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A story steeped in legacy meets the culture of now in the striking new brand film featuring Kendall Jenner and celebrating freedom in Paris at the heart of French luxury brand Longchamp. “The Encounter/La Rencontre” was produced by Miniac Films and directed by John Christopher Pina for agency Air Paris, which concepted this cinematic statement of freedom, audacity and creativity. A breathtaking sequence portrays the Longchamp horse and Kendall Jenner, Longchamp’s new Brand Ambassador, speeding through an iconic yet modern Paris. “The Encounter” is a symbolic meeting between the authentic French fashion and leather goods House and the dynamic and empowered new generation.

The emblematic horse logo is a symbol of the company’s inception and was named after the Hippodrome de Longchamp, a racecourse located on the bank of the Seine a short stroll from where founder Monsieur Jean Cassegrain resided in 1948. Paris is inextricably tied to everything Longchamp and the intoxicating city plays a third character in the brand film. From its signature cream-grey stone to wide boulevards and narrow side cafe-lined streets, Paris sets the ultimate stage for “The Encounter,” even as the sense of place and time is dizzyingly turned on its head.

Miniac Films specializes in branded stories, often blending action with artistry as showcased in “The Encounter.” For Director John Christopher Pina, the collaboration with Air Paris for Longchamp was, “The opportunity to explore the interplay between the athleticism and beauty, legacy and contemporary, all for one of the best known brands in the fashion world.” DP Christian Sprenger whose credits include the hit television series “Atlanta” lensed the film.

Marie-Laure Dubuisson, Longchamp Global Communications and Marketing Director, underlines that the freedom concept expressed in the film applies not only to the daring spirit of Longchamp, but also to its status as one of the rare independent, family-owned houses in the luxury business. “For us, Kendall Jenner was a completely natural choice,” she elaborates. “Her drive, her energy and her cosmopolitan outlook reflect the pioneering ethos of Longchamp, which very early in its history moved into international markets and realized that the world of the future would be increasingly mobile and connected.”