Julius Persoone creates exclusive praline collection for Delvaux: ‘Only 400 guests taste them during Paris Fashion Week’

Last year, the still only 25-year-old Persoone took his first steps into the fashion world with his creations in chocolate. At the time, the Antwerp Fashion Museum (MoMu) knocked on his door to make pralines from 12 iconic designs and he worked with big names such as Walter Van Beirendonck, Raf Simons, Ann De Meulemeester … Now he is going international and is heading to Paris Fashion Week (23 September – 1 October) with Belgian brand Delvaux. ‘About a year ago, I received an email from Delvaux,’ he says. ‘Whether we could talk about a collaboration sometime. Probably they had seen my work for MoMu, it gave them ideas. Of course I wanted to talk. Fashion interests me AND it’s a Belgian brand. Cool. Shortly afterwards, a delegation visited us in Bruges, to taste and brainstorm.’

The result: the idea to create three exclusive chocolates inspired by Delvaux’s new handbag collection to be released in summer 2025. On Wednesday 25 September, it was presented during Paris Fashion Week. ‘The 400 guests all received a box with three times two chocolates,’ Julius said by phone after the presentation. ‘While they were shown the handbags, they could eat the matching praline. They are only for that moment and so will not be sold. For the happy few as it is called. Who are they? I heard Rihanna was there, maybe the Kardashians too. Or Anna Wintour. The guests came by all day and there was a queue of paparazzi at the door just as long. The very idea of such famous people eating my chocolates is quite an honour.’