Longchamp in the bag

AUTUMN PROMISES to be cool yet elegant this year as French high-end fashion brand Longchamp takes the opportunity to celebrate women, especially their independence and their modern take-charge attitude as they constantly reinvent themselves.
The collection was recently previewed at Yen Akat Gallery in Bangkok where silk scarves gave off an impression of movement, flashes of light adding graphic strength to their motif while shoes and bags received the sort of adulation usually reserved for art masterpieces.
Among the guests was long-time Longchamp fan, actress Khemanit “Pancake” Jamikorn and her face was a picture of appreciation for artistic director Sophie Delafontaine’s take on femininity. Gorgeous, rich hues of lilac and amethyst were complemented by red, pink and coral in a flashback to the revolutionary 1970s. 

At the forefront of the collection is the new Penelope Arty tote with its geometric look. Both feminine and modern, the bag’s trapezoidal shape is embellished with clean-cut edges and handles.
Modern, graphic and abstract, an assortment of optical trends animates the ready-to-wear collection. A lambskin coat with metallic sleeves in the Op Art line is covered in mesmerising stripes while shifting patterns in the Vibration motif are magnified by intensely plush suede on an ankle-length dress. Lamb’s wool or goat hair is lavishly draped on coats and cropped jackets. 
And the footwear lies at the crossroads of artistry and craftsmanship, as seen in the new Marlene boots. Part calfskin pump, part suede goatskin gaiter, they transform into a chic optical illusion. 
The event also launched the new campaign that stars a new face, Danish supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen, in a series of stunning visuals shot on the streets of Paris by top fashion photographer Angelo Pennetta. Fundamental to Longchamp’s heritage and DNA, Paris has been a key element of all its recent campaigns.
The vision presented is of a modern, vibrant city, whose elegant perspectives and golden stone serve as a graphic backdrop to the fashion imagery of the campaign. “Queen of cool” Erichsen brings her signature nonchalance to the visuals, which were styled by Geraldine Saglio, as she models stand-out pieces from the new collection. The spotlight is turned on the season’s star bag, Mademoiselle Longchamp, an in-trend satchel in supple, sensual calfskin leather with sporty perforation detailing and a double strap for hand, shoulder or cross-body wear.
Also featured alongside key ready-to-wear pieces in leather is the autumn’s second new bag, the elegant Longchamp Madeleine, with its top handle, wide flap and emblematic bamboo clasp.
“This new campaign powerfully conveys not only the values of Longchamp – freedom, creativity, craftsmanship and intimate luxury – but also the idea that being Parisian is, first and foremost, a state of mind. It’s an attitude that can be defined in three words: liberty, spontaneity and sensuality,” Delafontaine says. 
This cosmopolitan vision is reflected by Erichsen, who joins a long line of famous faces, from Jean Seberg to Jane Birkin, in epitomising Parisian chic.