© LANCEL
Watch the baggage carousel at any French airport and you’ll notice that many suitcases were both built to hold up in transit and designed to look good rolling into a hotel lobby.
Most French luggage brands are family maisons (houses) several generations deep, and for a long time they stayed resolutely French — sold exclusively in French department stores and known mostly to the people who grew up with them. The good news is that nearly all of them ship internationally now, and a few have even opened boutiques around the globe.
Here are five French luggage brands worth knowing before making your next suitcase purchase.
1. Delsey
The Delsey name comes from a contraction of the founders: Delahaye, who had been making leather cases for cameras since 1911, and the Seynhaeve brothers, who built protective boxes for typewriters and record players. When they joined forces in 1946, they turned that molded-shell craft toward travel. In 1970 they produced the first serious French hard-sided suitcase, and wheels followed two years later.
This is the suitcase you’ll see all over France. Their Châtelet line features rounded corners, leather trim, and a brake on the wheels that keeps your case from rolling away on a sloped train platform. It’s the kind of detail that comes from eighty years of watching people travel. Prices sit well below the luxury houses, and the brand is easy to find internationally.
2. Lancel
Angèle and Alphonse Lancel opened a pipe shop in the 10th arrondissement of Paris in 1876. When cigarettes caught on with Parisian women, the couple began making leather cases to hold them, and before long the leather side of the business had swallowed the tobacco side whole. Their son Albert took over in 1901 and introduced the bucket bag that the house still sells a century later.
The luggage today is mostly hard-sided, and the leatherwork shows up in their weekender bags that arguably looks even better after a few scuffs. The Empreinte collection is the practical entry point, with expandable cabin cases, while Ninon and Côme models sit at the top of the range. Lancel turned 150 this year, and its anniversary exhibition, LANCEL Toujours, runs in Paris through December 23.
3. Longchamp
Jean Cassegrain inherited his family’s Parisian tobacco shop after WWII, along with a stockroom of wartime pipes nobody wanted. On a whim, he had them wrapped in leather, and they sold out. By 1948 the little leather workshop had a name of its own, borrowed from a mill he passed on his way to the Longchamp racecourse.
Most people know Longchamp for Le Pliage, the nylon tote that folds into an envelope, which Philippe Cassegrain designed in 1993 after a trip to Japan. The travel bags came first, though. Back in the 1970s, when every suitcase on the market was a brick, Longchamp was pairing nylon with leather trim to make luggage light enough to carry in one hand. The Boxford is the modern version of this and Le Pliage comes in an expandable travel version.
4. Jump
Jump began in Alsace in 1960 as a small leather workshop making bags for divers, where Bernard Ehret came up with the idea of replacing the cotton with truck tarpaulin so the bags would stop smelling of seawater. Sports bags followed, and in 1979 the first suitcase appeared under the Jump name. Ehret’s position was that luggage had no reason to be gray and rigid, and he brought color to the French luggage aisle before most established brands ever thought to.
The family is on its third generation now, still making light polycarbonate cases and nylon travel bags at fair prices, and still running a repair workshop in France that will fix a broken wheel rather than sell you a new case. The one caveat is that distribution outside France is limited, so this is the one to buy while you’re there.
5. Lipault
When Air France needed new luggage in 1999, the airline turned to François and Karine Lipovetsky, who ran a small leather goods shop in the 15th arrondissement. The couple liked the work enough to launch their own label six years later, on a single premise: a suitcase should weigh almost nothing, and it should be beautiful to look at.
Lipault cases are made of nylon twill in saturated seasonal colors keyed to the Paris runways, and the softside models fold flat for storage between trips. Samsonite bought the brand in 2014 and, to its credit, left the design language alone. The Plume line is the signature, and you’ll spot your bag on the carousel from across the hall.
If you’re looking for chic French travel essentials, you’ll want to check out our Bon Voyage August Box — get yours here.
Bon voyage!
Written by Olivia Hoffman
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Wander Through Our Stories
Wander Through Our Stories
Photo by Stephan Julliard
The French secret to cooking, dining, and hosting, is rooted in simplicity.
Reliability is favored before flash and glamour in the kitchen, but simple aesthetic flair pops in at every corner. In that vein, the French ensure each item is chosen and appreciated for the duration of its abilities.
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Akin to a wardrobe, the French kitchen is constructed over time. Vintage cake stands, silver, and china won at auction or spotted at a brocante in Paris, make the delicate array of objects which color the French countertops and tables.
