Jim Murphy - PREM Group’s Managing Director

Forget Paris. Give Milan a break. Antwerp is confirming its status as Europe’s capital of cool

by Stephanie Duval ,Flanders Today

When you look at Antwerp closely - filtering out the tourist attractions and construction sites - you’ll probably reach the same conclusion we did. Antwerp really is the new Paris. This is not just a slogan that sounds good (though we think it does). There’s more to it than that. Stephanie Duval investigates

When people think of Paris, they think of romance and history, culture and good eating, and probably also of fashion. Antwerp has all that, and more. The city has long been labelled the fashion capital of Belgium, but we reckon you could just as easily call it the fashion capital of Europe. Of course Paris and Milan have a much longer history when it comes to prestigious houses of fashion - a rich heritage that can’t be ignored.
But where do you go if you’re looking for something new? You turn to Antwerp.Talented international design students are desperate to secure a place at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts so that they can study under Antwerp’s leading fashion designers. Other fashion cities may have head start on us, but we’re catching up fast.

In the beginning were the “Six”: The fashion world went wild over six Antwerp designers with difficult names: Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Marina Yee and Dirk Bikkembergs. Almost overnight, the port city became known all over the world for its fresh, avant-garde designer talent.

The six paved the way for subsequent generations, and new Antwerp designers have emerged to claim the attention of the international fashion crowd. The designer duo behind AF Vandervorst, for example, recently celebrated their 10th anniversary on a Milan catwalk. Last year, Bruno Pieters became the artistic director at Hugo Boss, while Kris Van Assche holds the reins at Dior Homme. The head offices migh be situated in the capital of France, but we all know where the talent is coming from.

Antwerp also outshines other cities in terms of culture, romance and history: just take a long walk along the River Scheldt or a stroll through the older parts of the city. Traditional gables hide hundreds of years of history, and small cobblestone streets lead to picturesque squares with benches and old trees.

ut this doesn’t mean that Antwerp is old-fashioned. On the contrary, it leads the way in contemporary architecture designed to blend in with the historical surroundings. The “Eilandje” - the hip docklands neighbourhood - is the place where small creative businesses thrive. And where the number of trendy cafes is growing exponentially.

The city has cleaned up some of the seedier quarters of the Eilandje, such as the Falconplein, which has been transformed into an attractive square where people from two different parts of the city meet one another.

The Royal Ballet of Flanders, meanwhile, chose Antwerp for its head offices and it’s here that they perform most of their productions, while scintillating operas are staged nightly in the beautifully refurbished Flanders Opera building.

