to-go-to for highly original, hard-to-fi nd vintage. La Boîte Noire in Ghent is, put simply, the Mecca of all things vintage. Nederkouter 71 +32 9 233 56 40 www.bernardgavilan.be

54 — THE SECOND WORD

04.

Zoot

With Zoot, Liv and Sofie have created a space that exudes creativity. They combine collections by young and upcoming designers together with highly original vintage clothing, which they sometimes personalise themselves. Expect a lot of femininity: A-line skirts, petticoats and the cutest heels you’ve ever seen, all from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. Our own little insider tip: have a look at the accessories section. Serpentstraat 8 +32 9 233 70 75


Top Tier Second Hand Vintage Shopping

Brussels

05

05.

06

Idiz Bogam

What do you call a boutique which effortlessly brings together a luxurious shopping experience with the best-kept vintage fashion pieces? Idiz Bogam. This shop has the feel of Gucci’s or Chloe’s latest boutique yet deals primarily in second-hand clothing. Although the prices requested sometimes make you wonder if indeed these are second-hand clothes, closer inspection reveal clothes in immaculate condition and worth every penny. Expect to fi nd fur coats in perfect condition, custom-made tuxedos and a large collection of must-have accessories. And we’ll even let you in on a tip of our own: ask to see the shoe collection.

06.

Gabriele Vintage

Gabriele has the strictest of conditions as to the clothes she admits in her store: all items need to be in mint condition. Consequently, her shop is full of the best vintage fi nds around. Tuxedo jackets hang next to ballroom dresses, with the wall full of leather jackets, cute sweaters and perfectly cut shirts. In the back, in Gabrielle’s personal boudoir, is where the mother-of-all treasures can be found: haute couture dresses from the 1920’s and onwards. Whether we should call this an ode to fashion or a vintage boutique is still being debated... Rue des Chartreux / Kartuizerstraat 27 +32 2 512 67 43

Rue Dansaertstraat 76 +32 2 512 10 32

And if you think we left out a boutique worth mentioning, do let us know and we’ll be glad to add it to our vintage fashion boutique black book.

wewrite@thewordmagazine.be

THE SECOND WORD — 55


Cosmetics

Beauty & the Green — We’d heard of certain beauty products which were as organic and earth-loving as they were soothing and rejuvenating. In the first of many columns on the subject of beauty, we pick some of our favourite green-infused creams, perfumes and lotions and finally find out what’s this Yerba Maté Tea everybody’s been talking about… Writer Stéphanie Duval Illustration Delphine Dupont

56 — THE SECOND WORD


Beauty & the Green Cosmectics

01

01.

02

Kiehl’s

Born over 150 years ago in a small New York City pharmacy, Kiehl’s has since evolved into one of the world’s most successful niche cosmetics brands. And this, whilst remaining a purely organic label. All ingredients are mentioned on its minimalist packaging, for which the company is developing biodegradable alternatives. The brand’s stores also encourage its consumers to recycle by putting in-store recycling bins for people to leave their empty Kiehl’s bottles in. Expectedly, the brand has developed quite a loyal following through the years, and keeps surprising its fans with discoveries of new natural extracts or innovative techniques, such as its Yerba Maté Tea skincare line. Kiehl's Yerba Maté Tea Cleanser

Kiehl’s skincare line is developed with an extract derived from Yerba Maté, a South American herb that is used for tea in countries such as Argentina where locals drink it because of its positive effects on their health and skin. The skincare, with its vitamininfused formula, achieves the same effects. The cleanser is a lightweight, foaming emulsion. Used with water, it will remove excess oil and residue to help reveal your skin’s natural radiance.

02.

Lush

Handmade products, no animal testing and the use of fresh and organic ingredients. Needless to say that to Lush, being a green label is more than mere marketing hoopla. Travelling the world in search of the fi nest ethereal oils, father and son founding duo Mark and Simon Constantine still develop all the products themselves. This ensures the brand and its many products never stray from its original purpose: to bring the freshest and greenest beauty products to the masses. With a second Belgian store set to open on Antwerp’s Keyserlei (the fi rst one being in Luik/Liege) beginning of March, the city, in the words of Lush’ Geeske Elis, “will never smell the same!” Lush Go Green Handy Gurugu Hand Cream

Whilst developing this hand cream, Lush went to Ghana in search of local villages which still handmade the much-thought after Shea Butter. Using the traditional way of making the butter, the villagers ensure a fresh and fragrant result, culminating in what is known as Shea Butter. The Shea Butter is then mixed with essential oils and natural butters, transforming it into a highly effective hand cream. The closest your hands will ever get to baby skin, believe us.

THE SECOND WORD — 57


Cosmetics Beauty & the Green

03

03.

04

Aveda

Aveda’s beauty products are entirely made up, at approximately 97%, of natural ingredients. The brand is committed to delivering the most effective products with as little synthetic additions as possible, all in keeping with the ancient theory of Ayurveda. What makes Aveda such an exception in the world of cosmetics is the fact that they have a very clear mission of striving for a better world. Thanks to their worldwide fair-trade cooperation with ethnic cultures, they create employment for many of the locals in the countries they operate in. As of January 2007, the brand took its “greenness” a step further by using wind energy. Indeed, the electricity used by the distribution centre and the largest production facility is entirely produced by wind energy, reducing the company’s carbon footprint by 7, 2 million pounds. A step in the right direction if you ask us… Aveda Botanical Kinetics Skin Firming and Toning Agent

Based on sugar, Echinacea and rosewater, this refreshing toner will optimise your complexion by deeply moisturising and mildly cooling your skin. Restoring the natural balance of your skin, it leaves it fresh and clarified. Just spray it on and gently rub it into your skin. Used after cleansing, this toner will give your face the refreshing boost it needs to glow.

58 — THE SECOND WORD

04.

05

Care by Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney’s Care line is 100% biological. Being an environmental activist and vegetarian herself, the designer wanted to create ecological and natural beauty products in line with her personal philosophy. McCartney refuses to give-in when it comes to her personal beliefs, which is why she never uses leather or fur in her collections. With her skincare line awarded the Ecocert certificate (a worldwide certification body which checks the composition as well as the development of beauty products), she is definitely one of the most active and concerned designers out there. Consisting of 100% biological components, no petrochemical elements, silicones and no synthetic preservatives, the products don’t contain animal ingredients nor do they contain elements that are derived from endangered plant. Now that’s what we call walking-the-walk. Stella McCartney Care 5 Benefits Moisturising Cream

This lavish facial hydrating cream is made with delicious ingredients: grape seed oil, white mallow extract, musk rose oil, green tea extract, soybean oil and sweet orange extract. Before you dig in, know that this cream will drastically improve skin moisture and help protect it from exposure to the environment. This is haute cuisine for the skin, as it will leave your skin nourished, fi rm, fresh and radiant. The yummy biological perfume is an added bonus.

05.

