Wouters & Hendrix
Wouters & Hendrix is a Belgian jewellery house founded in Antwerp by Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix, who began selling their designs in 1984. It makes handmade costume and fine jewellery with a surreal, eclectic style.
| Founded | 1984, Antwerp |
|---|---|
| Founders | Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix |
| Atelier | Former distillery, central Antwerp |
| Range | Costume and fine jewellery |
| Website | wouters-hendrix.com |
What is Wouters & Hendrix?
Wouters & Hendrix is an independent jewellery house from Antwerp. Founders Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix trained at the city's Royal Academy of Fine Arts and created jewellery for the designers known as the Antwerp Six.
History
The pair began selling their jewels in Antwerp in 1984 and showed at London Fashion Week two years later. The house celebrated its 40th anniversary with a presentation during Paris Fashion Week. Karen Hendrix has since left the business.
Products and positioning
Collections combine costume and fine jewellery, often with a surrealist touch, and many pieces are modular so that they can be taken apart and worn in different ways. Materials include sterling silver, gold-plated silver, 18 carat gold, pearls and gemstones. The house works to a ready-to-wear rhythm of two collections a year and has collaborated with photographer Mous Lamrabat and designer Stephanie D'heygere.
Distribution
The atelier is housed in a former distillery in central Antwerp. The brand runs boutiques in Belgium and Amsterdam, has outposts in Japan, China and North America, and sells online through its own website and Farfetch.
Why it matters
Wouters & Hendrix links Antwerp's fashion avant-garde to jewellery, remaining independent for four decades.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Wouters & Hendrix from?
Wouters & Hendrix is a jewellery house from Antwerp, Belgium.
Who founded Wouters & Hendrix?
It was founded by Katrin Wouters and Karen Hendrix, graduates of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.