11 Design Highlights from Collectible Brussels 2023

“There seems to be a strong need for positivity this year,” says Liv Vaisberg, cofounder of Collectible Brussels, the annual event for collectible design taking place in the Belgian capital. “We have noticed that galleries are bringing many playful and colorful objects,” adds fellow cofounder Clélie Debehault. The sixth edition, running March 9-12, 2023, will draw new and established galleries, architects, designers, and collectives to a new venue, filling the sheds of Tour & Taxis.

Among the notable objects on view is a hot pink table wearing high-heel shoes. “While it seems just pink, girly and playful, her work is also a criticism about the white cis-male gaze and dominance in the design canons,” notes Vaisberg.

New this year is a section dedicated to architects and designers and an exhibit focusing on historical pieces from the 1980’s and ’90’s.

From that shoe-sporting table to knitted coral-esque luminaires to a collection of chairs allowing everyone their own expression, here are 11 of our favorite finds.

Playful and Colorful Design at Collectible Brussels

1. Dining with Daisy Table #1 by Anna Aagaard Jensen for Etage Projects

Clearly a step into the right direction for any avant-garde interior, the hot pink Dining with Daisy Table #1 by Anna Aagaard Jensen—rendered in polyurethane foam, styrofoam, steel, fiberglas, and acrylic resin—has two high-heel shoes integrated into its base.

2. Knitted Light by Sangmin Oh

Drawing attention to threatened coral reefs and their precious ecosystems—dying out due to climate change—the Knitted Light collection by Sangmin Oh combines monofilaments with flexible elastic yarns for luminaires in cheerful colors and eclectic coral-like shapes.

3. Adige by Lætitia Jacquetton for Sinople

Half sculpture, half vase, Adige by Lætitia Jacquetton is a play on contrasts, pressing a round sensual form (transparent mouth-blown Murano glass) to rough stone (Italian marble).

4. Low by Benni Allan for Béton Brut

Designer Benni Allan’s deep dive into the sitting cultures of Japan, China, and southern Spain gave rise to the Low collection, made from solid British oak.

5. Oyster by Carla Baz for Galerie Philia

Carla Baz tapped artisans local to her Beirut studio for her brushed brass ceiling-mounted Oyster light.

6. Almost 100 Chairs by Isabella Lobkowicz

“Chairs can–and should!—fit the personalities who will actually occupy them,” says Isabella Lobkowicz, the designer behind the expansive Almost 100 Chairs collection.

7. Spooter Ghost by Kartini Thomas for Mia Karlova Galerie

A glazed stoneware vase with gold luster and teeth, Spooter Ghost “looks handsome from any angle,” says artist Kartini Thomas.

8. New Wave Bench by Lukas Cober for Objects with Narratives

Over time, sunlight will alter the pale green hue of the hand-shaped semi-transparent fiberglass and resin New Wave Bench by Lukas Cober. To achieve its satin gloss, a waxed finish was applied.

9. Banded Convex Fold V by Steven Edwards for Objects with Narratives

Stressed-out clay is the trick behind the unique form of the Banded Convex Fold V vase, notes artist Steven Edwards, who applies pushing, pulling, compressing, and slicing to white and colored parian porcelain.

10. Bell by Samuel Accoceberry for SB26

A nod to architecture or the Art Deco movement, the bronze, aluminum, and hot blued steel Bell vase by Samuel Accoceberry encloses a waterproof cylinder allowing display of fresh flowers.

11. Post by Noro Khachatryan for Galerie Vivid

With a quick flip, the white onyx Post is side table or pedestal. It’s included in a collection of sculptural furnishings by Noro Khachatryan.