Longchamp has partnered with the jewelry and accessories designer Stéphanie D’heygere to create a collection dedicated to mobility and inclusivity. With this gender-neutral capsule, the iconic Le Pliage® inspires an array of ingenious and surprising products which adapt, transform and fold up in an instant, facilitating everyday life and demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.
Who would change a winning team? Certainly not Longchamp, which has renewed its collaboration with Stéphanie D’heygere to design a collection that is both wonderfully practical and delightfully playful. Longchamp Creative Director Sophie Delafontaine is a great admirer of the Belgian designer: “When I first met Stéphanie, I was completely bowled over by her work and the whole universe she created. Her designs have a real identity, but also an extremely ingenious dimension that speaks to Longchamp. After our successful debut collaboration on a poncho in 2019, we wanted to take the next step by exploring a greater range of possibilities.”
Every piece – two bags, an umbrella, a poncho, a rain hat and pants – shares the same ingenious idea of incorporating an extra function in addition to its original one. Thus, the pants can be rolled and unrolled, the belt bag transforms into a backpack, the umbrella is slung across the body, and the rain hat folds and unfolds with the speed of an origami.
Clearly, the Longchamp & D’heygere collaboration combines a sense of humor – like the Belgian designer’s jewelry and accessories – with intelligence and efficacy. Come rain or shine, on foot or on wheels, running to catch a train or leaving in pursuit of new horizons, movement is facilitated by the capsule’s ingenious, transformable, go-anywhere designs in recycled polyester and nylon.
The color palette focuses on classics – black, navy, white and fuchsia pink – which evoke the elegance of Longchamp and, in the hands of Stéphanie D’heygere, take on a very Parisian brand of laid-back chic. In addition to these timeless, unisex shades, a leopard print injects a spirit of glamour and daring, which works equally well for men and women. “I regard the gender-free aspect of the collection as a particular success: the cuts and the details are neither feminine nor masculine, and the sizes go from S to XL,” says Stéphanie D’heygere.
“Inclusivity and universality are very important to me, and I always try to include these values in my work. I know that, with Longchamp, we can explore this dimension further.” Of course, the strength of the collaboration comes from the codes and values of Longchamp’s cult Le Pliage® bag, whose Russian leather flap signs every piece.
This ingenious, multi-faceted capsule is inspired by a contemporary, sustainable spirit. The creative curiosity shared by Longchamp and Stéphanie D’heygere was directed towards using the expertise of the Longchamp workshops to produce a collection composed of recycled materials. The result is a limited edition where nothing is superfluous, and everything essential.
In the Philippines, Longchamp is distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Greenbelt 5. Visit ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.
ABOUT LONGCHAMP
In 1948, Jean Cassegrain unveiled his unique vision of French elegance and rewrote the rules of modern luxury under the Longchamp brand. Formerly a maker of leather-covered pipes, Longchamp extended its know-how to the manufacture of travel accessories, handbags, and later began creating shoes and ready-to-wear under the impetus of its Artistic Director, Sophie Delafontaine. Today, the House of Longchamp is present throughout the world and continues to celebrate the spirit of enterprise and innovative craftsmanship. Following the inauguration in 2018 of a teaching studio and a new production site in Pouzauges, France, Longchamp continues to embrace contemporary society, while preserving its family origins and spirit of independence. Owned and managed by the Cassegrain family, the House now gathers more than 300 boutiques in 20 countries.
