With over 20 years since its genesis, Longchamp‘s Le Pliage has undisputably attained the cult-like status of an icon. It has been spotted on the limbs of the likes of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Alexa Chung, and Miley Cyrus. And leading artists and designers like Tracey Emin, Sarah Morris, Jeremy Scott, and Mary Katrantzou, have even introduced their interpretations and influence to create coveted limited editions of the bag.
Le Pliage, a stalwart accessory among celebrities and preppies alike, will be remade in recycled nylon. The French brand introduces Le Pliage Green, a collection of select Le Pliage styles—including the OG shoulder tote—made of repurposed material.
According to Longchamp, the use of recycled versus virgin nylon reduces each bag’s carbon footprint by nearly 20 percent. The company plans to transition the entire Le Pliage line to recycled material by 2022. To begin, a curated selection of Longchamp’s totes, travel bags, pouches, and backpacks will be refashioned in the eco-friendly fabric in four colorways: white, navy, burgundy, and hunter green.
It is a significant commitment, which Marie-Laure Dubuisson, Global Communications & Marketing Director, describes as “an evolution, rather than a revolution,” pointing out that Le Pliage, like Longchamp as a whole, has always been the antithesis of “fast fashion”—made to last, in terms of both quality and design.
This year, Longchamp is also reintroducing the Le Pliage with a new advertising campaign which—through a series of short videos—explores the multiple facets of its enduring influence. The short video dedicated to Le Pliage Green within the campaign shows an elegant woman picking up a discarded red plastic bottle and putting it in a pink recycling bin—a glamourous way of symbolizing the importance of recycling so that waste may be repurposed. The tone is resolutely tongue-in-cheek, for Le Pliage has never lacked a sense of humor.
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