Ren

Ren means ‘clean’ in Swedish and that is about the best description you could give for this brand. For starters, the label makes sure their products don’t contain skin-unfriendly ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, sulphate detergents, synthetic colours, animal ingredients and parabens. In addition, the products don’t contain potential irritants, ensuring they are gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skins. The brand, however, isn’t 100% biological. Indeed, it decided to use one traditional conservative (phenoxyethanol) which allows for water based textures, instead of the oil based ones in classic organic skincare, to be used. This is the main reason why the brand is such a hit with men who love the brand for this reason, as the products don’t give them that shiny gloss. Ren Damask Rose Body Cream

Because Ren body creams are kept as natural as possible, they have none of the damaging substances that can dull, congest and dry skin. On the contrary, this cream is designed to nourish and moisturise even the driest of skins. As a true super cream, it will also combat the effects of UV, pollution and other daily environmental influences. And, as if this wasn’t enough, it also stimulates beta endorphin releases, which together with the uplifting scent of damask rose inspires happy feelings.



Essential

You Can't See the Forest for the Trees Nestled in the heart of Brussels' Chatelain area, Les Petits Riens is that quintessential neighbourhood intrigue: constantly bustling with activity, always full of the most eclectic of personalities and unassumingly confident. Not exactly the kind of characteristics you'd normally associate with what is essentially a second-hand shop. But then again, Les Petits Riens isn't your run-of-the-mill second-hand store. The Word sent expert vintage-digger and master treasure-hunter Séverine Vaissaud to go behind-the-scenes. Here, she wonders how such a socially-centric project became so successful in our age of cowboy-capitalism and meets the people who keep the place going, literally. Writer Séverine Vaissaud

01

60 — THE SECOND WORD


You Can't See the Forest for the Trees Essential

02

If people ruled the world.

Last year marked Les Petits Rien's 70th birthday. Although not one to bask in the spotlight, this event would surely have fi lled founder Father Froidure with joy, satisfaction and a very real sense of accomplishment. Indeed, his peculiar model of give-and-take bartering has become one of the country's unavoidable social economic drivers. That is not to say he wouldn't also be concerned at the worrying amounts of families which, to this day, remain in need of vital products such as clothes, food and, sadly, even shelter.

" The money collected from sales enables to employ those very people it seeks to help " So what exactly is Les Petits Riens' model? Well, its principal purpose is to help and support those facing economic or mental hardship. To do so, however, requires substantial sums of money, which need to be found somewhere. This led to Froidure's simple yet ingenious idea: to collect, select and sell second-hand clothes, furniture and other vital items.

Doing this provided Les Petits Riens with a much-needed source of income, which they use to fi nance and set up their various social projects. The money collected from sales also enables Les Petits Riens to employ those very people it seeks to help - by, for example, attending to its various shops and warehouses - thus setting them back on a path to seemingly normalized lives. But that still doesn't paint the whole picture. From shelter housing, post-shelter follow-up and legal assistance to homework school for children, social supermarkets, electrical appliance repairing centers and supervised apartments, there isn't a lot Les Petits Riens don't seem to do. All this, thanks to its burgeoning second-hand trade. Second Life

One thing you should know is that Les Petits Riens are open to everyone. Indeed, you do not have to be penniless to go there and buy stuff. And stuff there is: PC's, bikes, white and brown goods, dishes, clothes, cutlery, tools, books, ski boots, furniture, decoration, golf clubs or toys. Take the bookshop for example: where else are you likely to fi nd a fi rst edition at giveaway prices? And in the event you're not too sure which mood you're in, don’t hesitate to ask the bookseller for advice. You won’t be disappointed.

Fashionistas also usually get their back-tothe-old-school-fi x from Les Petits Riens' Retro Shop. From traditional vintage clothes to the more hip-and-happening type ones, the shop offers a top-down approach to stocking up on fashion - if you have the dress, they'll have the matching shoes. Ladies, we strongly recommend the jewelry and Sixties belts. And for those men wishing to stand out at their friend's next house party, one of the Retro Shop's unmistakable ties will do the trick. Garbage Catwalks

Clothes being integral to Les Petits Riens' concept, collecting, selecting and selling is not the only thing they do with them. Indeed, for the past 5 years, the association has organized what is known as the “Second Hand Second Life” Fashion Show. Drawing in a heavy-weight cast of national fashion designers - from Valérie Berckmans and Christophe Coppens to Chantal Thomass and Delvaux - Les Petits Riens ask these designers to re-model, re-style and rejuvenate their clothes into full-scale couture creations which are then auctioned off. On the design-side of things, Les Petits Riens also do their part with their "Expo Design". Here, they ask 30 designers to bring their magic touch to objects and furniture found

THE SECOND WORD — 61


Essential You Can't See the Forest for the Trees

03

Previous Page. 01. 02.

100% Les petits riens You name it, they've got it

This Page. 03.

in Les Petits Riens' warehouse. With bigname designers such as Louis Stirum, Johanne Riss and Dyrk Meylaerts taking part in the initiative, this auction also is a major money-spinner for the association.

Literary Delights

What you can do

As we're hoping you've noticed by now, Les Petits Riens need cash. And lots of it. So here's how you can help: spend your hard-earned salary there, propose your volunteering services or donate your backof-closet Dior evening dress. Either way, giving- and then giving some more - is definitely the name of the game. One last thing: don't substitute Les Petits Riens for Bruxelles Propreté! What more could you want. Unbelievable amounts of shopping, whilst at the same time doing your bit for the community around you. Now if that isn’t responsible shopping then what is?!

62 — THE SECOND WORD


You Can't See the Forest for the Trees Essential

The Employees

Guillaume, 62 Volunteer in the 'sorting out' department.

Adolf, 59 Volunteer in the Miscellaneous department on the 2nd fl oor. Had some free time to spare and the desire to help people.

David, 26 Resident.

Grégory, 23 & Creamy Caro, 23 Stylist, performer and artist. Regular customer for clothes and stage props.

Irm Naz, 20 Psychology student. Recently bought her computer at the brand new Petits Riens Tech shop.

François, 22 Employee. PR and communications. Applied to the Petits Riens for a traineeship and after two outstanding interviews was eventually engaged as a full member of staff.

The Clients

Delphine, 26 Graphic Designer. Regular customer for trendy accessories such as bags, shoes, scarves…

THE SECOND WORD — 63


Report

What Are You Hiding ? It’s not just fans of Antiques Roadshow that should start worrying about what they’ve got gathering dust in the attic.

