Longchamp X nendo: Caputuring Simplicity With A Twist

Inspired by the ancient Japanese art of origami, this new collaboration sees the iconic 'Le Pliage" bag reinterpreted by Tokyo-based design studio, nendo.

The original Longchamp "Le Pliage" was founded by Philippe Cassegrain in 1993, with the foldable bag being inspired by the ancient Japanese art of origami. This new collaboration with Tokyo-based design studio, nendo, sees the icon being reinterpreted into a collection of imaginative, minimalist pieces.

nendo was founded in 2002 by Oki Sato, and aims to create designs that represent what it calls “!” moments in everyday life. Its design philosophy is based on reshaping everyday, ordinary objects to give us a fresh perspective, thus enriching our daily lives and experiences. This ethos is clearly demonstrated by the brand's intriguing reinterpretations of Le Pliage, which sheds an entirely new light on this iconic bag.

“What I appreciated about nendo was their absolute respect for the codes of Le Pliage®, they wanted to retain the DNA of the original product – the nylon, the Russian leather, the flap and the foldability, but with an entirely new twist.”

- Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp Creative Director.

While the classic Le Pliage offers two distinct experiences– one when it is carried as a bag, the other when it is folded away – nendo’s designs introduce a third experience, reimagining the bags as functional, aesthetically-pleasing storage objects to be placed around the home.

There are three variations of bags, all exquisitely minimal in shape and sophisticated in execution. The first is a bag which transforms into a cube that can be used for storage or transport, but also into a sturdy and spacious wide-bottomed holdall. The second is a cone-shaped bag with a single handle, which can be either carried or hung from a hook or rail. The leather top opens easily to allow objects to be put in or taken out. The third is a circular bag inspired by traditional furoshiki folding cloths, which were widely used in Japan to carry objects before the popularization of Western-style bags. Like the furoshiki, it adapts to whatever it carries.

The cone and circle bags come in two sizes, and the cube bag in three, and is available in a palette of six shades of coloured neutrals including dark blue, mustard and burgundy. Paying homage to the Le Pliage Cuir, a limited edition black lambskin edition is also available for the cone bag.

The Longchamp x nendo collection will be available in Singapore from 2 July at Longchamp boutiques.