MANILA, Philippines — Back in the day, Le Foulonné tended to be reserved more for men’s leather goods than women’s, but– with fashion’s renewed emphasis on timelessness and authenticity – now is the perfect moment to take a fresh look at this most enduring of materials. Accordingly, Longchamp is revisiting Le Foulonné in an array of new, essential shapes which – with their clean lines and minimal, pale-gold hardware – keep the focus firmly on the beauty of the leather.
First introduced in 1978, Le Foulonné owes its name to the French word for “drummed”, referring to the technique by which, after tanning, leather is passed through a rotating drum in order to enhance its softness and reveal its natural grain. The result is a leather that is not only wonderfully supple and sensual to the touch, but also extremely durable – a leather, in fact, that only gets better with age.
The new models of the line were featured in Longchamp’s Fall/Winter 2021 fashion show, held at the Manège Battesti at the heart of Paris, as a tribute to the equestrian world, present in the brand’s signature.
First up is a cross-body bag with a square, slim-line design and a subtly androgynous vibe that is the essence of Parisian chic – indeed, the smaller of the two formats featured in Longchamp’s Fall/Winter 2021 fashion show, entitled Très Paris. The adjustable shoulder strap is attached to the bag, not by the usual metal ring, but by a leather loop – a nod to saddlery and Longchamp’s savoir-faire. This means that the bag’s only hardware is a partially concealed zipper, which secures the main compartment, and a slender, stirrup-shaped buckle – a detail taken from the archives – on the strap. The finishing touch is the Longchamp signature, discreetly embossed on Le Foulonné’s distinctive grain.
The second new model is a flap bag, which can be worn on the shoulder or across the body. Equally functional, but with a rounder, more feminine shape, it shares the leather-loop and stirrup-buckle details of the square cross-body bag. It comes in small and medium formats.
Alongside classic Black, Red and Caramel, the colour palette embraces three further shades: bright yellow Mimosa, blush Pink and soft grey Turtledove. Each reveals Le Foulonné in a different light, yet all complement its timeless allure.
For today, for tomorrow, for always, discover Le Foulonné, Longchamp’s forever leather.
Longchamp is exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Cebu, Greenbelt 5 and Rustans.com