Létrange Paris

The Doyenné District

World Fair

It must have been serendipity when Auguste workshop settled in next to a Parisian salon visited by the most influential artists of the century.

Walls between Art and Craftsmanship are quite thin, and this proximity creates a breach. Our founding saddler will redouble his inventiveness to meet the needs of the most edgy minds of his time.

Several medals reward his innovations, including in 1855, a cigar case including a lighter.

Armand

"ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE AND CHALLENGE IT EVERYDAY"

Armand Létrange, Auguste's apprentice, married Adolphine Lespiaut and took over the family business in 1865. He gave the Maison his name, as well as numerous patents and medals

57, Boulevard de la Villette

THE LIMITLESS FACTORY

The company thrives and diversifies, producing leather equipment for athletes and photographers, as well as, starting in 1880, the first lady bags.

To meet these new demands, LÉTRANGE opens a large workshop, which accommodates over 250 artisans on Boulevard de la Villette.

The polar gentleman

CONQUEST OF POLES

Custom-made and special orders multiply. The Maison will count Jules Verne among its clients and will travel as far as Antarctica with Commander Jean-Baptiste Charcot in 1908, transporting his equipment in LÉTRANGE luggage during his second polar expedition aboard the Pourquoi-Pas?

Francis

LÉTRANGE toward new horizons

Francis Létrange succeeds his father, Armand, and under his leadership, the Maison takes flight. He quickly opens a second workshop in Billom, followed by a third in Montargis in 1936.

Leader in the sector, LÉTRANGE employs up to 700 workers at its peak. This momentum allows the House to expand throughout France—opening its first pop-up store in Lyon in 1919—and internationally.

1926

The Name tag

Amidst the pulse of the Roaring Twenties, LÉTRANGE invented and patented a new name tag.

When everything was going faster, while railways were driving a sophisticated clientele toward new frontiers, the Maison invented a luggage tag with a flap to preserve the owner's identity.

Henriette

“LIFE IS A PECULIAR TRAVEL WITH UNEXPECTED STOPOVERS”

Being 42, Henriette Létrange finds herself a war widow. She cuts her hair, takes the reins of the family business, and learns to juggle the roles of First Lady and Businesswoman.

Authoritative, strong-willed, and spirited, the tireless traveler undertook seven world tours, proudly championing the Maison. Under her leadership, LÉTRANGE received the gold medal at the Paris World’s Fair.

THE LÉTRANGE SHIRT

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

After World War II, Henriette faces numerous challenges, including a severe leather shortage, threatening the company and over 600 jobs.

Stubborn yet agile, she decides to expand into shirt production, which became the main segment of the House within two decades.

LÉTRANGE then produces white collars for the most prestigious French houses.

Sébastien

Rebirth

Sébastien Létrange, Henriette's great-grandson, takes the helm of the family business, supported by Mathias Jaquemet, his Artistic Director. Together, they breathe new life into the House, sharing the deep conviction that LÉTRANGE rebirth requires both self-questioning and risk-taking.

The collaboration brings forth one-of-a-king creations such as the Empreinte bag.