© Richard Fremont - Getty Images

Writer Hettie Judah

01

64 — THE SECOND WORD


© Edwin Borms

What Are You Hiding? Report

02

We would never wish to imply that the electronics industry is run by altruistic angels, but just for today, we’re cutting them some slack. The fact is that we as consumers evidently dedicate a lot more time and energy griping about how manufacturers are messing up the environment than we do to behaving responsibly. Once a piece of equipment is in our hands, to an extent, we control what happens to it. It may be impossible to resist the urge to trade in a handset every time a keen new ‘phone comes on the market, but how many old mobile ‘phone handsets do we have stacked up out of sight at home? What happened to our last laptop computer once the creaking noises convinced us that we could justify buying a slim and pretty new one? “Electronics companies don’t want things sitting in people’s garages,” explains James Lovegrove of the American Electronics Association. “They want to get things back so they can be re-used. They want to see products through from cradle to grave.” Unfortunately very few companies get the chance to. Although European legislation obliges electronics manufacturers to dispose of their own products, only a small proportion of old and broken goods make it through the proper channels to be recycled. Partly because the information on what to do with it has been poorly communicated, partly because we’re a bit lazy. According to Jurgen Anthony, regional head of aftercare for Nokia, only 3% of the

03

phones they manufacture come back to them through municipal electronics dumps. They estimate that some 50% are gathering dust in people’s houses. “If you stop using your car, it’s a big piece of steel and you want to dispose of that,” explains Anthony. “But a phone is so small that you forget where you put it.” Since legislation came in a few years ago restricting the hazardous materials that can be used in electronic devices, mobile phones should no longer contain heavy metals so sure, incinerating them together with other household waste will no longer be quite the toxic disaster it once might have been. But phones contain valuable elements that can be profitably recycled. Nokia currently manufacturers some 1 million phones every day and uses an estimated 2% of the global supply of gold. “If you keep half of those phones locked away, imagine the raw materials we have to take from new natural sources,” says Anthony.

" Electronics companies don’t want things sitting in people’s garages " In Belgium, the government presents electronics companies with an incentive to deal with their old products. Under a scheme called Extended Producer Responsibility,

04

every month they must declare how many kilos of goods and batteries they are bringing in to the country, and make an adjusted payment to collective recycling agencies. The recycling agencies also present figures on how much waste has been correctly recycled. You may raise an eyebrow at electronics goods companies trying to present a green public image; the fact is that right now they legally don’t have a choice. “There are a few companies world wide that have taken environmentalism as an aspect of their products,” says Wouter Ulburghs of OVAM, the public waste agency of Flanders. “They have realised that it has an economic aspect, that it’s not just an extra weight or drawback, but an opportunity for making new and innovative products. We still feel most products can do much better than they are. A lot of companies won’t implement environmental criteria until they have to. Others understand it is good to be ahead of the competition.” Ulburgh’s current project is in developing and promoting the Ecolizer, a tool that helps product designers calculate the potential environmental impact of their designs. “Most of the time the environment doesn’t have such a sexy appeal to designers – we wanted to show that a mobile phone can look and function the same way but be more environmentally friendly. Currently the recycling process is not optimised to take back certain materials and plastics.

THE SECOND WORD — 65


© Edwin Borms

Report What Are You Hiding?

05

Previous Pages. 01. 02.-04.

Deconstructing phones Waste-in-Progress

With the Ecolizer, designers can deselect materials more easily.” How to dump it

This Page. 05.

Toxic disposals

The easiest and probably best way to get rid of old electronic equipment is to hand it over to the store from which you have bought its replacement. The retailer may not be aware of it, but they are legally obliged to accept and correctly dispose of old products when an equivalent item has been purchased from them. This ruling applies not only to small electronics but also large electrical goods such as freezers. All batteries other than car batteries are dealt with by Bebat, who manages their recycling for plastic, zinc, Manganese, mercury and ferrous metals. Green and yellow Bebat battery boxes are displayed at the entrance to most supermarkets and large stores. The company estimates that most households have a dozen or so used batteries hiding in drawers that could be recycled. www.bebat.be Although there are a number of different specialised agencies that deal with goods, the national collection programme for Electronic equipment in Belgium is called Recupel. Check out the website to fi nd your local municipal collection point. www.recupel.be

66 — THE SECOND WORD

In Brussels, the local waste disposal agency is Bruxelles Propreté. www.bruxelles-proprete.be (we are very taken by their moustachioed, yellow salopet wearing mascot) To fi nd out more about Ovam’s Ecolizer design tool visit www.ovam.be/jahia/Jahia/pid/1402 currently the Ecolizer is only available in Flemish, but an English version should be available later this year.



The Design Word

Green Like a Laser Beam — A process designed for printing off industrial prototypes offers a vision of a future where designer furniture travels the world in digital files, and goods are produced on demand.

© Materialise .MGX

Hettie Judah visits Materialise.MGX

01

68 — THE SECOND WORD


© Materialise .MGX

© Materialise .MGX

Green Like a Laser Beam The Design Word

02

Fifteen years ago, when friends working in product design fi rst told me about Rapid Prototyping, I had pictured the three dimensional printing process taking place with something like a precision toothpaste tube. After designing your wonderful new product on CAD (Computer Aided Designed) software, I imagined that you simply pressed send, and some kind of robot arm with a nozzle set to work in a plastic box, building up a rough white plasticized prototype within minutes.

" Both look future sexy enough to make Steven Spielberg readjust his pants " The reality of 3D printing is both wilder and more prosaic. Prosaic because of the time and cost; a piece the size of a small sofa (about the maximum dimensions currently possible) will take up to a week to print, the machines currently cost € 1 million, and materials € 150 a kilo, all of which would certainly make you think twice before pressing the 'send' button. Wilder because of the actual nature of the process, and potential for its future applications. Stereolithography and Selective Laser Sintering - two of the most prevalent 3D printing processes respectively involve a bath of photosensitive liquid resin which is fused into shape, layer

03

on tiny layer, by an ultra-violet laser, and a box of powdered polyamide into which shapes are progressively melted via infra red. Both look, frankly, future sexy enough to make Steven Spielberg readjust his pants. Until recently, these processes were used only for producing prototypes. In 2003 the Leuven based fi rm Materialise - then, as now, world leaders in the field - hired designer Naomi Kaempfer to experiment with using 3D printing to create actual products. There was enormous resistance from all sides. "The suppliers of the technology were of the opinion that it was not possible to use their own materials and technologies for an end user product," recalls Kaempfer. Since the properties of the materials were not fully known, Kaempfer chose lighting fi xtures as the fi rst production area; the illumination would show the materials to good advantage, but no one would expect them to withstand too many knocks and blows. She set up a fourth branch within Materialise called .MGX, named after the fi le extension for the Materialise Magics software in which all the designs were created. Designing for 3D printing is unlike anything designers at that point had trained for or thought of. "The fi rst requirement of the designers is in fact to cope with unlimited freedom," explains Kaempfer. "It requires quite a creative mind to be able to cope with a blank sheet; we don't have the limitation of a mould, we don't have the limitation of structure we can create anything that can be drawn on the 3D software." From the start .MGX has

collaborated with unusual minds: not simply designers, but theorists, architects, artists, mathematicians and scientists. The company has produced four design collections in as many years, pieces from which already sit in museums around the world - Paolla Antonelli, senior design curator of MoMA in New York, is a noted fan. The pieces available in the shops are only the visible tip of what .MGX is up to; thanks to its broad approach, the division has gone beyond playing with unusual production methods to ponder what they might be able to do with the technology in the future. 3D Printing is, as Kaempfer puts it 'in its dinosaur age', in terms of material, the mechanics of production and also our understanding of what can be done with it. This stuff doesn't just look futuristic; from the way Kaempfer is talking, it is the future. Designs produced by .MGX exist as digital fi les, rather than physical entities. Currently, all their products are manufactured in Leuven, then shipped around the world. As the cost of the technology becomes more accessible, however, the template changes. "Look at the evolution of 2D printing;" says Kaempfer. "Originally, if you wanted to make A3 coloured prints, you would go to an industrial printer and a copy would be made available to you for a considerable price. Later on, copy shops opened up on street corners. You could bring your digital fi le with you and choose the quality of the printing, the quality of the paper and so on. An A3 colour print would be somewhere

