Women's magazines in Belgium in French and Dutch

The Belgian women's press includes weeklies such as Femmes d'Aujourd'hui, Libelle and Flair, monthlies such as Gael and Elle Belgique, and the feminist magazine axelle, in French and in Dutch, with free websites and digital subscriptions.

Weeklies rooted in family life

Femmes d'Aujourd'hui for French speakers and Libelle for Flemish readers long accompanied Belgian households with recipes, sewing, health and readers' letters. These twentieth-century weeklies have evolved into websites that mix practical advice, personal stories and social issues.

Which titles for which readers?

Flair, published in French and Dutch editions, targets a younger audience with fashion and culture. Gael and its Flemish counterpart Feeling are more upmarket monthlies, while Elle Belgique adapts the international brand to the Brussels and Walloon market.

One brand, two language newsrooms

Several titles exist in two editions, written separately for Flanders and for French-speaking Belgium. Topics, featured designers and shop addresses often differ between the edition aimed at Antwerp or Ghent and the one aimed at Brussels or Liège.

Regional sections and local listings

Regional dailies such as Sudinfo, L'Avenir and Het Belang van Limburg publish profiles of women entrepreneurs, fair listings and local initiatives. The local Walloon press often highlights women's associations active in Charleroi, Namur or Mons.

Blogs, newsletters and Instagram accounts

Women's magazine websites send out themed newsletters and post content on Instagram, TikTok or as podcasts. Creators in Brussels and Antwerp have also built their own online media, often on the border between journalism, consumer advice and commercial partnership.

axelle and the feminist press

The magazine axelle, published by the Vie Féminine movement, covers women's rights, work, violence and public policy from a feminist angle. On the Flemish side, community media and sections of De Morgen or De Standaard also report on gender equality.

Equality and public institutions

The Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, created in 2002, publishes reports and opinions regularly picked up by Belga and the dailies. The press also recalls that Belgian women only won the right to vote in parliamentary elections in 1948.

Programmes and podcasts on RTBF and VRT

RTBF and VRT devote magazine shows, documentaries and podcasts to women's health, motherhood, careers and equal pay. This content, available on Auvio and VRT MAX, is a useful complement to the printed magazine press for readers in Belgium and abroad.

Health, family and consumer matters

Le Ligueur, published by the Ligue des familles, covers parenting, schooling and family leave, while the consumer protection association Test-Achats rates cosmetics and everyday products, topics that feature prominently in the Belgian women's press.

Independence from advertisers

Fashion, beauty and luxury fund a large share of these magazines, which can influence the choice of products featured. The Council for Journalistic Ethics and the Raad voor de Journalistiek insist that advertising and partnerships must be clearly identified.

Subscriptions, e-newsstands and fact-checking

Belgian women's weeklies are sold at newsstands, by subscription and often in digital form on online newsstands. For celebrity or showbiz news, the Belgian celebrity press is worth cross-checking against a general news daily.

Belgian fashion and design in the spotlight

The magazines closely follow designers trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and at La Cambre in Brussels, two renowned schools. Fashion weeks, concept stores and local brands take up a regular place in their pages.

Reading the Belgian women's press from abroad

1. Pick a weekly, Femmes d'Aujourd'hui in French or Libelle in Dutch, for practical news and social topics.
2. Sign up for the Flair or Gael newsletters to receive the week's fashion, culture and outings selection.
3. Read axelle for a feminist take on women's rights and Belgian public policy.
4. Consult the reports of the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men when the press quotes a figure.
5. Listen to RTBF or VRT podcasts on health, work and family life.
6. Check that a beauty or fashion article is not a commercial partnership before following a shopping recommendation.

Access to Belgian women's titles

Key facts on the women's press in Belgium

• Languages: French and Dutch, with several bilingual brands
• Weeklies: Femmes d'Aujourd'hui, Libelle, Flair
• Monthlies: Gael, Feeling, Elle Belgique
• Feminist press: axelle, published by Vie Féminine
• Institution: Institute for the Equality of Women and Men
• Subscription currency: euro; time zone: Central European Time

Reading traps in women's magazines

• Taking a sponsored beauty article for an independent test, when the partnership label only appears at the bottom of the page.
• Believing an ad that imitates a well-known magazine to promote a miracle diet or cream, a common scam on social media.
• Passing on an old pay gap figure without checking its date and source, usually the Equality Institute or Statbel.
• Confusing an opinion column or a personal account with journalistic reporting based on several sources.
• Assuming that the Flemish and French-language editions of the same title publish exactly the same articles.

Questions about Belgian women's magazines