Veni, vici & frui. With some bubbles in one hand and tapas in the other I admired great work at Specht Studio last Thursday night. I was surrounded by young, creative, international people in a pleasant exhibition and workspace. What do you need more?
Specht Studio is a graphic design studio, a creative workspace and an exhibition room in Borgerhout. It is a creative hotspot where print and illustration fans can admire and buy new artwork from domestic and exterior (upcoming) talent.
“Specht … what an odd name” (ed. specht means woodpecker in Dutch) , I thought to myself. Wrong! Not if you know that the owner’s name is Stephanie – hold it – SPECHT! And boy, she isn’t the least. Stephanie is a graphic designer with a big international career. Her main emphasis is branding, book design and illustrative work. She has a distinctive style even by following the latest trends: feminine, honest and plastic. Her graphics are characterized by brisk colouring.
Stephanie designed for some well-known clients. She did a lot of branding, for instance for book and coffee bar Buchbar , artist Leon Vranken , Osar Architecten and Matters of Space (La based interior designers). Not only did she design her own book These 5 years (2012), Ugly Belgian Houses and Scandinavian designers at work are two other books on her repertory.
And it continues! The brand new design e-store Bezar , NY based textile-manufacturing company Divatex , NYC based gallery Picture Room and Canvas call for her graphic talent in the future.
I admired Stephanie’s work at the opening. It was well integrated and presented in the room. My favourite? Her design of the Ugly Belgian Houses book (Hannes Coudenys). I love Hannes’ work. He always has these crazy ideas, for instance his stunt for Mercedes, the like my ride project.
Architect Nicolas Petillon and Klein Agency furnished Specht Studio. The studio is hidden in an old warehouse. You have to enter a gate and pass some stairs and a courtyard to get there. It is a well-renovated building with a clean, hip, and Scandinavian interior. I’m fond of the white curtains and multiple plants. Her logo, a big blue ‘S’ flaunts by entering the room. Stephanie Specht shares the building, with several other creative entrepreneurs like textile designer Hermine Van Dijck, jewellery collective Studio Collect and the creative workspace De Plantage .
Specht Studio officially opened on Sunday the 12th of April. The other creative residents, Hermine Van Dijck , De Plantage and Studio Collect follow her lead and are open to public that day. Stephanie’s workspace and artwork can be admired and sold that day. Stephanie also launched a limited ‘Almöst Summer’ sweater and tote bag collection together with Yannick Vermeire , specially for the opening. Wow! The idea started in December 2014. They wanted to brighten up the dark winter days with some humour and warmth. I was one of the lucky few to already have a short glimpse of the collection and I loved it!
Don’t miss it!
Specht Studio
Leningstraat 19-21
2140 Borgerhout
Text by Lize Colson
Pics by Lize Colson