“The subject of time has always fascinated me,” said Marie Claire Editor-In-Chief, Andrea Thompson, as she spoke to the audience at last week's Marie Claire X Longines event, “It’s totally universal, and yet, we all manage and experience time in such different ways. As women, it has particular significance because of the additional responsibilities we have in our lives, the pressures we face and the ways we must carve up our day. We manage many different roles; wear different hats. Time is our most precious resource.”
It’s this relationship between women and time that the Marie Claire team set out to explore, alongside Swiss watchmakers Longines, when we invited fashion insiders and friends to the brand’s new London boutique in Covent Garden last week. Seated among Longines iconic timepieces, guests discussed not only the luxury that time has become but also how our perpetually online world shapes our perception of it.
“We’re always looking for this perfect balance of work and life and I think the truth is that there is no solution,” said Marie Claire Fashion Director, Lily Russo-Bah, “There is no perfect balance.”
Andrea echoed this idea, “Some days you're juggling it and you're managing it and other days you're not. Time is the essence of that juggle we face,” she continued, “Having small luxuries in our lives and spending a little bit of time away from digital, finding time for self care and really living in the moment is the so important.”
Luckily, guests didn’t have to look far for one small luxury, as they then got to explore and discover timepieces from Longines collections. Bridging the gap between SS25’s biggest trends and Longines' love for timeless design, the pieces offered both elegance and style, making finding their perfect timepiece a moment to be savoured.
When it comes to trending designs, guests were spoilt for choice, “sporty styles are a huge trend for spring summer and you can see that in the watches,” said Lily while discussing her favourite pieces, “I love the rubber strapped Conquest. [...] It’s quite playful and fun and I think people like to have fun with watches.”
While one guest opted for the fuchsia pink hue (above), the rubber strapped Conquest also comes in pretty pastels, including the most beautiful light blue tone, and bold bright colour ways, making it a great option for those who love statement designs or who want to add a pop of colour to their looks.
“Masculine silhouettes are [another] huge trend amongst women which filters down from clothing as well," Lily told guests. When it comes to chic masculine styles, the Longines Legend Diver is the perfect choice offering both style and substance. "A masculine watch really adds a bit of edge," Lily continued, making them perfect for pairing with elegant suiting and toughening up floaty dresses alike.
"Next, I also personally love mixed metal styles," Lily continued, "because they really just go with everything whether I'm wearing gold or silver. The La Grande Classique de Longines is on my favourites and this taps into that trend perfectly.”
Lastly, “A natural evolution away from mannish watches,” Lily continued, “There’s been a real resurgence in the dress watch across the market and there are so many options within Longines, like the Mini Dolcevita. Launched in 2023, it’s a really popular watch for special occasions thanks to it's elegant, understated design.”
While we’d strongly suggest heading to a Longines boutique to see the collection for yourself, if you want to explore it without the travel time (after all, every minute is precious) all of Lily, Andrea and the influencers in attendance’s favourite pieces can be explored from the Longines’ website. “I really do think that there is a watch here for every style,” Andrea finished. Here’s the edit to see for yourself…
