HOW DID WE GET HERE
A family story...
La Movida began in 1988, when Michele De Maertelaere turned one big freelance job into something bigger: a creative agency. But even as it grew, she held onto what made her tick — working like a free spirit, staying curious, and always moving forward.
With roots in both graphic and interior design, Michele gave La Movida its dual identity from day one: one foot in strategy, the other in style.
Enter Maximilien — her son, who once swore he’d take a different path. Numbers, business, sports, science. And yet… life had its own design in mind.
In 2014, everything clicked. Michele fell for a crumbling 17th-century convent house in the heart of Ghent. She invited her children, Maximilien and Charlotte, to help reimagine it. The result was Île En Ville — a concept house blending food, design, fashion, and art. It was bold, beautiful, and wildly personal.
From that spark came Elle&M’s, the design studio that proved we could handle full-scale renovations with taste and edge. Clients didn’t just see our style — they felt it. And they wanted more.
Two worlds, one vision
By 2018, the next evolution took shape. Charlotte followed her own creative path, while Michele and Maximilien leaned fully into their shared vision — merging branding, strategy, and interiors into one powerful creative force.
Michele leads with emotion, aesthetics, and intuition. Maximilien brings structure, business sense, and the drive to scale. Together, they united Elle&M’s and La Movida into one creative studio with one mission: to build brands and spaces that move people.
La Movida today
We’re not just a creative studio.
We strive for a mindset. A movement. A place where strategy meets style, and where passion meets precision.
We don’t just design things — we build stories, shape experiences, and help brands step into who they’re meant to be and showcase that to their current and future audiences.
So if you’re ready to create something that turns heads, stirs hearts, and lasts longer than some trends.
Let’s move.
La Movida. Let’s do it with passion.
