This has been a difficult week for Brussels, but there are still reasons to smile, from one-in-a-million triplets and MEPs stopping in Disneyland to inclusive and innovative swimwear. Here's our round-up of positive news from around Belgium to kickstart your weekend.
Today's positive pick
When life gave her lemons, a Brussels-based entrepreneur decided to create her own clothing brand to inspire other women to stay active and hopeful.
Originally from Paris, Claire Baillet (52) has been living in Brussels for 20 years. Her career in business and marketing came to a halt after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
After an operation and hormone therapy, Baillet made a recovery but soon became aware of the lack of clothing to make her herself again. "I would go to the beach and the only thing I could wear was my swimsuit for the swimming pool and that's not what I wanted," she told The Brussels Times.
She wanted something fitting and feminine to feel comfortable in, but all the options she found were dark, dull and old-fashioned. "It can't be that in 2023 women can't feel feminine and not find anything they like."
Credit: Ikonō
Baillet took matters into her own hands and worked with patients and doctors at the Institute Jules Bordet in Brussels (specialising in oncology), asking for input from other women who had been through surgery. They all agreed that there was a clear lack of colourful and fashionable swimwear that also offered comfort and functionality.
This need gave birth to Ikonō in August 2023 – a brand developed alongside patients and a French luxury stylist. Products are made with recycled materials and the collection is produced in Barcelona. Currently available online and in medical, lifestyle and sustainable clothing stores across Belgium (in Brussels, Liège and Leuven) and France, Baillet hopes to branch out across Europe in the future.
Credit: Ikonō
Baillet stresses that her brand is not exclusively for women that have gone through cancer: "This swimwear is for every woman, whether they have had surgery or not, whether they wear prostheses or not. It is for anybody that has gone through a change."
"Everyone's bodies change at different ages, and the way that this swimwear is made brings extra stretch and functionality. It gives a harmonious silhouette but also is suitable for women that have gone through mastectomies, Caesarians or other surgeries."
The material also protects scar tissue from UV rays, meeting the needs of patients and all women in general.
'Active and empowered'
"The idea was to make women feel active and empowered, to keep moving and remain positive even after something like this. It's not the end of your life, it just happens. You have to keep going."
More than 10,000 people in Belgium are diagnosed with breast cancer, with the number rising to as high as 60,000 in France. This means that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the Bordet Institute.
"I wanted to encourage other women to stay positive and keep going, especially younger women," the entrepreneur says. She added that she spoke to a 34-year-old who admitted that the first time she cried was when she was unable to find any clothes to wear post-chemo and had lost all her confidence.
"That really resonated with me and motivated me to carry on with the project and make it happen."
Swimwear with a silver lining
It is clear that Claire has made something good out of a difficult period of her life, empowering women whose bodies have undergone major changes. She knew she wanted to start her own business for years, but if she had not been diagnosed with cancer herself, she admits that she would never have launched the collection.
Her illness shifted her priorities: "When you go through something like this, you reconsider what's important and where you want to focus your energy. This project has purpose: it's meaningful and helps women feel good, which is so important in the recovery phases."
Find more information on Ikonō's official website and Instagram.
Got some good news to share? Let @izzyvivs know!
Other happy stories from this week:
1. One in a million: Identical triplets born in Flemish hospital
The probability of identical triplets is estimated at one in a million. Yet when on such birth made headlines in the US, a couple in Limburg gave birth to identical triplets the very next day. Read more here.
2. MEPs en route to Strasbourg get diverted to Disneyland
A train that was due to take dozens of MEPs to Strasbourg on Monday took an unfortunate diversion via Disneyland Paris after a switching error. Read more here.
3. Survey reveals IKEA is Ghent's most successful restaurant
Not only beloved for its homeware, the Swedish furniture giant Ikea is also a hugely popular dining destination, with a recent survey finding that it serves more meals than any other restaurant in Ghent. Read more here.
4. Belgian researchers create cancer treatment with… tobacco
A Belgian biotechnology start-up has pioneered an innovative new treatment for certain types of cancers by using tobacco plants. The plants help create antibodies and chemotherapeutic substances. Read more here.
5. Flanders to spend €725,000 to tackle school poverty in Brussels
Thanks to the subsidy from the Flemish Community Commission, schools are able to cover various costs such as textbooks, materials, swimming, childcare, school outings, meals and even menstrual protection. Read more here.
