We invite you to experience a rare moment, which is both personal and collaborative. You are encouraged to navigate an installation that weaves a long narrative also rooted in the present.

You become the protagonist of a performance.

The genesis of this project was the great World Expo taking place in Brussels in 1958. It was the first after World War II and the symbol -as well as the signal- of a world that expresses with strength and inventiveness its energy, modernity and confidence in the future.

Our lens is grounded in the present and the relevance of pivotal moments in design and creation, while projecting these into the future, appealing to sensitivity and curiosity.

The thread that ties it all together is an original duo scenario-orchestration, to be discovered at Delvaux,

19 Place Vendôme, in company of le Brillant and Saul Steinberg.

In Company of le Brillant

Le Brillant was born on the occasion of this Brussels World Expo.

It is partially inspired by the Pavillon Philips, that owes everything to the genius of Le Corbusier, Xenakis and Varèse, who created a shared and ephemeral work for a total sensory experience: visual, musical and tactile.

Le Brillant, for its part, continues its journey by becoming emblematic. It reconnects with the historical strength of la Maison, goes beyond the notion of fashion and trends, and confirms the status of Delvaux as the inventor of the modern handbag and the architect of leather.

A classic that continues to define contemporary relevance. The Brillant is a rare bag, perhaps the only one capable of embodying such diversity and expressions.

In Company of Steinberg

With his mural “The Americans”, Saul Steinberg designed a major work for the World Expo.We present it here for the first time outside museum walls, and therefore going back to its original purpose.

This major work designed for the American Pavilion is a monument of more than 70 meters long and 3 meters high. It narrates and interrogates America and its way of life at the dawn of its extraordinary expansion in the 1960s. The perspective, the graphics, the techniques employed, and its vast scale remain strikingly contemporary.

We are very happy to be at the source of bringing Saul Steinberg’s work back into the spotlight, and above all, very grateful to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium -and their director Kim Oosterlinck- for agreeing to lend us three large original panels, an exceptional and resolutely pioneering gesture. We also thank the Saul Steinberg Foundation for its ongoing trust and support.

The overall project becomes an installation-performance, made out of contrasts, yet completely in harmony.

Jean-Marc Loubier

CEO of Delvaux

Le Brillant

Introduced in 1958, le Brillant, emblematic bag of la Maison Delvaux, was also inspired by the striking Pavillon Philips at the 1958 Brussels World Expo, which was beautifully engineered by Le Corbusier. The Brillant’s design echoes the same visionary spirit.

Le Brillant continues its journey by becoming emblematic. It reconnects with the historical strength of la Maison, goes beyond the notion of fashion and trends, and confirms the status of Delvaux as the inventor of the modern handbag. Delvaux, having filed the world’s first patent for a luxury leather handbag with Le Princesse in 1908, shaped the modern bag as we know it today.

Le Brillant has embodied la Maison’s dedication to excellence, blending tradition with innovation. Crafted from the finest leather and adorned with its iconic metal buckle, le Brillant carries a legacy that connects the past to the future. Le Brillant is a consummate illustration of Delvaux’s savoir-faire and design. Through it, Delvaux speaks with strength and subtlety as the Architect of Leather.

Saul Steinberg: The Americans

In 1958, Saul Steinberg was commissioned to create an extraordinary work for the American Pavilion at the Brussels Expo. His vision, shaped by his experience as an immigrant, was both playful and penetrating, offering an outsider’s gaze upon the United States at the brink of its unprecedented expansion in the 1960s. The result, simply titled The Americans, was a grand, immersive mural: over 70 meters long and 3 meters high, its sweeping lines and inventive techniques remain strikingly modern.

Delvaux has chosen to spotlight three panels of Steinberg’s The Americans murals, each an exquisite reflection of his genius :

DOWNTOWN - BIG CITY captures the pulse of urban life, alive with the motion and energy of countless lives.

COCKTAIL PARTY reveals the elegance and social rituals of American society, a dance of appearances.

