HERE COMES THE SUN
With a collection heavily inspired by American artist Judy Chicago’s pastel-bright masterpieces, creative director Sophie Delafontaine shines light on a new and empowered chapter of the Longchamp woman. Amy Yasmine discovers how the American artist’s fram
Longchamp has come a long way since its debut runway show in New York a year and a half ago. At the time, the French leathergoods powerhouse had just celebrated its 70th anniversary, giving creative director Sophie Delafontaine absolute carte blanche to kick things up a notch with its first trans-Atlantic défilé. “Elegant, but with a touch of eccentricity—and wildness!” Delafontaine was heard saying backstage at her Spring/Summer ’19 show, alluding to the collection’s Anita Pallenberg-esque fringed jackets and dresses. “I am not designing for static women.”
She has a point. With the brand’s roots deeply embedded within the spirit of travel, Delafontaine speaks for the 21st-century woman on the go. She is, after all, a mother of three with a multi-billion dollar legacy resting on her shoulders, so if anyone gets the gist, you’d best bet it’d be her.
But if you think Delafontaine was going to be banking on power shoulders and über-waspy waists to make an empowering statement this season, guess again. Fast forward to Spring/Summer ’20, she had leveraged on the feministic joy of artist Judy Chicago’s masterpieces, whose work is often considered as the catalyst for contemporary Feminist Art movement. Here, an explosion of colours—from jade to apricot to turquoise—paid homage to the artist’s Through the Flower, 1991, while shades of coral (somewhat resembling that of Chicago’s Venus of Willendorf, 1976) came bleached and dégradé-d, as seen on an oversized silk shift dress. Elsewhere, geometrical motifs riffed off the artist’s Untitled Early Painting, 1964, while floral prints on diaphanous maxi dresses and handkerchief skirts resembled those from the artist’s iconic The Dinner Party, 1979. Interestingly enough, it was the unexpected remix of sportswear and ’70s bohemia that made this season’s offering relatable, given the current sentiment of society in a post-#MeToo world. Note that it was in the ’70s that the Second Feminist Wave gained traction, leading to a liberation of sexual identities and rise of equal rights. Pair that with a ’90s contemporary approach, Delafontaine had successfully nailed the fine line between, “sporty and feminine, with a touch of hippie chic.”
In the same vein, accessories were also given an irreverent makeover. A Longchamp stalwart for more than 20 years, the Roseau carryall is reinterpreted with sleek top-handles and bucket bags, providing an assortment that speaks of versatility. The iconic Le Pliage was also given a fresh update, this time scaled to a mini as well as a nano version, worn around the neck as if it were a piece of jewellery. As for what one might carry in it? “A credit card, because you are an independent woman; and your lipstick, because you are feminine,” the creative director replied. “What else do you need?”
Indeed, it is this hyper-femme yet emotionally charged direction that has perhaps catapulted Longchamp from being accessories-led, to one whose fashion vocabulary has matured. In an interview with the Business of Fashion, Longchamp CEO Jean Cassegrain said “Our vision is that to sell bags today, you need to be part of the fashion world,” explaining how luxury brands are placing emphasis on ready-to-wear, in hopes of fueling growth spurred by accessories and bags. “Fashion really helps to create the identity of the Longchamp woman and it helps to create the desire, the excitement.”
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