Maison Longchamp sews up physical and digital fashion collab with Pokemon and Pokemon GO

French elegance and Japanese kawaii have found their worlds colliding thanks to a new partnership between The Pokemon Company International and the globally revered fashion brand, Longchamp, spanning both the physical world of apparel and accessories, and the digital world of Pokemon GO.

From mid October this year, the Longchamp x Pokemon collection will arrive in stores and online across the world, while a new Longchamp avatar backpack accessory will be made available to players within the Pokemon GO game.

Under the new partnership, Pokemon’s very own Pikachu will feature across French brand Longchamp’s iconic Le Pilage bag, bringing a touch of fun across four exclusive designs. These will range from black and white LGP canvas, embossed leather, or in a numbered, limited edition. The line-up will be completed with a design in black canvas featuring a Pikachu specially designed for the fashion house, wearing a jockey’s helmet paying homage to the Longchamp logo.

To help celebrate the collaboration between Longchamp and The Pokémon Company, Pokémon GO players will also be able to show off their fashion with a new Longchamp x Pokémon avatar backpack accessory item available between October 2 and November 17, 2020. 

Pokémon GO will be celebrating the collaboration with a special in-game event for all Trainers timed during the Paris Fashion Week. Beginning Friday, October 2 a and continuing through Thursday, October 8, certain fashionable Pokémon will be appearing in the wild, challenging Trainers in raids.

Trainers can search for these rare Pokémon in style with the Longchamp x Pokémon backpack available in the Pokémon GO shop. They can also match their avatar in by picking up any of the four exclusive versions of Longchamp x Pokémon Le Pliage bag available on longchamp. com and in Longchamp points of sales from October 13, 2020.

Sophie Delafontaine, artistic director at Maison Longchamp, said: “Our Le Pliage bag has become a platform where all the different aspects of Longchamp can be expressed and can also take us to unknown places.

“We hadn’t explored entertainment and gaming before. It’s a very inspiring world, particularly with Pokémon and its iconic mascot, Pikachu. Our two worlds, real and virtual, blend perfectly in this collaboration.”

Kenji Okubo, president of The Pokémon Company International, added: “This partnership sees two iconic brands renowned for their creativity and design collaborating on a range of products that uphold Longchamp’s tradition for quality and luxury but add a fun and playful twist that is sure to appeal to fans of both companies.”