THE SECOND WORD — 69


05 © Materialise .MGX

between € 10 and € 30. Today the evolution has gone a step further; the availability of 2D printers has become such that almost everyone can afford to have one at home or in the office, and the prices are dropping to 10 cents a page. If the evolution follows that of 2D printers, then we can imagine small .MGX shops scattered around the world where you could download the fi le you wanted to print. Economically this makes quite a dramatic difference. Currently, transporting goods increases the cost of our products by 7.5% but that's for goods with a price of € 300 or € 400 - if they become less expensive, transportation could come to represent 50% of their price. There is always a dramatic cost involved in the distribution of products throughout the world, not only economically but also ecologically. We have to address the wellbeing of our society as well." Because 3D Printing responds to a digital fi le, the time and cost involved is the same whether the machine produces 100 identical objects or 100 very different. Kaempfer sees a future in which .MGX products become a collaboration between the designer and the purchaser, the digital fi les open to near infi nite variables to be controlled by anyone able to operate the computer software.

© Materialise .MGX

The Design Word Green Like a Laser Beam

" From an environmental perspective this is interesting in all kinds of ways "

Previous Pages. 01+ 02.

From an environmental perspective this is interesting in all kinds of ways, quite probably in many that we don't yet understand. The manufacturing process itself is precise; pieces are built up, rather than etched out of a material; so there is little waste. If pieces are made locally rather than shipped, that too, has an environmental impact (although arguably the most noxious emissions from transporting any product is produced by the car journey it takes solo from the shop to the home.) Pieces are made on demand, to demand; there is no need for intensive manufacturing, no need for shops to carry stock, no need for more to be produced than is sold. As the understanding of materials deepens, products available could widen to include clothes and shoes, manufactured using data from a scan of the purchaser's body. Kaempfer also sees the evolution of the process taking in a far wider variety of materials (including metals) and perhaps printing

70 — THE SECOND WORD

03.

Towering print jobs Designer Naomi Kaempfer

This Page. 04+05.

Designer Patrick Jouin's One Shot Stool

04

techniques in which objects are built up radially, from the centre out, rather than from the base up. "With something like a mobile phone, for example, it is possible that that piece would be printed in one go, with the electrical circuit and electrical board and the battery and the different elements and soft buttons and transparent screen, all in one print without any assembly." .MGX are currently still so early on in the process that even a practical folding stool (Patrick Jouin's much praised 'One_Shot. MGX') is too valuable to be sat on, let alone taken along on a fishing trip. We have be-

come, however, very fast in our adoption of, and adaptation to new technologies, and demand tends to push evolution. The greater the buzz generated by .MGX and their designers about the future of 3D printing, the closer we get to a time when we might go down to the local copy shop to print off a chair.

www.materialise-mgx.com



Round Table

Don’t Bite it, Fight it — Environmental food scares slip in and out of fashion. In the last decade, public attention has been grabbed by GMOs, fungicide sprays, food miles, hormones, fake farmers markets, poultry welfare and a dozen contradictory claims about the impact of organic agriculture. Rather than react to the latest scare stories, or re-hash some of the old ones, we decided to leave the talking to people who deal with these issues every day. We brought a food writer, an organic chef and an agricultural spokesman together over tea and carrot cake for a civilised argument about the future of food. Here’s what keeps them awake at night. Discussion moderated by Hettie Judah

James – I’d start off on a positive note, I think this is a really exciting time for food – I think there’s a lot more interest from consumers on where food comes from, on how it’s produced, what they want to eat, what they don’t want to eat. I think we’re seeing an exciting food revolution in different areas and different products.

tries like Poland, the Balkans and all the Eastern Bloc countries, the market is open. We see a lot of Polish game on the market, for example, but we do not know how high their standards are for hygiene and the treatment of animals. I think we will see a few more food scandals coming up in the next few years in Europe.

Filip – I think that we are facing huge prob-

lems. I’m not as optimistic as James. To put it simply, everything is getting more and more expensive, but the quality is going down enormously.

" Everything is getting more and more expensive, but the quality is going down " Filip

Linda – To me the whole trend with people

being more conscious of what they eat and the rise of organic products in restaurants and supermarkets, is partly due to the fact that there is such an incredible lowering of standards in the other food that we eat. Hettie – I think with organic food, we’ve

forgotten that the labelling itself is less important than the ethos that went along with the early organic movement; a focus on better animal husbandry and more care in general. Filip – Organic now as you fi nd it in the

I talked to a guy who supplies cattle feed last week and he told me that farmers are using hormones again, because the cattle feed has become too expensive in relation to the price they get for the meat, so they are doing everything as quickly as possible. With Europe becoming bigger with coun-

72 — THE SECOND WORD

bal markets. Whether it be Brasilian beef or Thai chicken, we now have to examine all kinds of issues to do with production techniques and food hygiene issues in countries all over the world. And then there’s the question of food miles. Filip – A few years ago The King Baudoin

Foundation asked me to be in a workgroup on the future of meat production. We discussed three alternatives, one of which was to go back to earlier days, to have a community of people living together, in a village or a town, with farmers living around these communities that supply only these communities and they won’t supply the world market. To be honest I believe in that alternative, but it’s not easy because, for example, you can’t have apples in summer then. Hettie – This model of having small towns

surrounded by agricultural land that supplied only them – that’s just not possible at the moment with the population density that we have in a country like Belgium.

shops is just marketing. Filip – Why not? James – Coming back to some of the points

Filip was making about the price of food, I think the whole agricultural market in Europe has changed in the last five, six, seven years and we’re much more open now to glo-

Hettie – Because you can’t farm in the prop-

er organic way on that scale. Filip – Why not?


Don’t Bite it, Fight it Round Table

THE SECOND WORD — 73


Round Table Don’t Bite it, Fight it

Hettie – We’d all have to return to the land. Filip – no no no. James – The problem there would be the volume of produce by comparison to the number of people. I’m sure there are examples of where it does work, and Filip could probably name some, but they’re probably on a small scale.

" We have to look at the reality of how the food market works " James

You’ve got to look at a solution that accommodates cities, because that’s the direction the future is going, and I don’t think it is going to stop. We have to look at the reality of how the food market works and develop a model that will achieve similar aims but also gives people affordable food. Obviously affordability is a significant issue for people. Food infl ation is a serious issue for the whole of Europe because countries like India or China are absorbing a lot more food on the world market, therefore that’s pushing the price of all food up. And the cost of production is going up. Filip – At the same time when you go to

the bakery and buy some Vienoisserie, it’s nearly one euro for something that isn’t even handmade, it’s bake-off. So prices go up, quality goes down. Linda – But isn’t that inevitable? When cit-

ies are becoming bigger and more people are moving in, we become less conscious of food and environmental factors.

half and then the rest you leave in the fridge for a week or two and then you throw it out.

for free and you have to prove that you have less waste.

