Longchamp Presents Its New Fall/Winter 2021 Collection

For the Longchamp Fall/Winter 2021 fashion show presented during Paris Fashion Week Creative Director Sophie Delafontaine drew inspiration from the iconic Longchamp racehorse logo and the work of the French interior designer Pierre Paulin, whose vision revolutionised Parisian apartments in the second half of the 20th century.

Drawn by Turenne Chevallereau, the galloping Longchamp racehorse is the enduring expression of the label’s dynamism and art de vivre. It was this equestrian connection which influenced the choice of location for the show: Paris’ renowned Battesti riding hall, whose imposing glass and iron roof was engineered by Gustave Eiffel.

Pierre Paulin, meanwhile, was a key influence on the collection’s silhouettes, with Sophie Delafontaine citing his innovative approach to line, function, colour and material as harmonizing with the creative spirit of Longchamp. Thus, many of the looks had a sensual, enveloping quality, evocative of the curves of a Paulin sofa, while quilting and layering were prominent themes. Several silhouettes featured sleeveless, padded gilets in butter-soft lambskin, while cashmere crop tops were worn with a denim shirt, and Seventies-style woolen ribbed turtleneck sweaters slipped under shirts, suits and dresses.
The show was opened by Mica Arganaraz in a black safari jacket belted over a red skinny-rib sweater and the shortest of white shorts, worn with black rain boots out of which peeped long red socks. Both the colour palette – at once equestrian and quintessentially Parisian – and the proportions would recur throughout the show. Balancing this sporty mood, fluid midi dresses or cropped pants were worn with heeled, knee-high boots, exuding an eminently feminine vibe and illustrating the diverse facets of Longchamp’s Parisienne. Standouts here were a red lambskin leather dress with flirtatious flounces paired with a white skinny-rib and white boots, and a blouson and pants combo in lush caramel suede. A more casual feel was introduced by two oversized, mannish suits in peony-pink and soft grey corduroy, which were worn with white loafers embellished with chunky acetate chains, both the colours and the accessories nodding to the Sixties and Seventies.

The warm, enveloping feel of the collection extended to the season’s star bags: the Brioche and Le Pliage® Cuir. The former, as delectably soft as the familiar French pastry, was translated into denim, faux shearling and pop colours with wave-shaped quilting, referencing the sinuous lines of a Pierre Paulin chair. The iconic Le Pliage®, meanwhile, was reinterpreted in padded, quilted lambskin, both in its classic shape and as a huggable drawstring backpack. Elsewhere, the emblematic Roseau bag was accessorised with a vintage-inspired acetate toggle and chain, while Sophie Delafontaine also revived Longchamp’s heritage Le Foulonné grained leather in the form of a neat, square bag that swung lightly from the models’ shoulders.

Last but by no means least, the collection’s It-accessory was a bucket hat in LGP jacquard canvas capturing both the mischievous energy and the mysterious charm of Longchamp’s Parisienne.

Creative Director: Sophie Delafontaine
Hair: Odile Gilbert
Makeup: Karin Westerlund
Soundtrack: MODE-F
Casting Director: Piergiorgio Del Moro
Models: Mica Arganaraz, Maggie Chen, Gemma Francis-Burnett, Sofia Hansson, Malika Louback, Sculy Mejia, Lola Nicon, Ashley Radjarame, Mika Schneider, Vilma Sjöberg, Tomiwa