Delvaux opens its first store in The Peninsula Hong Kong recently. From the Kingdom of Belgium, Delvaux is “a divinely singular label.” Such is the high praise one grande dame of fashion bestowed on the prestigious family-owned company established in 1829 by Charles Delvaux in Brussels. Internationally recognised, the House of Delvaux has earned its reputation by remaining true to its values and for its savoir faire and uncompromising craftsmanship, as well as for the supreme quality of its creations.
In 1835, the first passenger railway line opened in continental Europe, joining the Belgian cities of Brussels and Mechelen. By 1875, Belgium possessed the largest rail system in the world. Both visionary and practical, Charles Delvaux, a trunk maker in Brussels, foresaw the implications of this revolution. As early as 1880, his firm swiftly began to adapt to the new need for women to have a carrying bag to keep certain items close at hand while they traveled, which led the company, in 1908, to file some of the earliest patents for handbags.
In 1933, Franz Schwennicke took over the company, transforming Delvaux into a highly exclusive label by responding to the increasing demand for ultra-luxurious handbags. He was also the first luxury leather goods manufacturer to introduce the concept of seasonal collections, taking up the custom practised in haute couture. Under his direction, and later that of his wife, Solange, the House of Delvaux, drawing on its ateliers in Belgium and France, produced numerous masterpieces that have made a mark worldwide in the history of fine leather goods, notably “Le Brillant,”a bag created especially for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels.
Delvaux had its beginnings at the same time as Belgium, in fact slightly earlier, as it was founded a year before the birth of the Belgian nation. In 1830, the Belgians declared their independence from the Netherlands. Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, an uncle of the future Queen Victoria of England, became the first king of the Belgians. Belgium then enjoyed an era of significant growth, becoming the world’s fourth-largest economic power by 1901. The House of Delvaux naturally thrived during this golden age and has continued to uphold its high standards, never failing to live up to and honour the grandeur, traditions, and symbols of Belgium. On September 12, 2013, in recognition of its proud Belgian heritage, Delvaux was given the privilege and honour of designing a costume for the Manneken-Pis fountain sculpture.
This legendary bronze statue, designed by Hieronymus Duquesnoy the Elder in 1619, is a cherished emblem of the city of Brussels and a true national treasure. Surrealist whimsy is also a part of the House’s design legacy, thanks to the influence of the visionary imagination of such major Belgian artists as René Magritte and Paul Delvaux. A nod to this artistic tradition, “Les Humeurs de Brillant” (“The Moods of Brillant”) is an exclusive line of nine exquisitely crafted, special-edition “Le Brillant” handbags. Each reflects Delvaux’s values and absolute commitment to the highest standards of quality, combined with the charming hint of irony and light-hearted irreverence so intrinsically linked to Belgian art and literature. Delvaux, steeped in the spirit of Belgian surrealism, brings a witty approach to all of its creations, imbuing each design with a strikingly unconventional take on luxury.
For 185 years, Delvaux has enjoyed exceptional prestige and the trust and confidence of connoisseurs, most notably, the royal family of Belgium. The title of “royal warrant holder of the court of Belgium,” designating that the warrant holder is an official supplier of the court, was first awarded to the House of Delvaux in 1883 by King Leopold II, the monarch who famously proclaimed, “The nation of Rubens must be as great in its art as in its commerce and industry.” During his reign, he modernised Belgium, endowed it with an empire, and made it one of the most influential world powers of the era. The title of supplier to the court, chosen and granted every five years by the monarch of Belgium, is a testament to the high quality of Delvaux’s products and has been repeatedly bestowed on the company.
For 185 years, Delvaux has enjoyed exceptional prestige and the trust and confidence of connoisseurs, most notably, the royal family of Belgium. The title of “royal warrant holder of the court of Belgium,” designating that the warrant holder is an official supplier of the court, was first awarded to the House of Delvaux in 1883 by King Leopold II, the monarch who famously proclaimed, “The nation of Rubens must be as great in its art as in its commerce and industry.” During his reign, he modernised Belgium, endowed it with an empire, and made it one of the most influential world powers of the era. The title of supplier to the court, chosen and granted every five years by the monarch of Belgium, is a testament to the high quality of Delvaux’s products and has been repeatedly bestowed on the company.
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