One of the most enticing aspects of Longchamp’s offering — and a clear draw for the notably discerning Gen Z consumer — is the custom offering, My Pliage, initiated in 2003. Over the years, this service has evolved and was updated in 2025, allowing customers to select everything from the canvas and monogram details through to hardware finishing. From the outset, more than 20 years ago, Asian customers showed strong demand for this personalizable element, although it’s been a globally popular proposition. The draw? “It’s a product that’s reliable and very well identified, but at the same time, it’s not the same as everyone else’s,” says Cassegrain. “The customer can buy into the safety of the brand, but at the same time, have something totally unique.”
Scaling a family business
Part of Longchamp’s success lies in it being a family business. Cassegrain is the company’s third-ever CEO, following his father and grandfather. This means Longchamp can invest quietly and discreetly in the brand, think long term, and avoid stock market or private equity pressure to deliver flashy quarterly results.
It’s also a largely women-led company. The workforce is 79% women, the executive committee is 40%, and the international subsidiary of directors is 58%. The creative director and general manager, Sophie Delafontaine, sits across business and creative decisions, giving her a clear view of product performance and strong relationships with the CEO. “So, disclosure: Sophie is my sister,” Cassegrain says, chuckling. “So it makes things easier, and we work together very closely.”
That said, Cassegrain is keen to note that the stability and safety that come with family businesses also mean Longchamp has to self-motivate. “We need to make sure we’re not becoming complacent, so we need to be able to reinvent ourselves — even without outside pressure.” In practice, that’s resulted in an evolving wealth of SKUs across bags, footwear, and ready-to-wear, comprising new releases and updates on brand heroes. Le Cadence, a slouchy, grained leather bag launched in August, sold out 70% of the season’s initial inventory by the end of September. It quickly became a company best-seller.