“I think it’s important to tell the personal stories of the people working behind the scenes of the fashion industry.”
Interview with Aya Noël
Meet Aya Noël, curator, fashion journalist and the driving force behind the 40 + years of STIJL exhibition. Aya Noël is an important figure in the Brussels fashion world. A curator and expert in fashion history, she is currently working on a special retrospective exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the legendary fashion shop STIJL. Aya Noël is the daughter of Sonja Noël, who founded STIJL in 1985. The exhibition pays tribute to four decades of pioneering fashion and offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of a shop that always stayed true to its vision and supported its designers from the very beginning.
With the exhibition, Aya aims to bring to life the stories behind the garments, the designers and the shop itself, while inviting audiences to reflect on the power of collaboration, creativity and the importance of staying true to your vision, even in a challenging fashion industry. 40 + years of STIJL can be seen from 18 April 2025 to 11 January 2026 at the Fashion and Lace Museum in Brussels. Meet Aya Noël and discover how fashion can connect, inspire and defy time.
Can you introduce yourself briefly?
"My name is Aya Noël. I am a curator and, among other things, contributed to the ‘United Fashion’ exhibition on fashion and sustainability that took place at MAD Brussels in 2020. I am also the daughter of Sonja Noël, the founder of the fashion shop STIJL. I am currently enjoying working on a retrospective exhibition about the shop, in honour of its 40th anniversary. It is a great honour that the Fashion and Lace Museum has asked us to realise this."
Were there any specific pieces or stories you wanted to share in the ‘40 + years of STIJL’ exhibition?
"The selection of pieces was quite a challenge, as we only had room for about sixty items. STIJL has been around for forty years, which amounts to eighty seasons with at least ten collections per season. We started with a survey of the designers who have been most important in STIJL's history. We then looked at the pieces that are most representative of their work, in order to paint a complete picture of the shop's evolution. One particular piece we were keen to show is a 1984 wool coat by Swiss brand A Propos. This coat was used in STIJL's first promotional campaign. The funny thing is that my mother remembered that she had sold the coat to someone called Bea. We tracked down Bea and she still had the coat! We restored it and it is now the first piece you see when entering the exhibition. "
"The most important lesson I learnt from my mother is to stand fully behind your choices. She takes a decision and then goes for it completely. She supports designers from their first collection and always looks at the story and inspiration behind a collection, rather than just commercial viability. She is not afraid to be critical, but always remains loyal."
"The biggest challenge is the huge amount of information, the ‘noise’, coming at potential customers. Big luxury brands dominate the market, making it difficult for young, independent designers to stand out. It is difficult to break through all that ‘noise’ and reach consumers."
"Antwerp has an established international image as a fashion city, mainly thanks to the ‘Antwerp Six’. Brussels is developing its own unique fashion identity, with more room for experimental profiles that fall outside traditional frameworks. Brussels provides a platform for alternative approaches and trajectories."
What stories do you find most important to tell as a fashion journalist?
"I find it important to tell the personal stories of the people working behind the scenes of the fashion industry, such as the saleswomen and salespeople in the shop. Their experiences, their difficulties and their passion for their work are often underexposed. I am also interested in the emotional connection customers have with garments: what memories do they evoke, what makes them so special?"
"I recently started taking pole dancing classes at Jezebel Studio, a new queer dance school in Brussels. The people who come there have a great style: a mix of comfortable, sexy and challenging. I also like to keep visiting the Fashion Museum Hasselt, which always has surprising exhibitions and shows designers I don't know yet."
What do you hope visitors take away from this exhibition?
"I hope the exhibition inspires visitors and gives a sense of hope at a time when the fashion industry is often frustrated. I want to show the collaborative spirit and urge to experiment that used to be there. I hope people will feel like doing something themselves and supporting each other."
