Contemporary

Discover our carefully curated selection of contemporary pre-owned pieces: current-season and recent ready-to-wear, bags, shoes and accessories from the most exciting names in fashion right now. Every piece is hand-evaluated by our team on avenue Louise and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Because the most intelligent way to access contemporary fashion is not through boutiques at full retail price — it is through a trusted specialist who has already done the work of selecting, authenticating and pricing what is genuinely worth having.

What we mean by contemporary at Les Enfants d'Édouard

At Les Enfants d'Édouard, "contemporary" means something precise. It does not simply mean recent — it means pieces from the current moment in fashion that are already demonstrating the qualities that make something worth owning beyond its season of release: design intelligence that transcends trend, material quality that will reward years of use, and a creative vision coherent enough to give the piece a lasting identity rather than a temporary relevance.

Fifty years of evaluating the pre-owned luxury market has given our team an unusually clear perspective on which contemporary pieces will still feel right in five years and which are hostage to the specific cultural moment of their creation. The Bottega Veneta Pouch from Daniel Lee's debut season — already a collector's piece. The first Loewe Puzzle in parakeet green — already appreciating. The Jacquemus Chiquito in its original 2018 tan leather — already more sought-after secondhand than at retail. The Celine square-toe mule from the last Phoebe Philo season — already trading above its original price. These are contemporary pieces that have already crossed the line from current to canonical, and they define the standard we apply to everything in this selection.

Our contemporary selection is also the most dynamic part of our boutique — the one that changes most rapidly as new consignments arrive from clients who bought recently and are ready to move on, and as we acquire pieces from designer and brand stocks that allow us to offer current-season pieces at genuinely competitive prices. It is the part of our selection most likely to surprise you on any given visit, and the one that most directly reflects the fashion moment we are all living through together.

Our contemporary categories

Contemporary bags

The bags that are defining the current moment in luxury fashion: the Jacquemus Chiquito and Bambino in their most recent and most sought-after seasonal colorways, the Loewe Puzzle in its latest material explorations, the Bottega Veneta Cassette and Jodie under Matthieu Blazy, the Celine 16 and Triomphe under Hedi Slimane, the Saint Laurent Loulou and Niki under Anthony Vaccarello, the Prada Re-Edition in its most recent iterations. Also the more accessible contemporary bags — from Polène, Strathberry, DeMellier and other quality contemporary producers — that offer design intelligence and genuine leather quality at price points below the major houses. Every bag authenticated, every bag honestly graded, every bag chosen because it represents genuine value relative to its current retail equivalent.

Contemporary ready-to-wear

Current and recent season clothing from the houses and labels that are setting the contemporary fashion agenda: Matthieu Blazy's early collections at Chanel, Sabato De Sarno's first seasons at Gucci, Alessandro Michele's Valentino debut, the continuing output of Jacquemus, Lemaire, The Row, Acne Studios and the other houses whose work we have consistently championed. Also the contemporary Belgian design scene — new collections from the designers who carry the Antwerp tradition forward — and the most interesting contemporary ready-to-wear labels whose pieces combine design ambition with the material quality that justifies a serious purchase. Every piece chosen because it will still feel relevant and wearable years from the season in which it was made.

Contemporary shoes

The footwear that the most considered dressers are choosing right now: The Attico's Devon and Friday mules from the most recent seasons, Bottega Veneta's Pudding and Stretch mules under Blazy, the Loewe Campo sneaker and Terra boot, Jacquemus's sculptural seasonal footwear, and the most interesting current output of the specialist shoe houses — Manolo Blahnik, Aquazzura, Gianvito Rossi — that continue to produce footwear of genuine design intelligence and craft. Every pair authenticated and condition-graded with the same rigour we apply to our most historic archive pieces.

Contemporary accessories

The jewellery, scarves, belts and small leather goods from the current creative seasons of the houses we carry, alongside the most compelling output of the contemporary accessory specialists: Completedworks and Sophie Buhai jewellery, the current Acne Studios scarf and knitwear programme, the Loewe Anagram accessory collection under Blazy, the Bottega Veneta small leather goods in the newest leathers and colourways. Also the contemporary fine jewellery designers whose work represents a genuinely modern approach to precious materials — designers whose pieces are already appearing on the secondary market as their cultural significance is recognised.

Contemporary Belgian design

A particular focus within our contemporary selection, reflecting our fifty years of commitment to the Belgian design scene: recent collections from Dries Van Noten before his 2024 retirement, the early work of Julian Klausner who succeeds him, the continuing output of the younger generation of Belgian and Brussels-based designers, and the most interesting current work from the broader Antwerp and Brussels fashion community. This is a territory we know better than any other boutique in Belgium, and our contemporary Belgian selection reflects that depth of knowledge and longstanding relationship with the design community.

How we evaluate contemporary pieces

Evaluating a contemporary pre-owned piece requires a specific combination of current market knowledge, authentication expertise and editorial judgement. Here are the 7 criteria we apply to every piece in our contemporary selection.

1. Authentication and attribution

Contemporary pieces are among the most actively counterfeited in the pre-owned market, precisely because their demand is highest while they are current. We apply our full authentication process to every contemporary piece, cross-referencing labels, serial numbers, authentication markers and construction details against our continuously updated database of confirmed authentic examples — which is most current for the most recent seasons.

2. Current market value assessment

For contemporary pieces, current market value is more dynamic than for archive pieces and requires active tracking of secondary market platforms, auction results and boutique retail pricing. We price every contemporary piece against a current market assessment, ensuring that our pricing reflects genuine value relative to both new retail and competing secondhand sources.

