For a nation as minor and ordinary as Belgium, the country punches quiet well above its capacity when it comes to fashion heritage, thanks in no part to Antwerp and the legendary Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The world renowned institution gave birth to the careers many famous and successful designers which include the likes of Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Kriss Van Assche, whereas Dior director and the fearlessly challenging designer Raf Simons are still drawing inspiration from Antwerp today.

For a city with such affluent history, Antwerp is continuing to make its mark on the world thanks to the hard work and the efforts of its truly legendary avant-garde designers. It hardly comes as a surprise that the city's retail stock includes virtually every prominent fashion label under the sun.

The top stores in the city include -

Ann Demeulemeester - The minimalistic-white two-story boutique is home to Ann Demeulemeester's complete collections for the men and the women. Address: Leopold de Waelplaats, 2000 Antwerpen

Dries Van Noted - One of the most successful designer from Belgium, Dries Van Noten's huge centrally-located flagship store consists of both his and her lines. Address: Nationalestraat 16, 2000 Antwerpen

Walter - With its classy interiors and luscious art installations, going to Walter is like visiting a museum. The massive space carries designs from Walter Van Beirendonck's and other internationally renowned designers. Address: Sint-Antoniusstraat 12, 2000 Antwerpen

Some of the other prominent stores include Stephan Schneider, Ra, Sien, Rosier 41 And Labels Inc.