Longchamp has found a new home in Shanghai’s historic Wukang Road — a leafy boulevard often called the “Paris of the East”
The French maison has transformed a listed modernist building, designed in 1948 by architect Harry Tam, into an immersive concept space dubbed the Longchamp Family Home. More than a retail location, the two-story landmark captures the spirit of French living through a dialogue between heritage, intimacy, and design.
For CEO Jean Cassegrain, grandson of the founder, the project reflects both humility and ambition. “It’s only in Shanghai that we can do something like this,” he said. “There’s this unique mix of Chinese and Western styles that makes it truly special — not a traditional store, but a place where people can feel the brand’s story and values.”
Since its soft opening, the boutique has already become one of Longchamp’s top-performing locations in the city, thanks to its intimate scale and sense of discovery. The house unfolds like a lived-in residence, with each room offering a different mood: a living room adorned with a Pierre Paulin sofa and Geneviève Claisse artworks; a dining room lined with cookbooks and croissant-patterned ceramics; and an indoor winter garden that opens to a tranquil courtyard filled with wrought-iron furniture, hydrangeas, and a playful frog game — a nod to French family leisure.
The garden also connects to Café Longchamp, the brand’s first café, serving classic French dishes on Gien faience ceramics crafted in the Loire Valley. Upstairs, a hallway of framed family portraits leads to a library filled with comics, board games, and vintage Le Pliage displays — blending nostalgia with cultural charm. In the dressing room, soft-hued Pierre Paulin armchairs sit beside art by Etel Adnan, framing a view of the neighboring lane houses where French and Shanghainese life quietly converge.
Longchamp’s Shanghai flagship marks more than an architectural statement — it signals a shift toward lifestyle storytelling in retail. With over 50 stores in mainland China and plans for steady expansion, the maison continues to balance growth with authenticity. “It’s not about being everywhere,” Cassegrain said, “but being in the right places — and creating experiences that truly feel like home.”
