Longchamp's flagship store in SoHo, New York, reopened its doors on 20 April 2025 – but this was no ordinary reopening. It was a renaissance, brought to life by Thomas Heatherwick. Nineteen years after designing La Maison Unique, the British architect and designer returned to where it all began. Together with Longchamp, he has given the brand's Manhattan home a whole new story. An audacious chapter that catapults the space fearlessly into the future. Behind its façade, a feast for the eyes and a journey for the senses await. Art converses with design, heritage crosses paths with innovation. Among unseen works and iconic pieces, the Longchamp spirit inhabits every corner. This flagship destination is much more than a boutique; it is a living, breathing creative manifesto.
LA MAISON UNIQUE: A LONGCHAMP SPACE REIMAGINED IN THE HEART OF SOHO
The daring vision of Thomas Heatherwick at the intersection of art, architecture and the Maison's heritage.
The partnership between Longchamp and Thomas Heatherwick goes back to 2004. Philippe Cassegrain, the Maison's president at the time, discovered the unique work of a young British designer whose approach blurred the lines between architecture, sculpture and industrial design. What did they share? A creative vision: daring, intuitive, rooted in a respect for craftsmanship. Together, they designed the Zip Bag – a style made exclusively of spiral zips. Playful, practical and completely unprecedented, this accessory quickly became a cult piece. The project laid the foundations for a relationship based on curiosity, trust and creative freedom. Two years later, their partnership sparked another fundamental moment: La Maison Unique, which represented a turning point in Longchamp history and Thomas Heatherwick's career. Philippe Cassegrain followed the project closely with an applied passion and a distinctive pride.
Turning a new page under the direction of Jean Cassegrain, the grandson of Longchamp's founder, the Maison called on Thomas to reinvent this iconic location. As Philippe Cassegrain described it in 2006, this flagship represents "a unique architectural ensemble to be appreciated as one-of-a-kind". This ambition endures today, stoked by the family's third and fourth generations. The Maison has always forged strong and lasting ties with the biggest names in design. After over twenty years of collaboration, Thomas is undoubtedly part of the extended Longchamp family. This shared vision comes alive in the Longchamp Family episode with Jean Cassegrain and Thomas Heatherwick.
AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPT TO MATCH THE MAISON'S HISTORY
In 2006, Longchamp entrusted Thomas Heatherwick with the mammoth task of designing its 100th boutique.The location? A 1936 loft at 132 Spring Street. 800 square metres of raw space just waiting to be transformed. The vision? Creating La Maison Unique, a flagship boutique that redefined the retail experience and turned convention on its head. Thomas Heatherwick responded with an architectural showstopper: a central landscape of undulating steps from the intimate ground-floor entrance to the expansive first floor. Its 55 tonnes of heat-laminated steel flow through the space in sculptural ribbons and suspended walkways, rising into the vertical void carved out of the building's core in a dramatic redesign. A skylight at the top floods the space with sun, drawing visitors in and up. Sections of the ceiling were cut and lowered to form shelving for displays. The balustrades evoke windscreens, warped and transparent. Here, architecture and the artisanal come together in a striking blend. A third storey was also added, accommodating a bright showroom and garden terrace.
IN 2025, LONGCHAMP CALLED ON THOMAS HEATHERWICK AGAIN TO REINVENT THIS ICONIC DESTINATION
The renovation was part of a wider ambition to reimagine the boutique as an emotional, sensory experience. Its new design pays tribute to the daring of 2006 while embracing contemporary sensibilities. The signature stairwell is reborn in Lumière green, the Maison's iconic colour. Its rubber steps are soft under foot, offering an almost meditative climb up this imaginary hillside. The upper storey is warm and welcoming. Green spiral rugs cover the ground and creep along pillars, as if the colour were flowing down from the ceiling. Exposed brick adds a nod to SoHo's industrial heritage. Parisian refinement is found in thoughtful touches: a croissant sofa by Raphaël Raffel, Fermob chairs at home in the Jardin du Luxembourg, curved furnishings made specially by Heatherwick Studio and oak sculptures by artist David Nash. Natural light fills this pared-back space, views open up onto the road, and the flagship's heart becomes a place of discovery. Unexpected details punctuate the experience: a green neon light depicting Longchamp's rider leaves its bright signature on a wall; graffiti by André adds personality to the bricks on the ground floor. This metamorphosis makes a brilliant statement, breathing more life than ever before into the SoHo flagship as an authentic reflection of Longchamp's creative energy.
To celebrate this renaissance in the heart of SoHo, La Maison Unique transforms into a hub of community, conviviality and creation. It is much more than a boutique; design, emotion and innovation meet in this vibrant space of artistic expression. True to its open-mindedness, Longchamp collaborates with uniquely talented artists from all over the world. Once a partnership is forged, these creators exhibit or co-design with the Maison.
For New York Design Week, Longchamp's SoHo boutique will host a round table on 20 May, bringing together Jean Cassegrain and Thomas Heatherwick to discuss art, architecture and the future of retail.
The festivities promise to impress: a second-hand bookstall outside alludes to the art of Parisian living and extends an invitation to slow down. Inside, the reinvented boutique hums to the rhythm of DJ sets and surprise performances by choreographer Jacob Jonas. From contemporary dance to visual illusions, wonderment awaits in every corner. A photo booth, personalised keyring workshop and artist events mean everyone can leave with a unique souvenir.
The terrace comes to life with music and art, animated by a joyful and relaxed ambiance. Creative, curious, welcoming: the Longchamp spirit is everywhere. La Maison Unique offers a moment away from it all, as a space for exchange and positive energy.
