I reckon everyone has heard of Longchamp.

Practically every seems to be toting a Longchamp bag these days – including myself with their newest Le Pliage Cuir crossbody mini that I recently acquired 😛 (thanks heaps Mum and Dad!)

And no wonder: with its simple, understated and classy design, hardy genuine leather and strong muted colours, it serves everyone, from students to mothers, from Jessica Alba, to Katie Holmes.

Born in 1948 by Frenchman Jean Cassegrain, the luxury bag label targets women who are constantly on the go. Since then, it’s expanded into a global brand with more than 1,800 stores worldwide! Parisian chic certainly seems to be the way to go.

If you just can’t get enough of the brand, here are 5 little fun facts about Longchamp to sink your teeth into:

1. In France, mothers give their daughters a Longchamp bag as a coming-of-age gift when their daughters turn 15.
2. The brand’s founder, Jean Cassegrain, started out with a tobacco company in 1940, before he decided to expand the scope of his products into leather-bound smoking pipes for smokers. The focus later broadened to leather goods.
3. Longchamp was named after the racetrack in the Bois de Boulogne, a racetrack in France, since the name Cassegrain had already been registered by another company.
4. The brand has worked with several It Girls for its ad campaigns, most notably with British supermodel Kate Moss and Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha, and most recently with British presenter/model/trendsetter Alexa Chung for its spring/summer 2014 collection.
5. Launched in 1993 by Philippe Cassegrain and Isabelle Guyon, the Longchamp Le Pliage is the brand’s bestseller. It is made of authentic leather and durable nylon, and is the staple bag for Kate Moss and even the duchess Kate Middleton.

Personally, I think what makes Longchamp bags such a runway success is how completely unpretentious it is. You know how some bags are all sleek and glossy and emblazoned inside out with brand logos? Longchamp bags are like the quiet sister, always reliable and never obnoxious. It’s roomy enough for all your junk, but its clean structure doesn’t make you look like a bag lady. No wonder all my girlfriends are in love with Longchamp bags.

So these are the three that I own (click on the pictures to see more)!

(Zalora stocks Longchamp bags as part of their mega range of brands!)