Longchamp Ready-to-Wear / Spring 2015 the new spirit of sport

“Freshness and light”, those are the keywords which define Longchamp’s Spring 2015 ready-to-wear collection, according to Artistic Director Sophie Delafontaine.

The fresh mood is summed up by the collection’s striking reinterpretation of sportswear codes. “We translated the idea in two ways,” explains Sophie Delafontaine, “either by subverting a sophisticated cut with a sporty fabric, or by elevating a sporty shape with a sophisticated fabric.” She cites an elegant sleeveless dress with a softly gathered skirt which is given a relaxed twist in cotton piqué, and a sweatshirt-style top which, conversely, is dressed up in polyester satin with sheer organza inserts.

Light infuses the collection’s two contrasting themes: the heavenly glow of the Northern Lights inspires a palette of cool, at times almost fluorescent pastels – pale pink, aquamarine, neon yellow – which are combined with black and white; the more intense light of the South is translated in bold, saturated shades of red, coral and deep blue.

“No Longchamp collection would be complete without a standout piece in leather, which is,” says Sophie Delafontaine, “in our DNA.” This season, the Artistic Director picks out two: a sporty short-sleeved blouson in the butter-soft métis leather used for Le Pliage Cuir (the design also echoes key details of the iconic bag and comes in the same paintbox brights), and a sophisticated leopard-print blouson in baby calfskin.

Alongside the neo-leopard pattern, subtly revisited in pastel shades, the season’s other key print is knotted rope, which appears on a series of pieces in polyester and silk. Inspired by the technical rope of water sports equipment, the knotted rope motif is placed to mimic a necklace on a top and blouson, or a belt slung around a shift dress – another way in which this Longchamp collection offers a fresh and elegant vision of sport.

An easy, breezy energy, the very essence of casual chic. Welcome to Spring 2015 at Longchamp.