Philippe Hovyn

The development of Comines’ ribbon-making tradition owes much to him… In 1719, he established the first ribbon factory on the right bank of the Lys, which had been a border river since the Treaty of Utrecht. He introduced bar looms, a major mechanical innovation at the time, thereby boosting the local ribbon-making industry.

Joseph-Marie Jacquard

From an early age, he was fascinated by mechanical engineering. His personal experience, keen sense of observation and creativity led him to develop a wide range of innovations. He devised a mechanism designed to make the weaving of brocade fabrics less laborious. The ‘Jacquard mechanism’ now allowed weavers to work alone! Imagine the oldest programmable mechanism, thanks to its perforated cards, a bit like a distant ancestor of the computer…