Linda – I have also changed my way of

James – If you take this on to a bigger scale,

thinking. Just looking at an onion – I used to use half and then what did it matter if I threw the other half away? It’s only an onion it only cost me a few cents, but over the past few years I have really started thinking about the effort that someone put into growing it. How can I be so irresponsible to throw something edible away like that?

and look at companies like McDonalds, all the oil that they use for cooking chips, they now convert into fuel to put in their distribution trucks. Some of the bigger companies are thinking about things like this, being more responsible with all their waste. We need to fi nd models and opportunities for smaller businesses to participate in similar projects because a lot of these things cost so much to develop.

Hettie – Talking about the price of food go-

ing up I want to bring up the subject of waste and the amount of food that gets thrown away even in domestic dustbin. I’m not even talking about restaurants, catering, fast food, any of this: a huge amount of food gets chucked away, a lot of things that could be eaten don’t get eaten.

James – Still, if you look at how much food

makes up of someone’s weekly spend; nowadays it equates to 15%. It is considerably lower that it was twenty or thirty years ago. I don’t think you are going to change people’s attitudes. Filip – On the subject of domestic waste,

Filip – When I started my own vegetable

garden again it was a shock to me, how much time it takes for a cabbage to grow. If you go to a supermarket to buy a cabbage, you use

74 — THE SECOND WORD

there are some villages and communities that start projects with chickens. You are given a chicken paid for by the government and it eats your waste. You get the chicken

Hettie – Earlier Linda mentioned people in

Ixelles shutting down their organic bakers shop; I think that in general it is really hard to compete if you are a small business going up against companies that have the advantage of huge economies of scale. Filip – You can’t. If you want to be a real or-

ganic producer you have to do it on a small scale. That immediately means that your


Don’t Bite it, Fight it Round Table

Chef Linda Rosas runs Soul, a modern organic restaurant in which the menu is structured not only for nutritional balance but also physical and mental equilibrium. Writer and cook Filip Verheyden is the author of 8 books on food, including the best selling trilogy The Basics, The Ingredients & The Dish. James Ede is spokesman for the UK National Farmers Union.

clients are not the same as the clients of the supermarkets.

" I still encounter people who don’t even know what organic means "

cook and the way she used to grow her vegetables.” I wanted to say “don’t you understand? That’s what organic is.” So many people tell me how impressed they are that I can cook organic rice – they think that because it is organic it suddenly makes it ten times more difficult to cook and prepare. James – One illustration of how people

Linda

James – But people’s purchasing habits are changing anyway; the organic market has increased, and the interest in local food has increased. Linda – I still encounter people who don’t

even know what organic means. I’ve had people on the ‘phone who were looking for the restaurant that used to be here on the same site, and I’d explain what we were doing. I remember one woman saying ‘I don’t believe in this whole organic movement; I believe in the way my grandmother used to

have changed their buying habits is free range eggs – go back ten years and the market was small. Now free range dominates the whole egg market. So people do change their consumer habits. And with chickens for meat as well. As consumers start asking more and more questions, the people providing the food start giving information. I tell people that they as a consumer have the strongest voice. If you don’t like something you go somewhere else.

my sister and I are going to leave and live in the countryside in France where we can grow our own vegetables. It seems the best way. At the end of the day I don’t know how sustainable cities are. Filip – You know Jamie Oliver wrote this

gardening book and it may be a bit fake, but there is this notion about cooking rude simple food that is your own, with your own vegetables, and it really does give a deep feeling of satisfaction. James – But there’s a lovely statistic that

they released in the UK the other week suggesting that people are a lot more interested in cooking food at home because they’re buying more cook books. But at the same time the number of ready meals and pre-prepared food sold in supermarkets is going up.

Linda - After three years of wanting to pro-

mote organic food to people in the city and educate people about how what they eat can change the way they think and how they feel;

With thanks to Linda at Soul for the carrot cake and tea. www.soulresto.com

THE SECOND WORD — 75


Advertorial The Word & World Class

— The season of press launches and fashion shows over, attention now turns to the summer months and afternoons spent at the park – or beach, depending on how lucky you are – showing off that extra bit of skin. You’ll first need to get into shape though and we’ve found just what you need: World Class gyms.

76 — THE SECOND WORD

Conveniently located in the heart of Brussels’ EU quarters, World Class gyms are hard-work, leisure and networking all-inone. Noted for its extensive range of “getinto-shape” classes, pampering services and a relaxing club atmosphere, the health club is a sure shot for those wishing to muscle-up and fi ne-tune in time for the summer’s fi rst rays of sunshine. But, we wondered, what of the more busy of us whose intensive and hectic weeks call for flexible class times and accommodating membership plans? Not to worry, the club is just what you need. With its three month memberships and monthly payment possibilities, those of us not too sure which city we’ll be staying in next month can rely on World Class as its toning partner without the nuisance of late payment reminders and “can’t-get-out” clauses. Furthermore, for the more demanding and committed of you healthsters out there, the club offers a 12-week work-out program, complete with personal trainer and guaranteed results. So be it its commitment to bringing you the best in fitness excellence or its ability to combine a serious yet relaxing club atmosphere, World Class most defi nitely has our health vote. It doesn’t really get any simpler than this: you have three months to tone-up, and World Class has a three-month workout program. Do the maths.


First name * Last name * Gender

male

female

Date of birth *

Street and Number *

To guarantee you receive The Word's every issue delivered to your letter box, simply ďŹ ll-in, detach and send this form to Rue General Henry Straat 107, 1040 Brussels

Post code *

Or subscribe to our mailing list at www.theword magazine.be/ readers/subscribe

Profession

City * Country *

Belgium

E-mail * Mobile phone Nationality

Belgium

Company

Where did you hear about The Word?

Your personal information is retained by ourselves to send you your free copy of The Word's every issue. It is not retained for any other commercial purposes and will not be passed-on to third parties without your prior consent. Contact us if you wish to change or remove part or all of your personal data.


