Elvis Presley felt for their pipe accessories and Kendall Jenner was one of the muse of the brand. Just that. Longchamp has has had a great history that is worth looking into.
In 1948, Jean Cassegrain, son of a tobacco business owner, created Longchamp with making smoking accessories For France, the United-Kingdom and the United States – and that’s how Elvis learnt about the brand, when it exported after the war.
It is in 1971 that Jean’s son, Philippe Cassegrain, started a line of leather goods… making these famous Longchamp bags that soon were the hit of the time.
Today, Sophie Delafontaine – Jean’s great-grand daughter – is the one behind the collections and the very well known Le Pliage bag, the everlasting Longchamp best-seller since 1993. Directing all creations by Longchamp, Sophie Delafontaine is the director who took the French maison out of their 2000s struggles.
She picked muses like Kate Moss to give the French brand a new image, more modern and more rock. From then on, the French maison has gone so far with rebranding that Kendall Jenner was the face of the 2018’s campaign!
How forward is it that the 50 year old brand still resonate with today’s style and muses? With their long time history with leather making for practicality and luxury, Longchamp obviously got into making backpacks at quite an early stage of its development, both for leisure, voyage or pure and simple elegance. Let’s find out what are their best current backpacks, all in stores at the moment for you to be able to go and splurge on them!
Longchamp’s Penelope backpack: the ultra-cute backpack for elegant boho girls
The Penelope line at Longchamp is a very cool and bohemian collection, that resemble the mood that set Kate Moss as she got to be there 2000s muse – rock and roll just enough to be cool but not too slouchy so that the luxury DNA of Longchamp and their hardcore mastering of leather-making does not disappear in the lines of the bag.
Penelope is a backpack that you most probably have dreamt of already: as practical and cool as it is functional and pretty, it is so not a remake of some teenage version of a backpack that you will feel like a grown-up and yet still have this slightly childish vibe to your look with this backpack.
The Penelope is a feminine touch on a kind of bag that tends to be reserved to kids and men: the backpack. This backack has a flap ornamented with leather pompoms for the feminine and boho vibe – they’ll sway as you walk and have all eyes caught onto their cool and rhythmic movement. These bouncy pompoms are balanced by the very geometric lines and definitely will convey a sense of utter elegance and savoir-faire as much as an absolute sense of style.
Sport-chic… but rather boho-feminine that sport though its practicality and the geometry of the design is clearly inspired from highly sporty backpacks, the clean-cut edges of the Penelope by Longchamp will have your fashionista’s heart melting. Refined and well balanced between the either easy or very sophisticated features, Penelope will match all your outfits and so your entire closet will scream “get it” as much as your mind will when you encounter its elegant grained leather and cute pompoms.
Longchamp’s Parisis backpack: the functional very modern backpack
I just evoked sportswear, and here we are: Longchamp has his take on the sportswear backpack to present to the world and it took the features and form of the Parisis backpack.
Clean-cut, geometric and yet a real piece of French elegance and luxury, Longchamp’s bet with this precious and simple backpack pays off. From your day at work to your night wanderings, this backpack will protect all your belongings and ease your day as much as it will enlighten your style… and so, your day!
Let’s go feature by feature as I tackle telling you about all the perks of this Longchamp made piece of genius. First, practicality: multiple pockets with a wide padded one that will be the soft and warm spot for your computer or tablet, adjustable shoulders straps with padding (made of leather, nonetheless) for comfort and style. Made for men originally, this model is offered in a wide range of colours that will suit even your most girly moods. As far as style is concerned, a discreetly embossed logo, metallic tabs and details on the handles will make your day.
This bag is designed for women with a fast and busy lifestyle in search for a comfortable fit as much as a very stylish and formal look. You can take this backpack with you as you have an appointment with your boss or at any rave you enjoy going to on weekends, it will not be weird in any of these two situations. Longchamp’s Parisis backpack has no age or mood but that that fits you most… and fits your wardrobe!
Longchamp’s Give Me A Hug backpack: that furry piece of heaven of a backpack
The mood of this backpack is set with its name: Longchamp’s Give Me A Hug is truly meant for you to want to hug that fluffy, comfy, cute beauty of a backpack. Feminine and regressive at once – the bag is made of a Teddy Bear like fabric that really makes you want to take this bag to your bed along with your unicorn and panda plushy plushes.
The Give Me A Hug back pack is really for women with a definite sense of style who do not fear taking their cuddly toy at work. And actually own taking their cuddly toy at work!
First, like any Longchamp bag, the Give Me A Hug is a practical and lightweight backpack that gives your overall silhouette a very feminine touch. You can wear it many ways thanks to the drawstring, top handle and adjustable shoulder straps (not padded but leather made for style and relative comfort). Available in a wide range of unapologetic colours (from yeloow to pink, blue…), the Give Me A Hug comes in vivid shades and adds something as sophisticated as regressive to your outfits.
You will enjoy this Longchamp creation especially in winter’s time when the need for cuddly, cute-looking and brights accessories is deeply felt. With its plush fabric and cool vibe but minimalistic shape, the Give Me A Hug will fit your office’s formal dress code as much as your evenings out with friends or on the dance floor. On not too war summer’s days, it will just as much be an asset with its unique fabric and look that you can never get bored of. Ultimate object of desire, this regressive and elegant backpack is everything you need.
Longchamp’s Le Pliage backpack: that very classic and cool piece of French elegance
Longchamp’s Le Pliage collection is one of the most ingenious and creative designs a bag brand ever made. With this model born in the nineties, Longchamp made most of its business and definitely owned a wider audience and customers base.
From the original Le Pliage handbag, Longchamp made a backpack that is just as brilliantly thought of: it is that genius bag that I am about to present you.
I will be quick on details of the look since you must know the Pliage by heart already. The snap-fastening button flap is the one very reminder of the original Le Pliage along with the signature Le Pliage fabric mixed with the flap grained leather. The Le Pliage backpack comes in a rectangular shape that fits your back for comfort with adjustable shoulder straps. The only signature feature that will not change from one bag to the other is the colour of the leather parts, a warm camel natural cow skin leather to die for.
This Longchamp backpack is as much a tribute to the original Le Pliage as it is an everyday practical and trendy backpack: available in a very wide range of clours, my advice is to “get them all” and have one ready to match all your moods and outfits. From red to black, blue to pink, you will find that one backpack that will be your ideal everyday useful and cool bag for all situations and silhouettes.
Longchamp, the French brand for clever bags… and cleverer backpacks!
Longchamp has made a reputation with brilliant design such as the origami inspired Le Pliage bag and lightweight original travel luggage. Their backpacks lines are wide, very different and will match any of your moods from the most audacious and adventurous to the more elegant and sophistication seeking.
Whether you are the very girly type of girl or the very elegant kind of woman of the very boyish practical kind of being, there is always a match that you will find in the Longchamp’s wide range of backpacks.
