Chocolatiers, designers put tasteful spin on Belgian catwalk with cocoa couture

Catwalk models might not allow themselves to eat much of it, but they were wearing plenty when 13 outfits made of chocolate went on display in Belgium.

The fashion parade was part of the annual Salon du Chocolat, which also features workshops and conferences on Belgian chocolate, which locals consider the best in the world.

Belgian chocolatier Frederic Blondeel, voted Brussels' best in 2018 by French gastronomy guide Gault Millau, teamed up with a Peruvian designer to create a Cleopatra-inspired gown adorned in chocolate pieces.

Some designers spent weeks sewing thousands of pieces of chocolate onto their dresses, while some gowns, such as one by chocolatier-designer duo Jean-Christophe Hubert and Giovanni Biasiolo, were made almost entirely from chocolate.

A model presents a chocolate-made dress creation during a fashion show of clothes made out of chocolate for the inaugural night of the sixth Chocolate Fair in Brussels, on February 21, 2019. (AFP Photo)

A model dressed in an outfit made with chocolate presents a creation at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

A model dressed in an outfit made with chocolate presents a creation at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

A model dressed in an outfit made with chocolate presents a creation at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

A model presents a chocolate-made dress creation during a fashion show of clothes made out of chocolate for the inaugural night of the sixth Chocolate Fair in Brussels, on February 21, 2019. (AFP Photo)

A model dressed in an outfit made with chocolate presents a creation at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

A model dressed in an outfit made with chocolate presents a creation at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium, February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

Chocolate-made creations representing heels shoes and bags are on display at the sixth Chocolate Fair in Brussels, on February 21, 2019. - The sixth Chocolate Fair will run from February 22, 2019 to February 24, 2019. (AFP Photo)

Chocolate-made creations representing game controllers are on display at the sixth Chocolate Fair in Brussels, on February 21, 2019. (AFP Photo)

A photo camera made of chocolate is seen at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium, February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

Shoes made of chocolate are seen at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium, February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

Figurines made of chocolate are seen at the "Le Salon du Chocolat - Chocoladesalon" chocolate fair, in Brussels, Belgium, February 21, 2019. (REUTERS Photo)

"There's steel and polystyrene but everything is coated in chocolate, with cocoa powder," Hubert said. "In this dress, there is more than 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of chocolate, more or less, and around 3 kilograms cocoa powder."

The high amount of cocoa powder created a dry chocolate, reducing the risk of it melting, Hubert said.