I remember the backpack I carried into my freshman year of college.
Tan and covered in fine-line illustrations of cats, the Forever 21 bag probably retailed for less than $30. At the time, it felt like a luxury.
Today, university students know a thing or two about actual designer bags, and one style has all but replaced standard backpacks.
Enter the Le Pliage tote from Longchamp. Priced between $145 and $155, the foldable design has become the ultimate It Bag for back-to-school season.
It’s popular with students for several reasons: think aesthetics, functionality, and accessibility. Equally influential is the resurgence of the French brand that makes it.
Longchamp saw a 44% revenue increase in 2023, a stat that can largely be attributed to the brand’s ever-growing Gen Z fan base.
“Everybody wants to give off old-money vibes nowadays. College students want to look cute, but classy as well,” Ansuya Dulal, a 19-year-old Ohio State…