Upon entering, guests will notice drawers laden with well-loved objects. Knives fitted with aged and wooden handles, and homestyle cutlery with iconic acetate finishing are stored throughout. Salad bowls and a patchwork collection from Le Creuset double as serving dishes.
When curating la cuisine (the kitchen), the French are guided by the following sensibilities:
Is the Item Made in France? — French Glassware
When an item carries a Made in France label, whether etched at the bottom of a glass or along the blade of a knife, it brings a sense of pride to the buyer. The nation’s culinary manufactures have been lauded for their gastronomic tools and expertise for generations, as they lean into quality and the tradition of savoir-faire.
Since many French regions specialize in certain areas of production, cooks of all backgrounds and expertise have a soft spot for supporting small local industries. The French opt for knives mades in Thiers, Duralex bistro glasses from Lorient, and china dishes crafted in Limoges.
In many French homes, especially in urban apartments, space is coveted and optimized for ease. Kitchenware is designed with this in mind.
The southeast borders the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, the body of water framed by the southern coast of Europe and the northern coast of Africa. Often characterized by its crystal-clear, aquamarine waters, the sea is typically calmer and more temperate — especially in the summer, making it a prime destination for boating.
By contrast, the southwest sits along the vast North Atlantic coastline, which runs down the western coast of Spain, Portugal, and west Africa. The ocean welcomes impressive wildlife like dolphins and whales, while the intense waves rolling into the Bay of Biscay tempt surfers from around the world. Facing west, the sun sets directly over the water, painting mesmerizing skies along the horizon each night.
Does it Serve a Dual Purpose? — Smart Storage
In many French homes, especially in urban apartments, space is coveted and optimized for ease. Kitchenware is designed with this in mind.
Pots and pans are reimagined with removable handles, knives may be stored on strong wall magnets rather than in drawers or counters, and saladiers (salad bowls) may double as serving dishes for guests.
Will it Endure Wear & Tear? — Classic Dutch Ovens
Cooking or baking demands trial and error, and recipes may go wrong before they can be fully appreciated. A pan will burn and scratches materialize, but these imperfections are signs of life which add color to the memories made in the kitchen.
While French home cooks oscillate between delicate kitchenware and more reliable pieces, a cuisine armed with qualitative materials gives permission to make mistakes – which is vital when building a repertoire of French recipes.
The French reach for Le Creuset time and time again. The enameled iron pots bring a soft elegance to the atmosphere which can be passed through the hands of many generations.
Can it be Recycled? — Elegant Jam Jars
The French aren’t afraid to reuse jars or keep plastic storage.
Bonne Maman in particular, is a popular choice for storing an assortment of items. With a pretty vichy patterned twist top and removable labels, these jars are quickly repurposed to mix the salad dressing or store the rests (left overs).
Countertop Essentials — Quality Copper & Ceramics
Since storage is often limited, counter tops cover the essentials. It’s not uncommon for collection of wooden spoons, spatulas, and array of copper utensils to be easily arranged and accessible in ceramic vase.
Any vase will do, but the French enjoy objects with a story. Those made by hand in the studio or gifted by a friend bring a special touch to the French kitchen.
Everyday French Cooking — Pots & Pans
The French gravitate to several types of cookware. If one has a limited storage, some opt for pots and pans with one detachable handle.
De Buyer cookware is, otherwise, an indisputable favorite among home cooks. The iron pans are heavy and perfect for fool-proof cooking. At the same time, the pots feel luxurious and industrial, tapping into the medium of beauty and utility.
Quality Couteaux- Keeping Kitchen Knives
Rather than purchasing a set of knives, the French outfit their kitchens with a plethora of styles. Among the kitchen staples are objects with sentimental value.
An iron couteau (knife) which is purchased on holiday in Japan or at a market in the South of France, is as equally cherished by home cooks as classic Laguiole and Opinel cutlery. With an array of styles, knives are often stored side by side on wall magnets or in drawers.
Setting the Table – Flatware & Dinner China
As an extension of the kitchen, the dining table frames the efforts made in a kitchen. A French kitchen table is set for each type of occasion. When a home meal served with family and close friends, place settings are lined with forks and knives, well loved china, and cloth napkins.
French kitchens are rich with reminders of travels, tradition, and confidence in utility. The French return to their favorite tools and methods repeatedly. This gives makes them confident in the space and willing to perfect their home recipes and flavors.
The goal is never really perfection, but an air of ease followed by a sense of simple beauty.
Written by Jessy Brewer
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