Cross Border

London’s Green Scene London sits up there with Paris, Milan and New York as a world leader in style. It operates at the forefront of world politics hand-in-hand with Washington. And it’s now firmly on the map as a settling ground for celebrities with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Kevin Spacey making it their home. But where does it stand in terms of eco-awareness and environmentally-friendly living? Is London really a hub of all things green? From London, Coco Hutchinson

Fashion

As a fashion-forward, trend-setting city, London’s high streets abound with every clothing and accessories shop under the sun. And now, amid the throngs of London’s shops and shoppers, lies a slowly expanding group of eco-friendly enterprises inspiring many a Londoner to embrace the new green era when it comes to fi lling their wardrobes. Hermès Birkins, Prada shoes and Gucci sunglasses will no doubt always be seen on many a London lady, but green is slowly becoming the new black and savvy Londoners appear to be embracing a new eco-chic. On the lips of every well-informed London fashionista at the moment is Hetty Rose, who makes exquisitely quirky hand-crafted shoes using old kimono fabrics, reclaimed wooden heels and vegetable-tanned leather soles. And new shoe brand Terra Plana has hit the shoe scene aiming to become the most ecologically friendly shoe brand in the world. Using artisan stitching instead of glue and vegetable dyes to colour their leather, Terra Plana’s goal is to become a sustainable company in all ways by 2010 without compromising on style. Their recent collaboration with Anti-Apathy, an organisation offering innovative approaches to help people engage in social and environmental issues, sees the launch of the Worn Again trainer – the name speaks for itself. From her studio in London Bridge, Holly Berry designs and creates ethical garments using reclaimed fabrics to create unique one-

78 — THE SECOND WORD

off garments that don’t compromise on aesthetics and creativity. And Sophie Gorton is doing something similar from her home in North London, developing modern innovative textiles and clothing made from sustainable, recycled materials. Down in South London’s Brixton, the youth groups behind 2005’s MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign have united again to get new venture PantSTOPoverty off the ground. Making justice sexy, they’re creating a range of Fairtrade, organic underwear and with no UK salaries to pay, all profits are reinvested into cultivating the highest quality farming and manufacturing conditions in India and linking customers direct to the producers so they get the best deal. Food

Farmer’s markets are springing up throughout the UK capital. From the weekend market in Chelsea’s Duke of York Square to the up-and-coming Stoke Newington and trendy Notting Hill markets, Londoners have a range of places to buy fresh organic produce from. If the organic sections of our local supermarkets don’t offer what we’re after, these markets, coupled with local delis and fresh butchers for example, mean we’re only ever a short tube ride away from the freshest, tastiest, healthiest food we could wish for. Box schemes are also becoming increasingly popular in London, delivering fresh, wholesome produce direct to our doors. This can be

pricey but a small increase in cost surely makes up for the convenience. Londoners work the longest hours in Europe and often a trip to the supermarket is the last thing we want at the end of the day or even at the weekend. Having food delivered allows us to make the most of our spare time- meandering round the local farmers’ market at the weekend for example! Design, Interiors, Architecture

The interiors world too has seen a surge in eco-awareness. Just off London’s infamous King’s Road lies O Ecotextiles co-founded by Patty Grossman and her sister Leigh Anne Van Dusen. Both American, these two sisters decided to open their fi rst branch in London because it’s ‘…way ahead of America with environmental issues’. Soft linens and organic hemp fabrics using 100% organic cotton are being snapped up by nest feathering wives and mothers the capital over. Leigh and Patty’s fabrics are sourced from eco-mills such as a linen mill in Italy and a bamboo processing mill in Japan. O Ecotextiles’ fabrics are dyed using low-impact reactive dyes and aloe-vera and beeswax as fabric softeners. ‘Indulgent Yet Responsible’, as their tagline reads, their fabrics remain sumptuous and luxurious, green as well as stylish. London’s 100% Design furniture fair last year saw Tom Dixon unveil The Finnforest Merk Theatre, an eco friendly installation highlighting the growing eco-architecture movement here in the capital. (Dixon also


© Oeco textiles INC.

London's Green Scene Cross Border

01

03

02

04

gave away 1,000 energy-saving lightbulbs at the fair). British film star Colin Firth’s wife Livia Giuggioli, recently opened Eco in Chiswick stocking a range of eco-friendly homewares, as does TheWow-Wow Eco Design Shop. Ryan Frank makes homewares from discarded furniture and objects salvaged from the street and Graham & Brown has just released a range of environmentally sound wallpaper. More designers are using a steam bending process to make wooden furniture, using far less energy than the usual methods of mass production. Transport

London’s streets are seeing more people on two wheels instead of four. The increase in cycle use has even prompted Chanel to design a Chanel branded bicycle. Londoners are also investing in hybrid cars, perhaps more for convenience than anything and to avoid Mayor Ken Livingstone’s increasing congestion charge! Livingstone has just instigated a £25 charge per day for high fuel consumption vehicles entering the congestion zone. Perhaps he could propose the removal of VAT from energy efficient light bulbs to encourage their use too? Londoners are well aware of the issues facing their world and small changes are afoot. From political activity to new shops opening up and an increased proactive attitude to make minor adjustments in day to day life in order to reduce our impact on the environment, we’re watching our ecological foot-

prints (how much land, food, oil and other resources are used in our daily activities and the waste and pollution we account for). But living a 100% eco-friendly life isn’t easy. It requires sometimes awkward changes and we may have to make less than convenient choices, but on the whole it’s worth it. The responsible Londoner’s idea of luxury is changing- it’s not necessarily having a wardrobe bursting with expensive clothes that’s seen as luxurious. It’s being able to turn off our mobile phones for the evening or spend an afternoon in the outdoors cycling, gardening or buying fresh produce. As little as five years ago, all things eco were seen as unglamorous and still had the hippy label hanging from them. Now though, to be green and aware is a plus in anyone’s book.

05

01. 02. 03. 04. 05.

Graham & Browns Rainforest Wallpaper Hettie Rose's Hand Made to order Vintage Kimono shoes Oeco Textile's 100% Organic fabric Worn-again Trainers London colourful Borough Market

The latest addition to The Word’s team, Coco lives in London where she works for a publishing house.

THE SECOND WORD — 79


The Word on The Street

— In this age of low-cost, it begs demanding if we fly to actually go somewhere or merely go somewhere to fly ? Have “things” come to dictate the way we live to that extent ? Here, drawer and video-artist Dimitri Carez, explores this very question in his own, less-is-more kind of way. We’ve literally fallen for it…

80 — THE SECOND WORD


Dimitri Carez The Word on The Street

THE SECOND WORD — 81


The Word on The Street Dimitri Carez

82 — THE SECOND WORD


Dimitri Carez The Word on The Street

THE SECOND WORD — 83


The Word on The Street Dimitri Carez

84 — THE SECOND WORD


Dimitri Carez The Word on The Street

THE SECOND WORD — 85


The Directory

Visit us at

WWW. THEWORD MAGAZINE.BE Today The Word says:

