Brussels-based designer Kenza Taleb Vandeput is one of the figures at the forefront of the cultural renaissance the city has been experiencing as of late. Embodying the rich cultural mosaic made up by her dual Algerian and Belgian heritage, Kenza’s work oscillates between the themes of decoloniality, multiculturality, and inclusivity in a sustainable way, where tradition is celebrated while meeting rebellion and innovation. Through her independent slow-fashion label, Kasbah Kosmic, she aims to challenge fast fashion’s exploitative and unsustainable systems, offering an alternative rich in storytelling and intent where art and activism intersect.
Kenza’s work speaks for itself. If you were among the festival-goers at this year’s Horst, you could testify to that. Her Soit pas trop flag installation overlooked the crowds as it covered a sixteen-metre-high old antenna in Asiat Park, forming a structure that was inspired by the minaret of a mosque. If you somehow missed the giant structure, you could see the likes of Josh Caffé, TaliaBle, and Lefto Early Bird wearing her custom-made pieces.
During the festival frenzy, we met with Kenza amidst her ongoing six-month residency at Horst at her creative space and hub for the past couple of months. Surrounded by garments, boxes of upcycled materials, and her work stations, we sat down with her to share our love of Horst, Brussel’s creative scene, and slow fashion.
For readers who are not familiar with you or your work yet, how would you introduce yourself?
My name is Kenza Taleb Vandeput and I’m from Brussels – half Algerian, half Belgian –, and I founded Kasbah Cosmic in 2019. It’s a solo fashion brand that talks about identity, cultural empowerment, and sustainability. I’m now at Horst as a resident exploring my life as a multidisciplinary artist, I guess (laughs).
We're currently in your studio, right next to the entrance. Is this where you make most of your stuff right now for the residency?
This is where the magic happens, yes. The main studio next door is a stock full of old clothes and t-shirts and fabrics and stuff like that.
Have you been making stuff while the festival has been going on?
The last two days, we’ve dressed most of the artists, but we’re not sewing anything. Everything was ready. I have interns, thank God (laughs).
Talk to me a bit about your involvement and your experience with Horst festival this year.
I came one year ago to the park for a talk, and I knew Horst for a long time. I mean, everybody knows Horst in Belgium, it's one of the best, maybe the best festival. After my talk, I just felt like I had to be there. I was finishing my old residency, and then I met with the people from the organisation and told them that I was interested in a residency with them.
It’s the first time for them to have someone in fashion, and it’s a really good match. The idea was to do an installation that would be showcased at the festival and go on for the next three months, but also, to connect with the community through workshops and the work to just take place in the space. It’s a lot of new energy going on and I’m learning new things working with people I've never worked before. Also, it's super interesting, it's like every day is an exploration.
It’s the first time for them to have someone in fashion, and it’s a really good match. The idea was to do an installation that would be showcased at the festival and go on for the next three months, but also, to connect with the community through workshops and the work to just take place in the space. It’s a lot of new energy going on and I’m learning new things working with people I've never worked before. Also, it's super interesting, it's like every day is an exploration.
What would you say has been the highlight of Horst for you so far?
The moment the installation was finished. Also got some moments with the team that were really nice, especially through the club, because they open the club during the year. They throw really, really good parties. And the club is next to my studio!
I wanted to ask you about Belgium, and Brussels specifically, as a cultural hub. We’ve been learning for the past few days about how it’s having some sort of cultural renaissance, especially after Covid, with all these artists moving in. How does the city inspire you or even compel you to do your work in that sense?
Like you said, Brussels is finally becoming ‘the moment’. People were always looking at Paris and London, and they would only come to Brussels for business or for the European Commission. Now, I feel something’s going on. You see a lot more diversity in the scene, in the institution, in the arts, and that excites me. It gives me more credit to do what I'm doing and the freedom to work around decoloniality a bit more.
Despite that diversity, I’d say it’s still quite local. A lot of these artists that are coming up are from Belgium. Why do you think that is?
I think it’s a mindset. If you go to a place like Paris, it’s more competitive. In Brussels, we’re not like this. My friends, when they come, they’re like, you people are so chill! People are really friendly and we should even be prouder of it. We have a lot of people doing great stuff but still very humble in a way, and that’s why I think it’s a good place in the art scene.
You mentioned you have Algerian and Belgian heritage. How does that multiculturality reflect in your work as well as in your worldview?
It’s the core of the narrative of the brand. Just the name, Kasbah Cosmic, is based on the Casbah, which is the city centre of a North African city. The cosmic is more related to the Belgian side of my father, because we were passionate about astronomy. By making Casbah Cosmic, I try to show the hybridity of culture, it's something very important in all my work. That's also why I'm using upcycling, because it allows me to assemble stuff that has different culture and history together. I'm using a lot of symbols, but also people, like Iman Khalif, the Algerian boxer — I made a t-shirt for her. So, it’s a way of being proud of and working around my culture.
Exploring themes such as decoloniality with the current state of the world, how does a festival like Horst foster resistance and encourage pride?
By supporting artists who are into the decolonial mindset and giving them the space and the support. They also work for the community here around the park. The club scene has taken so much from marginalised people that it’s now a moment to give back. I can feel that they want to support, even though there could still be more diversity. I see a lot of improvement and a lot of desire to change things. There’s no taste without resistance and activism in the music scene, it’s just flat.
Soulless.
Right.
Going back to upcycling. How do you source your materials and what textures do you like working with specifically?
I have a lot of stock, so I don't even know. I’ve been collecting a lot since a long time ago. I collected a lot of second hand stuff when I was doing pop-ups before, but if I want something very specific, I know where to go. It can be a warehouse, it can be people that are selling second hand stuff, specific websites where you can find, I don't know, old curtains.
For upcycling, I love to work with curtains and furniture fabric because they always have a lot of density, they're very heavy and the prints are always amazing. They're also easy to re-stitch and recut — you need good quality to upcycle. You can’t cut whatever you want. I’m not working with Zara shit, you know? It doesn’t work. You cut it out and it’s gone. You need good quality to do upcycling, and it’s something that we don’t find as much anymore. It’s starting to be a bit scary even.
For upcycling, I love to work with curtains and furniture fabric because they always have a lot of density, they're very heavy and the prints are always amazing. They're also easy to re-stitch and recut — you need good quality to upcycle. You can’t cut whatever you want. I’m not working with Zara shit, you know? It doesn’t work. You cut it out and it’s gone. You need good quality to do upcycling, and it’s something that we don’t find as much anymore. It’s starting to be a bit scary even.
How do you think that problem can be tackled then?
It comes from fast fashion. We had a lot of good vintage five years ago, but now it's an invasion of Shein and Zara. I had never seen Zara before in a secondhand shop and now there’s a lot of Shein too. Those pieces are made to be worn once, that’s it, so they shouldn’t be back there, ugh.
What's next for Kasbah Cosmic?
I’m staying here until September because they extended the residency. Next week is the opening of the exhibition in the park because the installation will last for three months. Then, I'm going to London for a festival that represents Arab culture, and then I’m going to rest (laughs). In September, I have an exhibition in Ohio, US. I hope it ends up happening with everything that’s going on there. It’s a super decolonial exhibition, so, I think the curator is not allowed to go. But I really want to. We’ll see. It’s also my first time as an exhibitor in the US. I did pop-ups, but not an exhibition. Fingers crossed.
Lastly, throwing in a music-oriented question. What or who have you been listening to lately?
Just today, I went to see Lefto. I dressed him as well. He’s an institution in Belgium, so known. He’s kind of the boss in music — he’s really, really good.
