Flemish designer Dries Van Noten, who last year received the C.F.D.A. award for International Designer of the Year, was honoured yesterday, 10th September 2009, in New York by the Couture Council of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) with its 2009 Award for Artistry of Fashion. The award was chosen by the Couture Council Advisory Committee, whose members include Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at F.I.T.; Pamela Golbin, curator of the Mus�e de la Mode; and Julie Gilhart of Barneys New York, among others.

Dries Van Noten is world renowned and acclaimed as one of the world�s great designers. He is known for his distinctive use of colour, print, and decoration. Born into a family of tailors and retailers, he studied at the esteemed Royal Academy in Antwerp, whose yearly fashion show attracts over 6,000 international visitors.

Van Noten unveiled his first collection in 1986 and very quickly became known as one of the Antwerp Six who, joined by seventh member Martin Margiela, together conquered the fashion world with their very distinct vision of fashion thus putting Flanders on the style map.

But it doesn�t end here; appreciated by fashionistas, art lovers, gastronomes and diamond dealers, Flanders� capital of cool still produces top designers such as Tim Van Steenbergen. Winner of the Elle Best Belgian Designer of the Year 2009 award, Tim Van Steenbergen, is speedily making a name for himself as �the� designer to resort to for smart, sophisticated clothing, most recently finding fans in the likes of pop star Rihanna, who was spotted house-hunting in New York wearing one of his basques.

Other Flemish designers include Stijn Helsen and Ann Boogaerts, to name a few; Stijn Helsen has freelanced for Vivienne Westwood, designed a line of clothes for Joseph of London and has worked for Valentino in Italy. His most interesting achievement could be noted as �the Spiderman assignment� in 2003 which involved designing over 50 costumes for the second Spiderman film.

Ann Boogaerts, aged only 23, wowed the Amsterdam fashion world earlier this year with her collection inspired by the clothes worn in 1958 by Queen Fabiola of Belgium thus winning the G-Star Raw Talent Award, worth nearly �10,000 and the chance to appear at New York Fashion Week.

With all this in mind, Antwerp, Flanders� second biggest city, is one of Europe�s premier shopping cities and due to its proximity, it�s the perfect destination for a shopping city-break. It offers fashionistas seven different shopping districts, unrivalled bi-annual stock sales, and innovative visits of the city such as the bespoke �find the perfect handbag� tour. Furthermore, from 17th September onwards, Antwerp�s Mode Museum, MoMu, will host a new exhibition, 'DELVAUX. 180 Years of Belgian Luxury', dedicated to luxury goods house Delvaux which will run until 22nd February 2010.

Dawn Page, director of Tourism Flanders-Brussels UK commented: �We are thrilled that one of our most esteemed designers has received the Award for Artistry of Fashion in New York; I believe this accolade underlines the fact that Antwerp, and Flanders as a whole, is at the forefront of style and design.� She went on to say: �Antwerp provides its visitors with unique shopping experiences and this, combined with its fantastic gastronomy, lively nightlife and vast array of affordable boutique hotels and B&B�s, makes it the perfect getaway for those looking for a bit of cosmopolitan-chic.�

For further information, please contact: Chloe Lopez: chloe@visitflanders.co.uk or 020 7307 7741 Camilla Whittet: camilla@visitflanders.co.uk or 020 7307 7742