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.
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.
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