2TARBQHAD MNV

For Daily Wordplays Weekly Event Selections Behind-the-Scenes Peaks

You can also Subscribe to our Mailing List

Coming Soon Newsletter Mini-Broadcasts Shopping Podcasts


The Word & Marriott Hotels Advertorial

— Why we enjoy Meetings so much… Three months since The Word’s soft launch and we can safely say we have been to our fair share of hotels, restaurants and bars. You see, constant investor, advertiser and contributor meetings mean we often need to select venues with dual, if not sometimes triple, purposes: dining, meeting and sleeping. And this is why Marriott Hotels have earned our seal of approval… With three properties in Brussels, this 5-star suite of hotels knows how to take care of its own. Indeed, its immaculately-styled hotel rooms, perfectly-serviced business lounges and impeccable all-round service appeals to the most demanding of customers: discerning business travellers, moneyed tourists and local big-hitters. Marriott’s fl agship hotel in particular, located at the tip of the city’s Rue A. Dansaert, has our vote. Nestled in the heart of the city, The Word’s team has been known to schedule a ‘meeting’ or two at what is our favourite city ‘statement’ hotel. We say ‘meeting’ because the bar has some outrageously tasty cocktails which somehow give us the impression meetings there go better than expected – or do they? And although we are not fans of hotel restaurants as they often turn out to be nothing more than diners with old furniture, Brussels Marriott’s Midtown Grill is an entirely different story. Its scrumptious American-style

food and lounge-like atmosphere make it the place to go for that much-need early evening cocktail and the city’s best grilled meat; a must-try is its 700gr Rib eye steak (700gr!). For those needing something closer to the city’s European or Business hubs, Marriott’s two other addresses, one in the heart of Brussels’ European district and the other 5 minutes from its business parks and international airport, hit all the right spots. Its Renaissance hotel, just off vibrant Place du Luxembourg and right opposite the E.U’s Parliament, is a regular for E.U power lunches and high-staked negotiations. The hotel restaurant, whips up an exciting blend of inventive French and Belgian culinary delights, has even earned quite a reputation for itself, with locals now using it as their regular ‘eating-out’ and meeting point. And for those last-minute meetings with our editor or photographer on our way to the airport, nothing beats the practicality and subtle settings of Marriott’s Courtyard hotel. Add to that their delicious range of Martini cocktails, complete with hints of mint and banana, and we somehow sometimes manage to miss that one last fl ight… for good reason we say.

THE SECOND WORD — 87


Eye-Opener

Modern-day, urban pollution never looked so calm and beautiful if you ask us… Photography Olivier Cornil

88 — THE SECOND WORD


Damaged Goods Eye-Opener

THE SECOND WORD — 89


Eye-Opener Damaged Goods

90 — THE SECOND WORD


Damaged Goods Eye-Opener

THE SECOND WORD — 91


Eye-Opener Damaged Goods

From the on-going series "Die Welt war schön" www.oliviercornil.be

92 — THE SECOND WORD


Damaged Goods Eye-Opener

THE SECOND WORD — 93


Advertiser’s Round up

page 2 - 3

page 4

Lee

Zanotta

www.makehistory.eu

www.zanotta.it

page 7

page 9

page 15

page 23

San Pellegrino

ING

Vlaams Radio Orkest

Aspria

www.sanpellegrino.com

www.ing.be

www.vro-vrk.be

www.aspria.be

page 26

page 27

page 33

Brussels Business Flat

EHSAL

Avakian

www.bbf.com

www.ehsal.be

www.avakian.com

tment in Brussels?

er in furnished apartments

94 — THE SECOND WORD


Advertiser’s Round up

page 51

page 59

page 67

Frey Wille

Volvo

Tamarind Foods

www.frey-wille.com

www.volvocars.com/be

www.tamarindfoods.be

page 71

page 76

page 87

Advertorial The Word & World Class

The Word & Marriott Hotels Advertorial

Located in the heart of the city’s European quarters, this is a health clubs which perfectly combines intensive work-out programs with a relaxing club atmosphere.

— The season of press launches and fashion shows over, attention now turns to the summer months and afternoons spent at the park – or beach, depending on how lucky you are – showing off that extra bit of skin. You’ll first need to get into shape though and we’ve found just what you need: World Class gyms.

Conveniently located in the heart of Brussels’ EU quarters, World Class gyms are hard-work, leisure and networking all-inone. Noted for its extensive range of “getinto-shape” classes, pampering services and a relaxing club atmosphere, the health club is a sure shot for those wishing to muscle-up and fi ne-tune in time for the summer’s fi rst rays of sunshine. But, we wondered, what of the more busy of us whose intensive and hectic weeks call for flexible class times and accommodating membership plans? Not to worry, the club is just what you need. With its three month memberships and monthly payment possibilities, those of us not too sure which city we’ll be staying in next month can rely on World Class as its toning partner without the nuisance of late payment reminders and “can’t-get-out” clauses. Furthermore, for the more demanding and committed of you healthsters out there, the club offers a 12-week work-out program, complete with personal trainer and guaranteed results. So be it its commitment to bringing you the best in fitness excellence or its ability to combine a serious yet relaxing club atmosphere, World Class most defi nitely has our health vote. It doesn’t really get any simpler than this: you have three months to tone-up, and World Class has a three-month workout program. Do the maths.

— Why we enjoy Meetings so much… Three months since The Word’s soft launch and we can safely say we have been to our fair share of hotels, restaurants and bars. You see, constant investor, advertiser and contributor meetings mean we often need to select venues with dual, if not sometimes triple, purposes: dining, meeting and sleeping. And this is why Marriott Hotels have earned our seal of approval… With three properties in Brussels, this 5-star suite of hotels knows how to take care of its own. Indeed, its immaculately-styled hotel rooms, perfectly-serviced business lounges and impeccable all-round service appeals to the most demanding of customers: discerning business travellers, moneyed tourists and local big-hitters. Marriott’s fl agship hotel in particular, located at the tip of the city’s Rue A. Dansaert, has our vote. Nestled in the heart of the city, The Word’s team has been known to schedule a ‘meeting’ or two at what is our favourite city ‘statement’ hotel. We say ‘meeting’ because the bar has some outrageously tasty cocktails which somehow give us the impression meetings there go better than expected – or do they? And although we are not fans of hotel restaurants as they often turn out to be nothing more than diners with old furniture, Brussels Marriott’s Midtown Grill is an entirely different story. Its scrumptious American-style

food and lounge-like atmosphere make it the place to go for that much-need early evening cocktail and the city’s best grilled meat; a must-try is its 700gr Rib eye steak (700gr!). For those needing something closer to the city’s European or Business hubs, Marriott’s two other addresses, one in the heart of Brussels’ European district and the other 5 minutes from its business parks and international airport, hit all the right spots. Its Renaissance hotel, just off vibrant Place du Luxembourg and right opposite the E.U’s Parliament, is a regular for E.U power lunches and high-staked negotiations. The hotel restaurant, whips up an exciting blend of inventive French and Belgian culinary delights, has even earned quite a reputation for itself, with locals now using it as their regular ‘eating-out’ and meeting point. And for those last-minute meetings with our editor or photographer on our way to the airport, nothing beats the practicality and subtle settings of Marriott’s Courtyard hotel. Add to that their delicious range of Martini cocktails, complete with hints of mint and banana, and we somehow sometimes manage to miss that one last fl ight… for good reason we say.

76 — THE SECOND WORD

THE SECOND WORD — 87

Conrad

World Class

Marriott

www.conradhotels.com

www.worldclassfitness.net

www.marriott.com

page 103

page 104

Peugeot

Samsonite

www.peugeot.be

www.samsoniteblacklabel.com

THE SECOND WORD — 95


The Last Word

Plastic or Paper? Plastic and Paper! Recyclable, renewable and responsible designs are all fine, but does style follow purpose in the green pastures of the design world? We turn to our in-house design expert who wonders how her passion for beautiful furniture fits with her interest in sustainable development and waste reduction. Here, she sips green tea with renowned Belgian designer Charles Kaisin, who tells her about his early days, his commitment to green causes and his passion for creation. Writer Séverine Vaissaud.

