Exposition "Roubaix Génie Textile"

In 2026, Roubaix still rhymes with textiles!

From raw material manufacturers to training schools, via artists and garment makers... The industry is vibrant. From recently established structures to historic houses, from artisans and self-employed entrepreneurs to small and medium-sized enterprises, they contribute to Roubaix's identity as a textile city. They have forged a bond with the region, maintaining a special relationship with it, its inhabitants, and its history. Since deindustrialization, the industry has looked different than it did in the 19th and 20th centuries, when Roubaix was the "wool capital". Nevertheless, textiles continue to be part of the city's DNA and weave through its history. Proof of this is that over 70 textile players are currently based in Roubaix. They are involved in research and innovation, sustainable development, social integration, artistic creation, or the preservation of know-how and its transmission. Come and meet them! Higher education schools training the textile engineers and creators of tomorrow; major fashion and ready-to-wear brands born and still located in Roubaix; cutting-edge research and development centres; artisan garment makers with preserved know-how; artists using various techniques and mediums; dedicated residents with innovative ideas... You will find all this in Roubaix!

This exhibition offers an instantaneous glimpse into the richness and diversity of the players present in the area, like a textile snapshot of Roubaix in 2026, rooted in an undeniable industrial history and heritage. An exhibition presented by the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire department of the City of Roubaix. Exhibition opening (free, open to all): Friday, September 4, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.