Nendo design studio reinterprets Longchamp's iconic Le Pliage bag

French leather goods manufacturer Longchamp has teamed up with Japanese design studio Nendo to offer its fans a new experience of the brand's iconic Le Pliage bag. This is the first time that the 'it bag' has been completely reimagined. The design is attractive, chic, and above all, functional. 

Nendo, which was founded by Japanese designer Oki Sato, mined its creative and imaginative depths to give a new lease of life to Longchamp's Le Pliage bag, one of the brand's most famous creations, reimagining the bags as functional, aesthetically pleasing objects to be placed around the home. This innovative project, which is centered around functionality takes form in three different styles of 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," noted Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp Creative Director.

Until now, Le Pliage bag offered two distinct experiences -- one when it is carried as a bag, the other when it is folded away. Now the 'it bag' has been revealed in a completely new light, taking shape as a storage object to be placed around the home.

Longchamp's x Nendo collection consists of three rather different variations on the theme. The first version has a removable and foldable stiffener that allows the bag to take the shape of a cube for storage and transport or a shopping bag. The second is a cone-shaped bag with a single handle by which it can be either carried or hung from a hook or rail. The final creation, which draws inspiration from Japan's furoshiki folding cloths, is a circular bag for carrying objects.

Depending on the model chosen, Longchamp offers a wide range of sizes and colors and even the ability to juggle between two fabrics for the conical version.