Is Essentiel Antwerp a Luxury Brand? Price, Quality and Where It Sits

The short answer: Essentiel Antwerp is a contemporary designer brand, not a heritage luxury house. It sits in the same tier as Stine Goya and Ganni: designer design and print, ready-to-wear prices, and clothes made to be worn hard rather than kept for best. Its winter pieces, such as the Burgundy cropped double-breasted blazer, use blends chosen for colour and comfort, with merino, cashmere and mohair in the knitwear. Shop the label on the Essentiel Antwerp page, read who is Essentiel Antwerp, and compare it with brands like Essentiel Antwerp.

Essentiel Antwerp is the Belgian label Inge Onsea and Esfan Eghtessadi founded in Antwerp in 1999. It started as a T-shirt line in twenty colours and grew into a full ready-to-wear house known for graphic print, bold colour and a sense of humour. It is an Antwerp brand in the commercial sense rather than the avant-garde one: it is not part of the Antwerp Six lineage of the Royal Academy, and it has never tried to be. Its point of difference is colour, print and wit.

Contemporary vs luxury: where does Essentiel Antwerp sit?

What are Essentiel Antwerp clothes made of?

The brand is open about fibres on every piece. This winter the off-shoulder sweaters are 55% merino wool, 40% polyamide and 5% cashmere; the floral jacquard sweaters are 50% mohair with acrylic and polyamide; the Black floral-print barrel-leg jeans are 100% cotton denim with a foil print. The tailoring is a stretch suiting that contains recycled polyester, and the cape tops and cape dress are 100% viscose. Coveti lists the full composition on each product page.

Is Essentiel Antwerp worth it?

If you want one statement piece that will be noticed every time you wear it, yes. The prints are designed in house and do not look like anyone else’s, and the tailoring has real structure: the Black trumpet-shaped tailored pants have pressed creases, cord topstitching and double-piped back pockets. Buy the print pieces for parties and holidays, and the tailoring for every week.

The pieces that show the quality best

1. Black off-shoulder sweater

Merino and cashmere rib with a wide fold-over neckline. A close fit and long sleeves keep it neat.

2. Black satin blazer mini dress

Tailoring seams front and back, slanted double-welt pockets and a self-fabric belt.

3. Black lace-trimmed maxi skirt

Lace borders and reversed box pleats on a cotton-blend base, with slit pockets.

Frequently asked questions

Is Essentiel Antwerp a luxury brand?

It is a contemporary designer brand. It offers original design and print at ready-to-wear prices, below designer luxury houses such as Khaite and The Row.

Who owns Essentiel Antwerp?

The label was founded in Antwerp in 1999 by Inge Onsea and Esfan Eghtessadi, and it is still associated with its founders.

Is Essentiel Antwerp a Belgian brand?

Yes. It is based in Antwerp, Belgium, where every collection is designed.

Which brands are similar to Essentiel Antwerp?

Stine Goya, La DoubleJ, Ganni and Alemais share its love of print and colour. See our full list of brands like Essentiel Antwerp.

Is Essentiel Antwerp good quality?

For its tier, yes. The knitwear uses merino, cashmere and mohair blends, the tailoring is lined and structured, and the brand publishes full fibre content for every piece.