Longchamp RTW Spring 2019
Anita Pallenberg and Veruschka were name-checked by Longchamp’s Sophie Delafontaine when speaking backstage about what inspired her for spring. She said she was trying to channel a woman who was “elegant and chic, but had a twist of eccentricity.”
This translated to a lineup with a palette of cobalt blue, chocolate brown and clay reds shown in a mix of layered dresses, tunics and vests. Delafontaine diluted the rich tones with several pieces in a leopard print and some semisheer maxidresses in a bright ikat.
She highlighted the French house’s history of leather craftsmanship with leather details that popped up throughout the collection. Delafontaine homed in on iconic Sixties pieces like fringed halter tops and dresses and suede shorts, pairing many looks with a thigh-high gladiator sandal, many of which were also embellished with fringe.
Handbags are synonymous with the privately owned house; Delafontaine updated her cross-body Amazone bag, introduced in fall; on the runway, it was reimagined in a variety of iterations, some with earth stone details with lambskin, a few with fur and of course, more fringe. The fringe was heavy-handed and could have been dialed back some, as nearly every look had some sort of fringe accent.
The show was a big statement for the brand: It’s the label’s 70th anniversary and it recently opened a new flagship on Fifth Avenue, which was the raison d’être of the New York show.
“The American market is a huge market for us,” Delafontaine said. “I feel a positive dynamic energy here and doing the show here is not only about our past, but about the future of the brand.”
Launch Gallery: Longchamp RTW Spring 2019
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