3. Condition grading with particular rigour

Contemporary pieces that have been worn present condition issues that are more recent and therefore more visible than those of well-aged archive pieces. We apply particularly detailed condition grading to contemporary pieces, noting any wear, marks or condition factors with the specificity that recent pieces require.

4. Design longevity assessment

Not every piece that is currently desirable is worth acquiring for the long term. We assess every contemporary piece for the design qualities — material intelligence, construction ambition, aesthetic coherence — that will keep it relevant beyond its current season of hype. Pieces that we judge to be primarily trend-dependent rather than genuinely well-designed do not enter our contemporary selection, regardless of their current demand.

5. Seasonal positioning

We assess where each contemporary piece sits in its specific seasonal arc — whether it is from a collection that is still current, recently past or beginning to enter archive territory — and price and present it accordingly. A piece from two seasons ago that is already becoming collectible is presented differently from a piece that is simply recent.

6. Brand and creative direction context

Contemporary pieces must be understood in the context of the specific creative direction that produced them. A first-season piece from a new creative director at a major house carries a different significance from a mid-tenure piece from the same director. We provide this context for every contemporary piece in our selection.

7. Wearability and versatility

A contemporary piece that works only with other pieces from the same season is not genuinely useful — it is a fashion illustration rather than a wardrobe foundation. We assess every contemporary piece for its wearability across contexts and its compatibility with the broader wardrobe, and we only bring into our selection pieces that we believe will serve a new owner well across multiple seasons of wear.

Our commitment: at Les Enfants d'Édouard, every contemporary piece is authenticated with the same rigour we apply to our most historic archive pieces, priced against a current market assessment, and presented with the honest condition grading and editorial context that allows you to make a fully informed decision. Every authenticated piece comes with our certificate of authenticity.

Why buy contemporary pre-owned rather than new

The case for buying contemporary pieces pre-owned rather than new at retail is straightforward and grows stronger every season. First, price: a piece that retailed for €1,200 six months ago and is now available in excellent condition at €700–€850 represents a saving that compounds across an entire wardrobe built this way. Second, availability: pieces that sold out at boutiques are frequently available pre-owned within months of their original release, often in sizes and colorways that were never restocked. Third, immediacy: no waiting lists, no boutique relationship requirements, no seasonal allocation limitations — the piece is simply available, authenticated and ready to be owned. Fourth, sustainability: buying a pre-owned piece rather than a new one does not generate the environmental cost of new production. And fifth, intelligence: a piece that has already survived its first owner and remains in excellent condition has already demonstrated the durability that is the most reliable indicator of genuine quality.

For those wishing to consign recent contemporary pieces from their own wardrobe, we offer an expert evaluation and consignment service with rapid turnaround for current-season pieces. Please contact our team: +32 (2) 640 42 45 or via our consignment page.

The contemporary houses we follow most closely

Chanel under Matthieu Blazy

Blazy's first collections at Chanel — presented from autumn-winter 2025 onward — represent one of the most anticipated creative transitions in contemporary luxury fashion. His background at Bottega Veneta, his craft-led approach and his deep respect for the house's heritage suggest a creative direction of genuine interest. We follow his early output closely and will build our contemporary Chanel selection around the pieces from his tenure that demonstrate the most enduring design intelligence.

Gucci under Sabato De Sarno

De Sarno's quieter, more restrained Gucci — a deliberate counterpoint to Alessandro Michele's maximalism — is producing pieces of genuine wearability and material quality, with a particular strength in leather goods and footwear. His early collections are already appearing on the pre-owned market and we assess each season's output with care.

Valentino under Alessandro Michele

Michele's arrival at Valentino in 2024 brought his signature romantic maximalism to a house with a couture tradition capable of sustaining it. His first collections are among the most discussed in contemporary fashion and their most significant pieces are already entering the pre-owned market.

The Row, Lemaire, Jacquemus, Acne Studios

The four independent houses whose contemporary output we follow most closely, season after season, for the consistency of their design intelligence and the genuine quality of their materials and construction. New pieces from each house enter our contemporary selection regularly, typically within one to three seasons of their original boutique availability.

The Belgian contemporary scene

Julian Klausner's early collections as Dries Van Noten's successor, the continuing work of the established Belgian designers, and the most interesting output of the younger generation of Antwerp and Brussels-based designers. This is the territory we know best of all, and our contemporary Belgian selection reflects fifty years of close engagement with one of fashion's most intellectually serious design traditions.

Our contemporary selection in Brussels, avenue Louise

Our boutique Les Enfants d'Édouard, 175 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, carries a continuously updated contemporary selection across all categories — the most dynamic and most rapidly changing part of our offering. New contemporary pieces arrive throughout the week, are authenticated and prepared within days of arrival, and go on sale in the boutique and online simultaneously. The contemporary selection you see today will be meaningfully different next week.

We welcome you Tuesday to Saturday to browse and discover — the contemporary selection in particular rewards regular visits, as the most desirable pieces move quickly. For focused contemporary searches, we offer private appointments outside regular opening hours during which our team can prepare a focused selection based on your specific houses, categories and requirements.

Frequently asked questions about our contemporary selection

Discover also

Looking for something contemporary?

Browse our current contemporary selection or book a private appointment with our team on avenue Louise — we will find what you are looking for, or tell you when it arrives.

• ✓ Guaranteed authentication: every piece certified
• ✓ Current market pricing: assessed against live secondary market data
• ✓ Continuously updated: new pieces added throughout the week
• ✓ Secure delivery: Belgium, France, Europe
• ✓ 14-day returns: satisfaction guaranteed
• ✓ Boutique at 175 Avenue Louise: 1050 Brussels — open Tuesday to Saturday