Monday, January 30, 2012

Mary Katrantzou for Long Champ


























French handbag line Long Champ has always defined quality, class, luxury and simplicity, whose target customer is a sleek fashionista who won't exactly be caught in studded Louboutin platforms or a slick neon leather jacket. That type of girl is whimsical, adventurous and daring when it comes to fashion. That type of girl would not be afraid to sport the type of clothing that up and coming designer Mary Katrantzou creates. But not every girl is quite so adventurous with colors and bold prints. So what do you get when you combine a classic, pristine signature bag and a wildly experimental fashion designer?

Mary Katrantzou is a london based designer who has recently been thrusted into the limelight of fashion with her etherial clothing and signature digital prints. Her revolutionary aesthetic, which is purely fearless of any previous confinements or moderation sculpted in the fashion industry, and her fresh take on high fashion has made fashion junkies drool over her collections. If you've picked up a copy of any fashion magazine within the past year or so, you've seen her. Something about those prints is so magical, exciting, whimsical, yet effortlessly chic. Now if you pick up any glossy fashion magazine, you'll most likely spot some of  her unmistakable designs.
Kate Moss,  who is the epitome of effortless cool-girl-chic has previously collaborated with Long Champ. The classic French line has a more classic reputation which typically features a narrow collection of simple, muted colors that are beginning to fade away in comparison of this upcoming seasons new sweet spot for bright, bold prints and neon colors. A collaboration with a designer like Katrantzou is a smart choice on their part, and proves that Long Champ does intact a little sister with a more youthful, adventurous look. The whimsical, ethereal, almost even trippy prints Mary Katrantzou are known for can now be pared down in an assortment of bags and totes that still pack a bright punch.  Upon meeting with Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp's artistic director, "about a year ago to discuss the possibility of working together for the label's spring/summer 2012 collection...She had seen my work and thought it would be a great collaboration for both. It was a really great opportunity for us to work with a brand with great heritage and I loved that it's family run. Their Pliage and tote bags are the perfect canvas to engineer a print and it's also great to offer women who might not be ready to commit to a fully printed look, a bag to accessorise with!." What better canvas than something as sleek and classic as a Parisian tote bag  to splash on her unique,surreal prints and vivid colors.
The inspiration and theme for the line was "East Meets West; Katrantzou revealed she pooled a lot of her inspiration from Eastern motifs such as paper lanterns, orchids, dragons, and asian architecture.
"The prints we designed reference Vietnam temple architecture, Thomas Heatherwick's design for their Soho store, lanterns, orchids, an aquarium and many more surreal juxtapositions. I wanted to create a Mary Katrantzou world for Longchamp."
And that she did.

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