Longchamp is a French leather goods house, founded in Paris in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain. The company began as a tobacco and smoking accessories retailer before pivoting to luxury leather-covered pipes in the 1950s - the first in the world to do so. Expansion into small leather goods and then women's handbags followed: the first women's handbag launched in 1971, the LM women's collection (created from printed leather) in 1978, and Le Pliage - a foldable nylon canvas and leather tote - in 1993. Le Pliage has since sold over 20 million units and is described as one of the most popular handbags in the world. Longchamp is privately owned and managed by the third generation of the Cassegrain family. Valued at $1.5 billion, it trades in 80 countries through approximately 1,500 retail outlets.

Sophie Delafontaine (artistic director, 3rd generation) oversees the brand's design output. The Le Pliage artist collaboration programme represents the primary mechanism through which external graphic and surface design identities are applied to Longchamp's product range. The programme spans fine art, pop graphic design, fashion print design, and IP licensing. Le Pliage's fixed silhouette and material construction (nylon canvas body) makes it a stable vehicle for graphic and print variation at scale - the product form changes very little while the surface treatment changes entirely per collaboration.

Jean Cassegrain founded the company in 1948 by taking over his father's Paris tobacco shop ("Au Sultan"). After Allied troops became his best customers for pipes post-war, Cassegrain introduced luxury leather-covered pipes in the 1950s - a product that attracted celebrities including Elvis Presley internationally. The brand name Longchamp was chosen in reference to the Longchamp Racecourse near Paris (the family name Cassegrain means "crush grain," a play on the flour mill visible at the racecourse); a jockey on a galloping horse was adopted as the logo.

The company diversified into small leather goods and accessories through the 1950s and into women's handbags from 1971. Philippe Cassegrain became CEO in 1983. His wife Michèle managed the retail side; their son Jean (current CEO) joined in 1991; daughter Sophie Delafontaine became artistic director. Philippe Cassegrain died from Covid-19 complications on 28 November 2020, aged 83.

Current management (3rd generation): Jean Cassegrain (CEO), Sophie Delafontaine (artistic director), Olivier Cassegrain (director, USA boutiques).

Production: Longchamp owns the largest leather manufacture in France. Six French factories (Segré from 1959, Rémalard 1969, Ernée 1972, Combrée, Château-Gontier, Pouzauges - new 2018, 7,000 sqm) produce half of all handbags; the other half is made by partner factories, primarily in France and Italy. Approximately 900 people work in the French workshops. A 23,000 sqm logistics centre operates in Segré (built 2013).

Leather and canvas handbags, luggage, travel accessories, shoes, and women's ready-to-wear. Le Pliage (1993) is the core product: a foldable trapezoidal tote in nylon canvas with Russia leather handles, available in a wide range of colourways and subject to regular limited-edition design treatments. The LM collection (from 1978) was created from printed leather. Green District (launched August 2020): first bags from recycled nylon fibre "Econyl." Fragrance: licence agreement signed with Interparfums July 2025, running through 2036; first fragrance launch planned 2027.

Distribution through approximately 1,500 retail points of sale in 80 countries: 300 proprietary boutiques, franchised shops, department store concessions (Saks, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's in the US), multi-brand leather goods dealers, airport shops, and online via 20 distribution subsidiaries. Key flagships: NYC SoHo "La Maison Unique" (2006, Thomas Heatherwick), NYC 5th Avenue (2018), Regent Street London (2013; largest in Europe at opening), Champs-Élysées Paris (2014; 500 sqm, two floors), Omotesando Tokyo (2017; seven floors). Fragrance licensing is the one documented outbound licence: Interparfums signed July 2025, through 2036.

Mid-to-premium luxury accessories brand; described in Bloomberg coverage as "outpacing Vuitton by sticking to value-for-money luxury." Family independence allows long-term planning. One of the last remaining family-owned leather goods manufacturers in France. North American retail established from the 1950s via wholesale; first proprietary US store Madison Avenue 1984. Key department store partners: Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's. International expansion across Southeast Asia from the 1970s - among the first European brands in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. China since 2006; 50+ stores by 2012; Southeast Asia 22 stores accounting for 10% of global sales (2014).

Longchamp operates one of the most extensively documented and sustained artist-collaboration programmes in the accessories sector, using Le Pliage as a recurring canvas for applied graphic and surface design:

LM line (1978): The first women's collection explicitly documented as "created from printed leather" - establishing print application to leather goods at the brand's foundation.

Artist collaboration history (documented):

• Serge Mendjisky (1970s): Limited edition bags featuring this Franco-Russian artist's design; leather patchwork added to bags in 1971 - among the first luxury brands to collaborate with fine artists in product design.
• Tracey Emin (2004-2005): Personalised luggage; patchwork Longchamp bag featuring the message "Me Every Time."
• Thomas Heatherwick (2004): Zip Bag - a handbag constructed from a long zipper; Heatherwick subsequently designed the brand's NYC SoHo flagship.
• Jeremy Scott (2005-2015): 20 styles of Le Pliage bags over a 10-year partnership. Pop culture-infused graphic designs applied to the standard bag form: a poodle in space, zodiac signs, a credit card, tire tracks, and a postcard from Hollywood ("Wish you were here") for the 10th anniversary edition.
• Jean-Luc Moerman (2008): Illustrated version of the LM collection reissue.
• Jeremy Scott + Charles Anastase + Bless (2009): Three-way collaboration for ANDAM (Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode) 20th anniversary - three limited edition Le Pliage variations.
• Kate Moss (2010): "Kate Moss for Longchamp" - 12 bags named after London locations (Soho, Ladbroke, Goldbourne, Gloucester, Glastonbury); co-designed with artistic director Sophie Delafontaine; red lining added to the Legende bag.
• Mary Katrantzou (2011-2012): Printed tote bags featuring Katrantzou's trompe-l'œil fabrics; imagery drawn from temples in Vietnam and flower parades; bold colour and decorative surface design. Subsequent collection included bags with prints of orchids, dragons, corals, Carnegie Hall, Asian temples, flowers, and lanterns - some of the most print-detailed products in the Longchamp archive.
• Sarah Morris (2014): Limited edition Le Pliage based on the American artist's geometric graphic works.
• Ryan McGinness (2016): "Mindscapes" artwork wrapping the rue Saint-Honoré storefront during renovation.
• Vahram Muratyan (2017): Franco-Armenian graphic artist collaboration.
• Shayne Oliver / Hood By Air (2018): Capsule collection of leather goods, footwear, RTW, and garment bags for SS18.
• Pokémon (2020): Le Pliage featuring Pikachu with a jockey motif referencing the brand's racing history; cross-media presence in the Pokémon Go game as an avatar backpack.