MAIN STREET - SMALL TOWN brings us to the heart of intimate, small-town America, where personal stories unfold against modest architectural backdrops.

As part of our commitment to the arts, Delvaux funded the restoration of these three panels, which are displayed in museum-quality conditions at L’Hôtel d’Evreux.

These works, exceptionally loaned by the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, are presented for the very first time in their original contextual setting from the 1958 World Expo. They become a central element of la Maison’s One-week installation-performance that bridges art and life, history and renewal. Here, the visitor steps beyond the role of mere observer, becoming an actor who pulses at the core of the experience, infusing it with meaning through their presence and interaction.

About Saul Steinberg (1914-1999)

Saul Steinberg, revered illustrator and prolific artist, embodied the complexities of the American dream. Born in a small town north of Bucharest, he immigrated to the United States during the 1940s, where he became a sharp-eyed chronicler of American life. While his work often celebrated the everyday, it never lost its satirical edge, gently mocking the very ideals it illustrated.

Steinberg’s career, which spanned nearly six decades, saw him contribute almost 90 covers and over 600 internal illustrations to The New Yorker, cementing his place as one of the most influential visual storytellers of his time. His sharp wit and unmatched skill captured the rhythm and contradictions of a nation constantly in motion.

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

La Maison Delvaux is happy to reintroduce Steinberg’s work to the world, with immense gratitude to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and their director, Kim Oosterlinck, for their generosity in lending these three original murals. This remarkable act of cultural preservation, supported by Delvaux, ensures that these masterpieces endure for future generations.

In a final tribute, The Americans will take center stage in a special exhibition at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium next summer, where Steinberg’s vision of America will continue tocaptivate audiences anew.

Delvaux Place Vendôme :

The visitors are the actors

The performative installation orchestrated by Delvaux encourages visitors to mingle and interact while they wander between le Brillant, the 1958 Brussels World Expo, and Saul Steinberg’s mural The Americans. Visitors become an integral part of the entire event, combining cultural discovery with interactive flair, experiencing not only the historical significance but also the enduring legacy of these monumental symbols.

Divided into intimate salons, the historical Hôtel d’Evreux showcases highlights within Delvaux’s latest collection and previously unseen Saul Steinberg murals, as well as mixed elements that were present during the World Expo. The journey goes beyond the stereotypical format of Fashion Week presentations.

Through a clever setup involving multiple reflections and people silhouettes printed on mirrors, guests become a part of the performance by producing their own sets of images while admiring the murals. They will get to discover le Brillant within each salon and sample them freely, bringing a visually layered and multifaceted installation to life.

Thanks to this unique and highly immersive experience, Delvaux blurs the boundaries between installation and performance, as well as actor and observer.

Le Brillant :

The Impressive Lightness of le Brillant ‘Tempo’

Delvaux continues the journey of le Brillant by unveiling le Brillant ‘Tempo’, a new, more supple iteration of the emblematic bag.

Refined and casual, le Brillant ‘Tempo’ can be worn in a variety of ways, thanks to its wonderful construction. It is a new expression of le Brillant that embraces modernity’s longing for change and versatility, without renouncing the timeless elegance Delvaux stands for.

Sensual and soft to the touch, le Brillant ‘Tempo’ is an innovative and contemporary classic that demonstrates Delvaux’s technical prowess.

This ‘Tempo’ silhouette will also be available in a smaller version, which can be worn cross-body. Ultra-light -and butter soft like a glove- this smaller model is made to be carried everywhere. It can be used as an elegant clutch, too, therefore becoming an ideal partner for daily wear.

It was in 2019 that legendary French designer Jean Colonna and Delvaux joined forces to introduce “L’XXL”, a first foray into a more supple -and flexible- approach towards Delvaux’s signature bags.

6 years later, Delvaux pursues its journey into lightness and suppleness with the Brillant ‘Tempo’, an effortlessly sophisticated handbag.