Discovering the City’s Creative Soul with Loudmilla
Brussels is not a city that reveals itself all at once. It’s layered, imperfect, and quietly poetic; much like the people who choose to call it home. For stylist Loudmilla, Brussels is more than a place on the map; it’s a living source of inspiration, contradiction, and beauty found in the unexpected.
“I moved to Brussels when I came here to study textile design,” she says. “It was the first city I truly discovered on my own. It’s small, but incredibly diverse and cosmopolitan.” Over the years, Loudmilla has lived in different neighborhoods but today, she feels she’s exactly where she needs to be. “It feels like the right place to settle, at least for now.”
Beauty in the Unpolished
As a stylist drawn to texture, shape, and emotion, Loudmilla finds Brussels endlessly stimulating. “I think it’s the people that make the difference,” she explains. “Brussels brings together so many personalities. Every area has its own energy, its own rhythm.”
What truly captivates her, though, is the city’s refusal to be polished. “There’s a mix of ugly and pretty here, and that’s what makes Brussels beautiful. I like chaos. I don’t like things that are too clean or smooth.”
This tension between elegance and imperfection also defines the way Loudmilla dresses. She gravitates toward pieces that feel sculptural, tactile, and timeless. Garments that carry emotion through fabric and form. Among her favorite La Collection pieces are the Tuba A Coat in black satin, the Aspen Poncho, and the Isaura waist belt by La Collection. “I’m obsessed with fabrics,” she says. “The texture and shape of the Tuba coat instantly elevate a silhouette. The Aspen Poncho feels warm and protective, yet incredibly chic. It reminds me of the elegance of women in the 1920s. And the Isaura waistbelt can transform something as simple as black sweatpants into something refined.”
Her affinity for imperfection is deeply rooted. Born in Kinshasa, she sees clear parallels between the two cities. “Kinshasa is real chaos, but there’s poetry in it. I think that’s why I’m always drawn to the strange, the unattractive, the overlooked. That’s where beauty lives for me.”
“I always try to find beauty in the most weird and unattractive places.”
Where Inspiration Lives
Walking is Loudmilla’s preferred way of experiencing the city. “Everything is close. You feel the transitions between neighborhoods so clearly.” From Ixelles to Dansaert, Saint Catherine to the city center, she absorbs inspiration from how people build their lives around these spaces.
But her real secret lies beyond the obvious. “I love less ‘aesthetic’ areas like Schaerbeek, Matongé, or Jette. The energy changes completely. There’s a strong sense of community.” Jette, where she first lived, still holds a special place in her heart. “It’s a family area, with houses instead of apartment blocks. It felt very human.”
On days when she doesn’t overthink dressing, she reaches for instinctive combinations: a long black silk dress like Angelina by La Collection, worn with sculptural jewelry and boots that balance minimalism with rebellion.
24 Hours in Brussels, According to Loudmilla
The day begins early, with coffee at MOK Coffee on Rue Antoine Dansaert, followed by a walk past Wim Delvoye’s Cement Truck near Quai au Foin. From there, it’s on to the flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle in the Marolles, and a detour through Rue Blaes and Rue Haute for vintage gems.
Lunch might be vegan comfort food at Lucifer Lives, or a quick sando and matcha at Kage Coffee. The afternoon calls for green space: Parc du Cinquantenaire or Parc Royal, depending on the mood.
Dinner is best enjoyed at Grabuge, followed by late drinks at Rebel, where nights stretch effortlessly into morning.
“For a true Brussels experience, I’d recommend staying at an Airbnb in Ixelles or Saint-Gilles,” Loudmilla suggests. “You’re immediately in the heart of the city’s creative life.” For hotels, she loves Fleur de Ville and The Hoxton, different moods, different budgets, but both full of character.
Loudmilla’s Unexpected Brussels
Rather than a predictable list, Loudmilla shares the places she feels are often underestimated. Spaces that reflect her love for authenticity, craft, and soul.
MARU
A small, deeply authentic Korean restaurant she adores.Chaussée de Waterloo 510
MISS B
A tiny coffee spot near Flagey, known for homemade mochi.
Rue Lesbroussart 43
VILLA EMPAIN
A modernist house turned gallery — a place to dream about architecture, texture, gardens, and sculpture.
Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 67
GALERI 7
A gallery that has evolved beautifully over the past five years, curated with integrity and vision.
Rue de Rollebeek 27
LA PATINOIRE ROYALE BACH
Historic, unexpected, and often dedicated to textile-focused exhibitions.
Rue Veydt 15
HETERODOXA
A fashion lover’s destination with a carefully curated selection.
Rue Charles Hanssens 15
LES PETITS RIENS (Ixelles)
Her favorite vintage and charity shop — for clothing, furniture, books, and hidden treasures.
Rue Américaine 105
ZAVENTEM ATELIERS
A creative community founded by Lionel Jadot, celebrating art, design, and collaboration.
Fabrieksstraat 15/19, Zaventem
REBEL
Rue Lesbroussart 48
PÉNAR
Place Georges Brugmann 18
LE PETIT CANON
Rue Lesbroussart 91
Much like Brussels itself, the pieces Loudmilla wears — including those by La Collection — embrace contrast: refined yet raw, minimal yet expressive, timeless but never predictable.