96 — THE SECOND WORD

Charles Kaisin is adorable. He’s also incredibly intelligent and cultivated, speaks fluent Japanese, and, to top it all off, is an internationally acclaimed designer. You probably have already come across his K bench, Pingolingo bags or Royal Boch tableware without even knowing that he was behind these creations. Re-using or recycling, that is the question

Charles Kaisin’s designs revolve around two poles: re-use & recycle. Indeed, the designer uses everyday raw materials in such a visual way that one is instantly reminded about the environmental challenges facing our society. The designer doesn’t discriminate in his choice of materials and fabrics: plastic, newspapers, old bottles, washing machine windows, are all put to good use! Asked where and how these ideas originate from, the answer is instant: the countryside childhood where recycling had always been a habit. “I always had a passion to give a second life to everyday objects, to invent a new dignity for them”; he’s never appreciated the conspicuous-consumption synonymous with our modern lifestyles and never liked to throw his possessions away. Lack of money as a path to creation

One other reason was fi nancial. As a broke London Royal College of Arts student and being assigned to create objects in Ron Arad’s workshop, recycling or re-using objects was less of a choice than a necessity. This is how the light-hearted and solid Pingolingo bag came to existence: wandering the city on a windy day Charles Kaisin saw the usual mounts of plastic bags flying and hanging on trees. This is where the idea of transforming these unattractive supermarket bags into hip and brand new handbags through a process of thermal compression moulding originated. The result was beyond expectations: while actually developing a new material with its own personality and revealing its original fabric, Pingolingos offered a new life and dignity to these long-forgotten plastic bags. So much so that Charles Kaisin received the Design Award of the British Standard Institution for his creation. Each Pingolingo is unique and as far as yours truly is concerned, it offers a great way to stand out at the office... Another of his creations originating from his time in London is the K Bench. Here, Charles decided to work on the concept of extension, movement and reversibility. He thought of inventing a bench made out of paper that would at the same time be as solid as

wood, multi-functional and could fold itself up to be kept in a corner of a room. Three trial months later, Charles found the ideal resistance of the honeycomb structure that would form the basis of his bench. A smart combination of Japanese origami and midsixteenth-century ruff, the piece of furniture amazed his master Mr Arad. The bench was then manufactured using polypropylene to support mass production at minimal cost.

" I always had a passion to give a second life to everyday objects, to invent a new dignity for them " Environment friendly and fair production? This all sounded too good to be true: a designer who recycles old unusable stuff to produce brand new contemporary furniture and objects. But what of the production process? Is a pingolingo or a K bench produced with the utmost consideration for the environment? As a matter of fact, it is. Indeed, Charles Kaisin believes “the designer holds responsibility for his creations’ life cycle”. To this effect, he established a partnership with Brussels’ Saint Gilles prison, resulting in the Pingolingos bags being entirely assembled by prisoners for a fair wage. And the paper version of the K bench is also fi rst treated at the prison before returning to Kaisin’s workshop for the fi nal touch. Green issues however, aren’t an obsession for the artist. Although he’s keen to emphasise modern society’s wasting nature through his work, tries to live a healthy and organic life and is concerned about his carbon footprint, what really matters to him is “to care, to show concern for the community”, explaining his partnerships with prisoners. The hidden side

Helping the community through his work is probably the most touching and secret side of Charles Kaisin. In 2004 he took part in the Petits Riens’ Fashion Show for which he developed beautiful plastic trench coats and hats similar to his Pingolingos (a hit in Japan incidentally). And two years later, once again for the Petits Riens’ Design and Auction Expo, the artist remodelled a second-hand kitchen table and its two chairs with long pieces of colourful newspapers, giving them aspect of luxurious marquetry. Pure genius.


Plastic or Paper? Plastic and Paper! The Last Word

Life Changing Moments… 1. The first time I went to Africa to set up an association helping a Rwandan orphanage. 2. Deciding to go to Brussels to study architecture at the age of 17. 3. The 3 years spent at London’s RCA and St Martin’s. 4. Scholarship at the Tokyo University of Arts. 5. Meeting and working with his masters (Jean Nouvel, Ron Arad) 6. Meeting his alter ego.

01

This Page. 01. 02.

Designer Charles Kaisin Kaisin's K-Bench

Next Page. The Pingolingo Bag

© Thomas Dudrap

03.

02

THE SECOND WORD — 97


The Last Word Plastic or Paper? Plastic and Paper!

© Guy Philippart

Carrying on

Now that Charles Kaisin is a well-known and successful designer in his own right, how does he renew his inspiration and ensure he remains ahead of the pack? Isn’t he afraid of creative repetitions? A brief moment spent in his company, listening to his interesting perspectives on design, life, societies, culture and more, convince you that this man is not about to suffer from designers’ block. Indeed, he is the source of one idea after the other, drawing on everything from his eclectic tastes in Baroque music to his love of contemporary art as inspiration. From his frequent trips to Rwanda – where’s he’s undertaken a project to help an orphanage – to his travels to Japan and beyond, travelling also is a great source of inspiration for Kaisin. Indeed, the man is so hyperactive that he has, without a doubt, already collected two lifetimes of ideas and inspirations. As a man of many talents, designing is not the only string to his bow. Kaisin has been a consultant for Belgian fashion company Chine, teaches Contemporary Arts at Brusssels’ Decorative Art Centre and as well as Design at Saint Luc’s Architecture school amongst many others. And, in January 2008, after designing a splendid set ‘intimate white’ reversible tableware, famous silverware Belgian company Royal Boch named him Artistic

03

Director with a brief to rejuvenate their fledgling brand image. As far as the present is concerned, between a hush-hush furniture project and his consultancy for Paris Louvres’ Museum, Kaisin is preparing to relocate to a brand new address in the city centre that will accommodate both his home and workshop. Once he has moved in, we promise to check back in with him… www.charleskaisin.com

Shh... The Word’s next issue, is a secret Out May 16th

(City catacombs, the nation’s first class, high-browed beauty boudoirs, Kubric-style fashion, designers’ designers and billionaire Belgium)

98 — THE SECOND WORD


NEW PEUGEOT 308 EFFICIENT BY NATURE

www.peugeot.be The Peugeot 308, new compact hatchback, has been awarded the 2007 Goldene Lenkrad* (Golden Steering Wheel) on 7 November in Berlin. This prestigious honour has been awarded by Germany’s national weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag. Talking about efficiency... PEUGEOT. ENGINEERED TO BE ENJOYED.

Fuel consumption from 4,5 to 7,9 l/100 km - CO2 emissions from 120 to 188 g/km. *in the compact car category.

THE SECOND WORD — 99


100 — THE SECOND WORD


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.