FAMILY first

Sophie Delafontaine on making Longchamp an iconic international brand while continuing the family legacy.

- JOHN NG

L’OFFICIEL: What does your role as the creative director of Longchamp require of you?
SOPHIE DELAFONTAINE: Energy. [Laughs] A lot of energy – and passion. I strive to be like the fuel for a car, if you get what I mean. So, my goal is to push ideas and inspire the team around me. And, while it is a family business, I must ensure that new ideas, innovation, and inspiration are shared equally throughout the organisation. It is also important to maintain the house’s great value and pay attention to the house’s know-how. They are critical for the company’s ability to strike a balance.

LO: What would you say is your main challenge? SD: For me, being creative has never been a difficulty. The challenge is greater when we are doing well, everything is Sophie Delafontaine running well, and the company is growing rapidly and strongly. You know, we’re always thinking about ways to improve. Even if we’re doing well now, there is always room for improvement. Even if business is good, we can always improve; we can’t assume that we’ve done everything correctly and sufficiently. This is extremely essential to me.

LO: What is the inspiration behind the latest Longchamp Spring/ Summer 2025 collection?