It’s almost impossible to describe all the ways in which Antwerp lives up to the description of “the new Paris”. It’s best to find this out for yourself, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best places to go in Antwerp. You won’t find most of these places in the standard tourist guides, but trust us. We know Antwerp. And it’s just like Paris.
DAWN
Locals living in Het Zuid district like to eat breakfast at Farine’s Food (Vlaamse Kaai 40), where guests all sit at one big table, creating an instant family feel. There’s a lot more to discover in this area, including the boutique of Antwerp jewellery label Atelier 11 (Scheldestraat 32). Expect original designs that exude that typically Antwerp sense of extravagant fun.
MORNING
A little further down on the Nationalestraat, Sien (Nationalestraat 91-95) is the new kid in town when it comes to world-class designer fashion. Proenza Schouler, Givenchy, Allessandro Dell’Acqua and Hussein Chalayan are just a few of the names Marie-Josine van de Water offers in her luxurious boutique. If your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, you can head down to the equally chic boutique LXP (Hopland 53), short for Luxperience, where you can rent gorgeous designer outfits, accessories and jewellery. There’s even a secret entrance in case you want to enter and leave unnoticed.
AFTER WORK
Antwerp locals know Man Chi as the place to go for a quick massage. Right next door, the neighbourhood’s new wellness salon Sukha (Ijzerenwaag 11) offers an ayurvedic treatment for every ailment. Beauty aficionados will also be thrilled to discover the little Italian shop Santa Maria Novella (Augustijnenstraat 39). Following the ancient traditions and recipes of herbal care, this luxuriou brand offers perfumes and skin careproducts.
LUNCH
For a glimpse of Antwerp’s hip crowd, book lunch at Hungry Henrietta (Lombardenvest 19). Who knows, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with Dries Van Noten or Walter Van Beirendonck. However, if it’s organic food that makes you tick, you’ll love Lombardia (Lombardenvest78). Its extravagant interior harbours a health-food restaurant serving Antwerp’s best vegan salads, sandwiches and homemade iced tea.
DINNER
Fiskebar (Marnixplaats 12) is something of a culinary newcomer, but it’s already known as the best place for fish in the entire city.
Insider’s tip: order several appetisers instead of one main dish, and eat them like tapas. After dinner, take your pick from the various options Antwerp’s nightlife has to offer. In any case, don’t even think of going to bed before you have visited the best cocktail bar in Belgium. The head bartender at Sips (Gillisplaats is a true genius. Though not exactly spacious, this place is hotspot central.
SUNSET
Want some dancing to take you into morning? Cross the river and head to Club Cabane (Jachthavenweg 1, Linkeroever) to join the city’s jet set. This is also the place to catch the last rays of Sunlight while sitting on a beautiful terrace overlooking the Scheldt. There’s even a swimming pool for those long summer days. For the less Bling-Bling crowd, there’s Lucy (Solveynstraat 2). The restaurant and bar on top of the Arthur building offer an amazing view of the city skyline. During the day, it’s an art gallery featuring experimental and creative projects. Get there while you can though - Lucy is a pop-up concept that could disappear without warning.
LATE NIGHT
Music buffs will love Trix (Noordersingel 28). This cultural platform offers lesser-known bands and upcoming DJs the chance to showcase their skills and build up an audience. If it’s the dance sceneyou’re looking for, the best place to go is the newish club Noxx (Straatsburgdok - Noordkaai 3). The glamourous location offers a different experience in each of its rooms. The LED ceiling and dance floor provide the perfect backdrop for your favourite dancing moves.
AND SO TO BED
PremGroup have four Hotels in Antwerp conveniently located around the city -

Ramada Plaza Antwerp

Express by Holiday Inn Antwerp

Astoria Hotel

Carlton Hotel

For the best rates for these and all our hotels log on to www.premgroup.com

PREM Group are not the only Irish people to show an interest in Belgium and Flanders in particular. The following article documents a long connection between both countries. Everyone is aware of the Irish pubs that take up some of the best real estate locations in historic Flemish cities. But the Irish presence in Flanders goes far beyond a well-pulled pint served by a cheerful barman from Dublin.  The Irish have been coming to Flanders since at least the eighth century. The patron saint of Mechelen, St Rombout, was an Irish monk murdered near Mechelen by two men after he advised them to change their evil ways. By the 17^th century, a sizeable Irish community had settled in the Irish College in Leuven, where they worked on several texts that helped to shape Irish cultural identity. The Irish also came to this region to fight in the various European wars that scarred the Flemish landscape. Many belonged to the band of Irish soldiers known as the Wild Geese that tramped across 17^th century Europe on behalf of Louis XIV of France. One of them, Patrick Sarsfield, died in Landen, near Sint-Truiden, in 1693. As he lay bleeding to death on foreign soil, he lamented: “Would it were for Ireland”.  One quarter of a million Irish soldiers came to Flanders in the First World War to fight in the armies of the British Empire, many of them also wishing that they were dying for their homeland. Some came from Catholic families hostile to the British presence in Ireland, while others were from Protestant families loyal to the throne. They fought alongside one another only once – in the Battle of Messines Ridge in June 1917, when a largely Irish army captured the low ridge south of Ypres, paving the way for the Battle of Passchendaele later in the summer.  The Irish connection was forgotten by most people after the war. But 10 years ago, in a symbolic gesture of reconciliation, Queen Elisabeth II joined the Irish President Mary McAleese to unveil a tower in memory of the Irish dead of the war. The round stone structure was modelled on traditional Irish towers and built partly with stones salvaged from a British army barracks in Tipperary destroyed during the Irish struggle for independence. The ceremony on the bleak ridge nine kilometres south of Ypres was the first public event attended jointly by a British monarch and an Irish president.  It is worth remembering the many Irish people who have passed through this region of Europe, picking up something of its culture and language on the way – like James Joyce, the Irish Writer who spent a few days in Antwerp, took Dutch lessons in Ostend and sprinkled his utterly baffling novel Finnegans Wake with words lovingly culled from the language of the Flemish.