We’ve long admired Mary Katrantzou for her fearless, graphically rich prints—proof that fashion can be art in full colour. But if head-to-toe prints feel like a leap too far, consider this your perfect entry point.
Enter the Spring/Summer 2012 capsule collaboration between Katrantzou and French heritage house Longchamp. Conceived around the poetic idea of “When East meets West”, the collection reimagines the brand’s iconic Le Pliage and totes as vibrant canvases, adorned with Eastern-inspired motifs—orchids, paper lanterns, and architectural flourishes—engineered with Katrantzou’s signature precision.
We’ll say it plainly: we’re obsessed with these prints.
Speaking to Vogue, Katrantzou shared that the collaboration began with a meeting with Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp’s artistic director. The result was a rare creative freedom: a heritage brand offering space for a young designer to build an entire visual universe.
“Their Pliage and tote bags are the perfect canvas to engineer a print andit’s also great to offer women who might not be ready to commit to a fully printed look, a bag to accessorise with!“
On the design direction, Katrantzou elaborated: the prints draw from Vietnam temple architecture, lanterns, orchids, aquariums, and even Thomas Heatherwick’s design for Longchamp’s Soho store—layered into surreal, unexpected juxtapositions. The aim? To create a fully realised Mary Katrantzou world for Longchamp.
The result is a vividly engaging collection that instantly elevates even the most minimal, solid-coloured outfits. Launching pre-exclusively on 23 January, the capsule will be available at Parisian concept store Colette during Couture Fashion Week.
Still craving more prints? Don’t miss the dialogue (video) with Mary Katrantzou discussing the collaboration—it’s a masterclass in how art, heritage, and modern fashion can meet seamlessly.
image source: mydaily.uk, la moda dubai & vogue.uk
