As Special Guest of MAD Parcours 2026, AFC Collection hosts a conference at MAD Brussels exploring the question: Who decides what matters in contemporary design? The designer who imagines a piece, the gallery that selects it, the editor who brings it to life, or the retailer who introduces it to the public?

For WHO DECIDES WHAT MATTERS? Four Perspectives on Contemporary Design, AFC Collection brings together four key voices from the design world: Linde Freya Tangelder, designer and founder of Destroyers/Builders; Scott Lippens, gallery owner and founder of Uppercut; Veerle Wenes, co-founder and artistic director of valerie_objects; and Augustin Bown, co-founder and artistic director of AFC Collection.

Through their complementary perspectives on design, galleries, publishing and retail, the speakers will explore the forces that shape the recognition and value of a creation. How do taste, intuition, selection and commercial considerations influence the way we perceive contemporary design? Why do some objects immediately capture our attention, while others need time to be understood and appreciated?

Join us for an engaging discussion about the people, choices and sensibilities that shape our relationship with design, and ultimately influence the objects we choose to bring into our homes. From November 12 to 30, AFC Collection will take over two vacant spaces on Rue Antoine Dansaert in Brussels, transforming them into showcases for Brussels-based and Belgian designers as part of MAD Parcours 2026. This initiative highlights the richness of the local design scene and offers a platform to discover the talent shaping contemporary design today.

Friday, November 13, 2026 | MAD Brussels

Doors open: 3:30 PM / Conference starts: 4 PM / Drinks at 5:30 PM at the AFC temporary showroom, 121 Rue Antoine Dansaert, Brussels.