The
Story
Brukseilas launches iconic design objects of Brussels origin: from 'hellhole' to love story.
Those unfamiliar with Brussels often associate the city with chaos, folksy neighborhoods and lots of traffic. Some have even called it a hellhole. Lies Van Ginderachter wants to correct that image with her brand Brukseilas. For her collections of design objects she goes in search of the beauty in imperfection, and the poetry in chaos.
As a teenager she sometimes came along to the capital in the footsteps of her father, and since her higher studies at St. Luke's she has planted her flag there. For more than ten years, Lies Van Ginderachter has lived and worked in the center of Brussels. When she was looking for an interesting graphic form to decorate her apartment, she was inspired by the Brussels Pentagon, the iconic shape of the center within the inner ring.
With her label Brukseilas, she wants to polish the image about her city and share her proud love for Brussels. For her, Brussels is first and foremost a dynamic, colorful city that offers her and other Brussels residents a lot of opportunities. From Bruocsella - a settlement in a swamp created by the course of the Senne - Brussels grew into the beating heart of Belgium and Europe. One thing is certain: Brussels leaves no-one cold, and remains food for endless conversation. Lies Van Ginderachter wants to stir up these conversations with her designs.
Penta
Lies Van Ginderachter found inspiration for the Penta collection in the iconic Pentagon, the historic center of Brussels. She abstracted it and transformed it into a stylized collection of multifunctional serving trays and cutting boards with an elegantly polished edge. You can use the Penta collection as a statement piece on your dining table or in your kitchen, whereby the topic of conversation immediately presents itself on a silver platter.
It is no coincidence that she chose to work with local, authentic materials. The Penta n°01 is available in red Belgian marble. In addition, for Penta n°01 Surplus, Brukseilas draws the sustainable card, as that series is made from leftover marble. Typical for marble are its spectacular drawings, and that's also the main reason why Lies loves to use this powerful natural material. Each series is limited to 25 numbered and certified pieces and available from €195.00 including taxes.
The Penta n°03 is produced in wood from the Sonian forest in Brussels and 100% made in Brussels. It's a local, sustainable and Brussels story. Did you know that Lies decided the very last moment to make it a hanging eye-catcher for your kitchen or dining room? The first production of the Penta n°03 is limited to 100 pieces, available from €125.00 including taxes.
Canal
For the new collection, Lies Van Ginderachter was inspired by the dynamic neighborhood around the Brussels Canal, which symbolizes an arrival zone in the city. She herself has always lived near the Canal, which has an enormous attraction for her. Living by the Canal is a source of new ideas. Thus her eye fell on the rhythmic beauty and basic geometric shapes of the balustrade along the Canal, on the stretch between Molenbeek and Anderlecht.
With her idea Lies Van Ginderachter approached the ladies of La Gadoue Atelier, with whom she shares her love of Brussels and authentic interior objects. Together they developed the concept into a series of limited ceramic vases, which the duo of La Gadoue handcrafted one by one in their Anderlecht studio. Like Brussels itself, the fragile-looking vases are not quite perfectly polished. Their rough husk shimmers through the fresh pastel shades, making them the perfect carrier for a colorful spring bouquet.
Each design is produced in limited editions and available from €110 including taxes.
About me
Hi! I'm Lies.
Since the beginning of 2020, Lies Van Ginderachter (°1982) has been publishing iconic design objects inspired by Brussels and its inhabitants under the name Brukseilas. For this she combines her training in interior design at Sint-Lukas Brussels, her experience as a food stylist in the world of advertising and especially her love for her home city. In doing so, she always looks for the beauty in the imperfection, and the poetry in the chaos.
In close collaboration with other Brussels-based makers or social workshops, she translates these into handmade consumer objects in authentic, local materials. The lovingly produced Brukseilas items makes it possible for everyone — Brussels residents, expats, tourists and design lovers alike — to take a piece of Europe's dynamic and colourful capital home with them and keep beautiful memories alive.
