Shop life
A concept store in Ixelles: what you'll find at Lära
A concept store in Ixelles isn't a list of shelves: it's a point of view. Here's mine, on Rue Lanfray, between carefully chosen objects and natural wines.
By Lara — published on 2026-06-02
People often ask me what "concept store" actually means. For me, the answer fits in one sentence: every object on a shelf here has been chosen one by one, because it has a story, a material, and a reason to exist. Nothing arrives by chance, and nothing stays just to bulk out the volume.
A place, not an aisle
Lära lives at one address: Rue Lanfray 15, a stone's throw from Flagey, behind the Sainte-Croix church. It's a physical shop, with a door you push open, light that shifts through the day, and someone behind the counter to answer "it's a gift, but I don't know what for".
The online shop exists, but it comes second. What I really do happens here: holding a bowl in your hand, smelling a candle, opening a bottle so you can taste a winemaker's style before you take it home.
What you'll find at Lära
Design objects and Belgian and European craft, tableware, decoration, vases and bud vases, candles and diffusers, lighting, books and desk objects.
And then a selection of natural wines, alcohol-free bubbles for those who want to toast differently, and gift cards for when attention is there but the idea isn't.
How I choose
I look first at who makes it. A workshop, a name, a material I can explain. Then I check whether the object holds up: in the hand, over time, in a kitchen used every day.
I'd rather have fifteen beautiful pieces than a hundred interchangeable references. That's what lets you walk into Lära without looking for anything specific and still leave with exactly the right thing.
Why Ixelles, why Flagey
Flagey is a neighbourhood that walks, talks, and takes its time on a terrace. That's exactly the rhythm of a shop like mine: you come in for a gift, you stay to talk about an Austrian winemaker or a Belgian ceramicist.
If you don't know the neighbourhood yet, allow yourself plenty of time: Flagey is as much to be lingered in as walked through.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the Lära concept store in Ixelles?
- Rue Lanfray 15, 1050 Ixelles, behind the Sainte-Croix church, a few minutes from Place Flagey.
- Do I need to book an appointment to visit?
- No, the shop is open access during opening hours. For a longer gift consultation or a special order, a call beforehand helps to find the right moment.
- Can a gift be wrapped in the shop?
- Yes, just mention it at the till: wrapping is part of the pleasure of giving.
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