Bursting with energy, Inge Onsea bounds into the Essentiel Antwerp store in London’s Sloane Square, the vibrant heart of the fashion label she co-founded just over 25 years ago.
Despite the Belgian brand's global reach – it is now in more than 40 countries, with around 40 standalone stores – Inge remains refreshingly down-to-earth, greeting the sales assistants by name and radiating the same warmth and energy that helped build the brand from the ground up.
After we preview the spring/summer 2025 collection, which Inge wears in this exclusive photoshoot, the businesswoman, who is very much the face of her label, tells HELLO! about her recently renovated three-storey apartment in Antwerp’s Graanmarkt Square, where the shoot takes place.
The building, which dates from 1870 and has an eclectic architectural style including neo-classical and art nouveau influences, sits directly opposite Essentiel Antwerp's headquarters, which is convenient for Inge's vast archive of clothes.
''Having everything close by is a real advantage,'' she says. ''I have an entire floor in the building just for my wardrobe. Every couple of months, I go through it and pull pieces out – I've got the most incredible Thierry Muglers and Yohji Yamamoto pieces in there.''
Unplanned success
The 55-year-old creative director tells us that when she and her now former husband Esfan Eghtessadi, a French-Iranian former wholesales manager for classic Belgian brand Mer Du Nord and the son of designer Nicole Cadine, launched Essentiel Antwerp, it was ''without a plan''.
Falling in love with colour after spending five years in Mumbai in the early 1990s and rebelling against the mostly monochrome fashion palette of the time, the duo produced a collection off our T-shirts in 20 different colourways. It grew into a fully-fledged brand offering clothing, accessories and footwear in just six seasons.
Although they are no longer married, the pair remain business partners, friends and co-parents to their sons, Ishan, 21, and 20-year-old Azar.
For three years, they alternated between the triplex apartment where Inge now resides and the family home, a former French consulate on the fringes of the city.
''The children would stay in the house,'' Inge says. ''But after three years, we thought: 'What shall we do?' Esfan asked me to choose between the properties. I chose the apartment; it's nice to try something new and not stay in the same house.''
Renovations took around two years, with the property being completely gutted. Inge worked with close friend Gert Voorjans, the interior designer who was also responsible for fellow Antwerp-based designer Dries Van Noten's worldwide store interiors and for Grade II-listed Downe House, Sir Mick Jagger’s former residence on Richmond Hill in London.
''I thought it was great, because for the first time in my life, I could decide everything. I didn't have to ask my partner: 'Do you like this?' It was a luxury; I could choose for myself exactly what I wanted and there was no compromise,'' she smiles.
''‘It was very much like designing a collection, mixing and matching different fabrics and colours''
Storied history
Gert, who also assisted Inge and Esfan with their home’s interior design, has a keen understanding of her tastes. ''We started with a mood board and I think we only had four or five meetings,'' she says.
''It was very much like designing a collection, mixing and matching different fabrics and colours – I'm very good with colours. And he made my little paradise. I love it.''
The buildings on the square are considered architectural landmarks. With their white natural-stone facades, sleek curves and tiered levels, they feature three bays and continuous balconies that emphasise horizontal lines and openness.
Off the curved bay window on the third storey of Inge's building is a beautiful terrace with views of the Boerentoren, Europe’s first skyscraper, as well as Antwerp’s 1930s police headquarters, designed by Belgian architect Geo Bontinck.
''The terrace has been turned into a lush green oasis, complete with custom cushions by Gert. With the large windows fully open, the interior and exterior flow seamlessly into one another,'' she says.
Many of the original details of the property’s interior have been sympathetically preserved: the beautiful wooden floors, ornate mouldings, the core architectural structure - and the soaring high ceilings that give the space such grandeur.
Inge likes to keep things neat and uncluttered. She and Gert carefully sourced choice pieces of furniture and objects for the property.
Learning that less is more
''What’s really important is that I don't want to overdo my house. I don’t have a lot of cupboards, for example, because otherwise I fill them up, and I don’t want this any more. I think it's really nice to live without too much clutter,'' she says.
One of Inge's favourite online interior shops is AtKris Studio, a beautifully curated destination for vintage 20th-century design.
Based in the Netherlands, AtKris specialises in distinctive pieces from acclaimed designers such as Gio Ponti and Hans Wegner.
''It's small and curated. It's run by a Dutchwoman called Christa, who has perfect taste in vintage furniture,'' Inge says.
Standout pieces include a couch upholstered in the same fabric used inside Elton John’s private jet in the 1970s, adding a subtle retro touch. In Inge's living room, a collection of 20 large turquoise Malakita crystals, sourced from East Africa, line the shelves. They bring not only colour and texture to the space, but also an unexpected energy.
''They’re beautiful,'' she says. ''People told me that you need to be careful with crystals and I honestly didn't believe it, but trust me, now I do. They carry an intense energy – so much so that we experienced some disturbances when they first arrived.
''We had a guru come in to help tone down their power. Now, the energy is more balanced. They're known to help release negative energy, build inner strength and support positive transformation,'' she adds.
The round modular sofa is a showstopper. ''It was sourced by interior designers Jean-Philippe Demeyer & Co. It's a piece from the 1980s and incredibly versatile, perfect for hosting and rearranging during events,'' she says.
Inge, a former backing singer, magician’s assistant and showroom model for Max Mara and Thierry Mugler, is a natural entertainer. ''I love parties and I love to dance, but I cannot cook,'' she says.
Always party season
Most evenings, she orders food from Bourla, the brasserie on the ground floor of the building. ''I place my order and they put it in the lift for me,'' she laughs.
Her parties, we are told, are legendary. She even books a DJ. ''Yes, I go that far,'' she says. ''When people visit, they know my tablescapes will be beautiful. There will be great wine and good music, but I'll say: 'Here's your menu; what do you want?'
''Food is not important for a party; what is important is a good mix of people, and I'm quite well known for having a very good mix of people. I like them old, young, rich, poor…''
Essentiel Antwerp has London stores at 27a Sloane Squareand 30 Hampstead High Street. Visit essentiel-antwerp.com.