Textile companies setting a positive mood at 'MoOD'

On my journey through the creative landscape in my homeland, Flanders - Belgium, our first stop is my beloved capital, Brussels, where today the last day of 'MoOD’ began.

'MoOD' is an international textile fair that presents the latest trends in upholstery, window- and wall covery. It’s a beacon of creativity and innovation where the 'underdog’ is placed on the foreground: producers and manufacturers present their latest collections and the newest textile trends.

Like a reflection of my homeland this rather modest fair has a strong international allure, 80% of the exhibitors come from outside of Belgium, a mix of more than 30 different nationalities. The fair attracts the whole international textile sector to Brussels, during the 'MoOD' fair the belgian capital houses visitors from over 100 different countries. None of those visitors go back home empty handed,  the professional and creative appeal of the fair is a recipe for new ideas and inspirations. And this year people go home with a smile on their face as well. After a few years of crisis for the textile industry things seem to be moving in the right direction again, the general mood at 'MoOD’ this year was one of hope, a positive outlook on the future. But how could it be any different with all of the hard working and talented producers 'MoOD’ offers?!

The struggle to survive in these hard times, the obligation to re-analyze current situations because nothing is self-evident anymore and the need to keep on reinventing ourselves in order to keep up with the tough competition, has proven to be the perfect remedy for the crisis. After a few years of negative speculation and company balances coloring red, things are looking better again and we can all start dreaming of a brighter future. Thanks to innovative minds, positive attitudes and hard workers like those of the companies exhibiting at 'MoOD’, textile business, a sector that has always been part of the belgian history books, can survive, overcome and grow stronger throughout and because of these times of crisis.

All we hear about these days on the radio and on the streets, all we read about in the newspapers, all we see when we turn on our televisions is: crisis. The world seems to be becoming an ugly place and people are sick of it! To show all of us normal folk that the world is still the beautiful, blue planet it has always been the organization and exhibitors of 'MoOD’ have chosen 'Beauty’ as the fair’s theme of this year.

More than ever people are trying to find certainties in times where 'certain’ doesn’t even seem to be part of the dictionary anymore. One of the certainties we can always rely on according to 'MoOD’ is beauty. With the right attitude anyone is capable of finding true beauty at any place, at any time. In times of crisis when we all tend to become a little pessimistic, art and beauty are where we need to find inspiration, a creative and critical outlook on today’s society, a solution for a better future. Rationality is one key to succes, but every once in a while we have to let ourselves get overcome by emotions and be fulfilled with beauty...

Slowing down is what we need to do, take a minute to reflect and enjoy, create a true 'beauty experience’.

'Soul Kitchen’ is one of the trends 'MoOD’ detected in our modern society. We need to take time to slow down and reflect: discover the beauty of our own environment, refocus and see things from a different point of view; find the beauty and soul in our own 'kitchen’. Let the child in ourselves be reborn and see the world from a naïve, innocent point of view in order to unravel unexplored beauty.

This childlike way of looking at and discovering the world creates a nostalgic, innocent reality filled with water colors, sweet and soft tones, garnet, ruby sienna and a revival of modest greens.

<H>Uggs is the second trend presented at 'MoOD’. It’s symbol for a revival of respect for the natural, brutal matters and true designs.

In these times of hightech technology and science there is a strong need to go back to the roots, a refound and renewed respect for traditions. Artisans have never been more respected than they are today and people who truly care about history and nature are more than willing to pay a premium price for what is offered. There is a strange interaction between our current focus on technology and innovation and the refound respect for tradition, in many ways technology has been responsible for the comeback of the artisan. Because we constantly need to find solutions to current problems, because we are confronted with our own boundaries and limitations, we are always obliged to look towards the future, but look back at the past as well, because what is new is not always better and we can and should always learn of what has already been written, said and done.

In our quest to find protection creative and open minds find new and innovative solutions. 'MoOD’ has the honour to present a few of them for example the first organic leather, product of the 'Royal Dutch Tanneries’.

The revival of the natural and brutal matters present us a pallet of earth and soil tones like browns and greens with a touch of brutal rust. Washed browns that tend to beige, orange with a tone of tangarine and sienne brûlée are the more sparkling tones in this earthly color card. The color pallet is an expression of the honest beauty and re-appreciation of nature and the bare essentials this theme presents.

The last trend presented at 'MoOD’ is 'Utopia’, an exclusive beauty found in this new golden age of science, an era in which science and beauty go hand in hand. Man’s possibilities are taking us to unseen levels and we are discovering new territory. The universe, our Earth and the planetes surrounding it, the few seconds before the Big Bang... secrets at the verge of being revealed.

In this theme of 'Utopia’ indigo is the protagonist. The color, described by Newton as: ‚the tone between blue and violet, almost invisible to man’, embodies all of the aspects of mankind exploring our and new territories and opportunities. Vegetable dyes prove the honesty of this theme, seeming almost like an expression of our own, human dna. Whites, with the inevitable counterpoint of shades of black provide an honest and pure contrast of different elements.

Apart from producers and manufacturers 'MoOD’ also gives opportunity to new talent, because business can’t 'Blossom’ and flower without new talent, creative thoughts of still innocent minds. That’s why the 'Blossom’ quarter at 'MoOD’ provides some exhibition space to new talent, students from the famous textile schools 'KASK’ in Gent and 'LaCambre’ in Brussels.

The students are the future of the current textile industry, the hopes for our new generation, the link between innocent creativity and the knowledge and knowhow of the industry. The young minds raise questions about contemporary aesthetic statements, the production process, consumption modes, interest in tradition etc. through their designs.

'MoOD’ is a reflection on recognized quality and a portrait of the search for innovation and creativity, but it is also a pool of new talent. The mix of bot is the perfect recipe to personal inspiration and appreciation of an industry that has been through so much lately, but is so dear to all of us. An industry that has always symbolized Belgium and Europe, but that seemed to be slipping away from us because of emerging markets and cheaper manifacturing options in foreign countries. I’m happy to notice that the trend of chasing paper dreams above all else has made room for a revival of the artisan, a re-appriciation for the more modest, more expensive, but definitely more innovative and creative product. In times of crisis people tend to go back to their routs and find comfort in certainties and that’s not necessarily a bad thing and that is what I saw at 'MoOD’. A crisis that has left its scars, but that has helped many of us to see what’s true and real in the abundance of options we are presented with every day. A crisis that has shown us that megalomania and big bucks aren’t all that great and that modesty is often the key to a slower, but greater success. We need to go back to the roots, we need to look back at traditions, enrich them with technology and see that big quantities and cheaper options are not solutions, but only bandages to temporarily cover our scars. Artisans, natural products, quality, long term visions, re-focussing,... these are the keys to success today and the recipe for innovation, creativity and personal statements in an anonymous world.


This article is a mix of my personal ideas on today's society and textile business, and information found at the trends at 'MoOD' - Brussels and on the 'MoOD' website: www.moodbrussels.com