Lancel: Parisian Maison since 1876

Unquestionably the fashion landscape is scattered with heritage brands that have been reinvigorated and reimagined.  Lancel the brand, as seen by the title of the book, is within this sphere of fashion, having been in existence for almost 150 years.

As is the case with so many brands, Lancel has morphed from its original incarnation as a maker and purveyor of smoking accessories to one that is a purveyor of handbags, luggage, and small leather goods. Yes, they may have started on the growth path in the same way as Hermès started as a saddle maker and Louis Vuitton as a trunk maker, but that’s where their similarities end.

Lancel: Parisian Maison traces the past, present, and future of the legendary brand. There is something to be said for the power of advertising, product expansion, and brand recognition. While the latter grouping of previously mentioned brands have expanded and grown exponentially in the past few decades, Lancel has apparently glided along and grown—but without the brand recognition and hoopla that it might deserve given its rich and authentic history and its pride in innovation.

If the prospective reader is a Francophile, a lover of all things within the French fashion orbit, or just one who seeks to learn about a product/brand that has very little presence in the USA, then this book has your name on it. The metamorphosis and evolution of the brand and its products are the raisons d’etre for the tome and without a doubt Lancel: Parisian Maison delivers on all those counts.