About Zilton.
The specialist in men's trousers.
We are the foremost men’s trouser specialist for the active man who is demanding when it comes to comfort. Our mission? We design pants that fit your life. Striving for perfection is in our DNA and that is translated into trousers that make an impression in every area.
Our fits are as if they have been tailor-made, we make no compromises when it comes to quality fabrics with an exquisite feel and each fit has a surprising finish with a unique set of details. If you try a pair of Zilton’s on, you keep them on, that is our promise.
Over a century of craftsmanship.
Zilton is now an iconic men’s brand. An attitude. We have been designing trousers for men of the world since 1973, but our story began in the Ardooie of 1898. With caps.
1898.
It began with a cap maker who used his head.
Zilton’s roots go back to 1898. Victor Declercq and Marie Olivier, a couple from Ardooie, began to design and make caps. Victor literally used his head when looking for the perfect fit. They made quality and precision work their brand promise. After Victor’s death in 1917, Marie and her sons made it their mission to elevate a functional head covering to the status of a gentleman’s fashion accessory.
1926.
City Sport klakken.
In the 20s, the demand for good-looking caps grew enormously. Daniel, the grandson of Victor Declercq, opened the first major cap studio in 1926 and the brand name City Sport is born. During the Tour of Flanders cycling race in 1937, City Sport promotional vans can be seen and there is a City Sport klakkenwinkel - ‘cap shop’ - in practically every Belgian town.
1950.
Booming business.
The economy retreated during the war years, of course, and the consequences were also felt in the fashion industry. Within a couple of years of the end of the war, however, the stylishly designed cap was again booming business, and the studio of Daniel Declercq, now famous for his authentic craftsmanship, was working flat out.
1965.
Hippies don’t wear caps.
In the mid-60s, the cap began to lose ground. Men went by car more often and there was much less need of a head covering. The hippy movement abandoned the classic cap as the revolutionary youth began to grow its hair long and loose. Daniel saw his life’s work, and that of his father, hanging by a thread.
1973.
Never waste a good crisis.
At the start of the 70s, Daniel Declercq was forced to consider a new strategy. Under the motto ‘never waste a good crisis’, he came to the simple but brilliant conclusion that while not every man wore a cap, he did wear trousers.
Applying his experience in craftmanship, he designed his very first collection of trousers in 1973, launched under the name Oliver. The collection distinguished itself from the competition in the areas of fabric quality, fit and comfort. Daniel planted the seed of a concept that his son Paul would market as Zilton.
1996.
A strong Belgian brand.
In the 80s, Paul pursued his father’s life’s work just as passionately. In 1996 under the new name ‘Zilton’, the stylish men’s trousers became the core of the brand. What started around 100 years ago with caps was now a strong Belgian fashion house. Hats off, or, more accurately, caps off to him.
Today.
Zilton is an attitude.
Led by a strong design team, the men’s brand Zilton grew to become an iconic trouser label where the entire range makes an impression collection after collection. Zilton is an attitude. A trouser brand for self-assured men who don’t compromise when it comes to quality.