Longchamp artistic director Sophie Delafontaine, who is responsible for the brand’s artistic vision across all categories, including bags, leather-wear, luggage, business lines, menswear and ready-to-wear, answers our quickfire questions.
- When I get dressed in the morning I… always try to plan out my daily schedule, meetings, photoshoots and journeys.
- The item of clothing I could never live without is… a Longchamp supple and light lambskin jacket (from one of our earlier collections) that I can fold easily and which always looks good, and a pair of 7 For All Mankind black jeans. Both are perfect for traveling.
- Currently my favorite thing in my closet is… my new Bouchra Jarrar dress.
- Every woman should own… a Le Pliage leather bag because it is both chic and practical as it is foldable like our original nylon version.
- If you looked at my desktop you’d… see many things, including leather-coated pencil cups, a leather-coated candle or a portrait of my three beautiful children.
- My beauty essentials include… lots of sleep. Since I travel often, I’m lucky in that I sleep well on planes.
- The last thing I googled… were all the details for my holiday spent on the West Coast.
- If my days had one extra hour I’d… spend more time reading books.
- My guilty pleasure is… getting a massage at Six Senses Spa, located on the Rue de Castiglione, between Paris’ Place Vendôme and the Jardin des Tuileries.
- I’m dying to splurge on… building a bigger dressing room for my new autumn wardrobe!
- On a typical Saturday night, I… enjoy cooking for friends at home. My home is always open to friends.
- I’m most excited for fall because… I have been working on a fantastic collaboration with the talented artist Sarah Morris.
- When I’m stressed I… get a manicure/pedicure if my schedule allows it.
- When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle… I cycle a little.
- My biggest fashion pet peeve… is not remaining true to yourself.
- My one style regret… I wish I could be slightly taller than I am.
- When it comes to picking models… I like to choose tall, healthy girls. It is interesting to see some of the unknown girls we chose at the time who then go on to become very successful. For instance, French model Manon Leloup did one Longchamp in-house show before starting a fantastic international career and was featured in all editions of Vogue.
- What keeps me inspired to work in fashion are… my travels and my love of art. I go to the FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair), the Venice Biennale, but I also visit the art galleries in the Le Marais district in Paris. I’m also inspired by my love of art books.
- My favorite place to shop is… Rue Saint-Honoré where I have the chance to work as one of our stores is located there. This street is a dream for shopping as it has a mix of luxury boutiques, concept stores like Colette, but also high street brands like Zara.
- When hiring people, the qualities I look for are… creativity, enthusiasm, motivation and open-mindedness.
- The best advice I ever got was… from my father: Give the product a chance! Don’t be afraid to try, it may always be successful…you never know.
