Longchamp’s Famous Le Pliage Tote Bag Seems to Have Made a Comeback
The famous Longchamp Le Pliage tote bag seems to be having a renaissance yet again. The accessory is said to have found a fresh audience on TikTok after racking up 105 million views on the platform.
Longchamp, a brand known for producing luxury leather bags for women, designed the first Le Pliage bag in 1993. However, the product didn’t take off until the Noughties.
What makes this comeback unique is the fact that the bag appeals to multiple audiences at once. Gen Zs and millennial moms associate it with “French style girl, “ quiet luxury,” and “Old money aesthetics”.
A Brief History of Longchamp’s Le Pliage Bag
Longchamp’s history dates back to 1945 when Jean Cassegrain started turning his parent’s tobacco shop into a leather goods manufacturer. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s when this brand became a full-fledged fashion house after introducing its first women’s handbags.
Longchamp began selling the iconic Le Pliage in 1993. Le Pliage bag derives its name from the French word “Folding”. With just 3 simple folds, you can reduce it to a purse. Moreover, it has a nylon fabric, which makes it washable.
When designing this bag over 30 years ago, the designer, Philippe Cassegrain, was inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding called origami. The bag later found its way into the affluent areas of England, often associated with the royals.
Apart from the Le Pliage tote bags adding an extra wave of style, their appeal lies in their practicality and convenience. Today, there are so many videos on TikTok showing how users are able to fit everything well in their tote bags. From mom’s packing diapers and toddler snacks to college girls packing their laptops, purses, water bottles, and eyeglasses in their tote bags.
About Le Pliage Bag Sales
The Lyst Index, a quarterly ranking of fashion’s hottest brands and products, published a report in 2023 stating that the humble Longchamp was the 9th most popular product at the time. The report stated that searches for the style were up by 56%.
In that same year, Longchamp reported a 44% increase in sales compared to the previous years. The brand’s CEO, Hector Cassegrain, noted that they received support from popular Netflix actors and celebrities, including Joe Locke, India Amarteifio, Kizzy Edgell, and Natalia Dyer.
How the Longchamp Le Pliage Bag Won Over Gen Z
For several years, the iconic Le Pliage bag has been a mainstay of royals and the era’s It-girls, often seen hanging on Kate Middleton and Alexa Chan arms.
The Princess of Wales was spotted carrying a brown Le Pliage bag with tan handles at her graduation back in 2005. It was an accessory that epitomised the quintessential Noughties uni fashion seen in Saltburn and the final season of The Crown at the time.
Moreover, fashion icon Alexa Chung, known for her Indie Sleaze style, was spotted with one, leading to her becoming the face of Longchamp’s spring/summer 2014 campaign.
While it had its moment in the Noughties, the Le Pliage is among the best-selling and most popular bags worldwide. This is despite the fact that its association with senior royals and the Waitrose crowd dampened its cool factor.
Now, TikTok Gen Z influencers have declared it the ultimate “book bag” for students and a “beginner designer bag.” It comes in 3 sizes: small, medium and large, and as stated earlier, it can be folded and unfolded in three steps.
It’s an accessory designed to give you that preppy, quiet-luxury look. The bag’s interior features two internal flat pockets. Moreover, its canvas exterior is made from polyamide and recycled fibres, with Longchamp’s signature trimmings being made of Russian cowhide leather.
Final Thought
It’s quite fascinating how such a hero product appeals to multiple audiences at once. Some want it because they’ve seen their favourite TikTok creator with it, while others want it because it’s one of Kate Middleton’s collections.
Though a rarity, the Longchamp’s Le Pliage bag can be described as a carry-all for sophisticated mothers and daughters alike. It’s available on Amazon and in major department stores like Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus.
Below are the varieties to choose from:
- The classic Le Pliage medium tote bag
- The traveller Le Pliage medium travel bag
- The quirky Longchamp X Toiletpaper, Le Pliage small travel bag