Creative Matters recently opened its new office in the heart of Brussels, Belgium, located at Palazzo Creative Workspace. It is led by Clémence Hardelay, Director of Design, Europe, who has spearheaded the growth in the region. The new European hub also services clients in the United Arab Emirates and Asia Pacific markets. Newly hired senior textile designer, Laurie Francois, will support Clémence in design and project development.
Clémence’s career began with Creative Matters in Toronto in 2013. Her frequent European trips for client projects, prestigious design trade shows and work within the cruise ship industry were the starting points for Creative Matters’ strategic expansion into the European market. Its new permanent footprint in Brussels is accelerating Creative Matters’ client relationships, company growth and elevating its service standards throughout Europe.
“The opening of our new European office is an exciting chapter for us. With Clémence's innate grasp of European design aesthetics and Laurie's expertise in product development, we're set to strengthen our local relationships and deliver top-tier services to our European clients," shares Ana Cunningham, managing partner at Creative Matters.
“Partnering with the iconic French department store La Samaritaine in 2021 was our European market debut and since then, we have demonstrated our bespoke design capabilities at shows in Europe, for example Paris Design Week, Milan Design Week and Collectibles in Brussels. The new office highlights our continued dedication to excellence and innovation in the European design landscape,” says Clémence Hardelay, Director of Design, Europe.
The new office space will enable the firm to develop high-end custom projects to the same standards as its Toronto office, facilitating the expansion of projects into the hospitality, residential and yacht sectors. The company’s vast global manufacturing network and seamless coordination with mills will allow it to provide flexible, locally-produced solutions meeting both sustainability goals and client demands. Creative Matters participated in Hostys in France in June 2024 and will be exhibiting in key European trade shows and exhibitions within the design industry such as Carpet Diem in November 2024 and Rendez-vous de la Matière in October 2024 both in Paris.
