(W)HOLE: Nomadic Repair Studio

Visit MoMu during the spring half-term holidays and meet textile designer Anneleen Bertels with her project (W)HOLE in the MoMu entrance hall – where she repairs damaged garments and textiles through custom repairs with jewelry and embroidery techniques.

Bring your own worn-out clothes or accessories to MoMu and have them transformed into a wearable work of art, giving them a new life! In her nomadic repair studio – which combines embroidery and goldsmithing – Anneleen repairs items with customised embroidery decorations made from precious metals. Two handmade silver labels mark the garment with the embossed name of the reparation, carefully hand-stitched.

Inspired by the Japanese kintsugi technique, (W)HOLE celebrates the beauty of decay: wear and tear is emphasised and transformed into something valuable. In collaboration with goldsmith Lindsey Fontijn, a special dialogue between textile and metal was created, combining craftsmanship and innovation.

Each repair contains a carefully handcrafted jewellery bead, combining the fragility of fabric with the durability and elegance of precious metal. In this way, embroidery becomes something precious rather than something luxurious. A story of care, restoration and connection.

After graduating in Fashion Design in 2013, Anneleen Bertels worked for iconic fashion houses such as Balenciaga, Maison Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester. During this period, she developed a fascination for combining fashion with jewellery and accessories – a quest for new ways to bring textiles to life.

In 2022, Anneleen founded her own studio, where she develops 'Jewellerised Textiles': fabrics enriched with embroidery and handmade jewellery. Her work is rooted in a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and cultural exchange, combining traditional haute couture techniques with innovative methods. Sustainability, cultural heritage and technological innovation are central to this.

Anneleen collaborated with artisans in Japan and Europe to interweave centuries-old techniques and high-quality natural materials with contemporary ideas. Based on this vision, she and her partner Waldo De Keersmaecker founded KNOTTO, an international non-profit organisation that builds creative bridges between Europe and Japan.

Her creations have been featured at prestigious events such as the Hyères Festival of Fashion, Schloss Hollenegg in Austria and Parcours Bijoux in Paris. She also teaches as a guest lecturer at leading institutions in Europe and actively seeks collaborations with goldsmiths, architects and engineers to further expand her practice.