"Achieve excellence and challenge it every day."
Armand LÉTRANGE, 1865
Young Auguste LESPIAUT was only 21 in 1838 when he decided to set up as a saddler at the Ecuries of the Louvre Palace. He quickly became a renowned craftsman, and was appreciated by prominent figures such as Eugène DELACROIX or Victor HUGO. In 1865, his son-in-law Armand LÉTRANGE took the lead of the family business and accumulated the patents and medals of the worldwide expositions. LÉTRANGE gathered and employed more than 700 craftsmen in its Parisian Atelier and the factory in Montargis, the House produced handbags, gentlemen's and cyclists accessories, hunting gear, and military and photographers equipment.
Made-to-measure craftsmanship gained significance within the company, and the House served notable clients such as Jules Verne. It even accompanied Commander Jean-Baptiste Charcot on his Antarctic expedition. Charcot chose LÉTRANGE furniture to transport his equipment for his second polar expedition aboard the Pourquoi-Pas?
LÉTRANGE is a pioneer company and a prosper witness of the cultural, industrial, political and social revolutions, of the important tragedies, but also of the glorious hours and the changes of the society and the lifestyles.
During the World War II, Henriette, the 42-year-old daughter of Francis LÉTRANGE, lost her husband and had to remplace him at the head of the business, which was the leading company of the sector at the time.
She was strict and demanding with herself, autoritative and a visionary for LÉTRANGE, and became a symbol for the House while traveling around the world with style and elegance.
THE RENAISSANCE
In 2014, Sébastien LÉTRANGE, Henriette's grandson and a member of the seventh generation of the family, a globetrotter who became an advertiser, developed a passion for his family's history, which had shaped the first forty years of his life. He began to delve into the archives to write a saga. His passion grew into a bolder ambition: to make LÉTRANGE shine once again.
When he met Mathias Jaquemet, a graduate of the FIF and the Art and Design University of Basel, the project became a reality. After having worked for Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, Mathias Jaquemet became the artistic director and immediately shared the same virtuous ambition. This ambition focused on the fundamentals and expertise of high-quality leather goods and the heritage of a brand nearly two centuries old.
Sébastien and Mathias are intimately convinced that the renaissance of LÉTRANGE cannot be achieved without taking risks and reconsidering the House. There is a necessity to move beyond clichés and create a new vocabulary associated with the brand, while also innovating and creating new.
By using the finest and most qualitative materials, perfected finishes, and the most innovative assembly techniques, LÉTRANGE offers a collection of modern leather goods that can be perceived differently. Each piece is conceived with creativity, rigorous processes, and a wealth of imagination. Every bag has its own personality, showcasing ingenuity in its design and versatility in its use.
