Au Départ Paris

What Au Départ Paris does

Au Départ Paris is a privately held French heritage luxury leather goods brand founded in 1834, specializing in handcrafted women's and men's bags, accessories (wallets, pouches, wash bags, charms, travel items), and luxury trunks. Its core product line centers on a signature monogram jacquard textile woven into bags across multiple named collections (Riviera, Cité, Céleste, Savoye, Belleville, Madeleine, Monceau, Charlotte, Tuileries, Alina, Jeanne, René, Émile, Étoile, Pierre), with limited-edition SKUs deliberately capped at 50 pieces each to enforce scarcity and premium positioning. Retail pricing sits in the $2,300–$2,500 band for core handbags and totes, with a lower-priced charm category (e.g., Float Bag Charm at $344). The portfolio is extended through co-branded collaborations with Elie Bleu (luxury trunks: humidor, jewellery trunk, 6-watch winder), Vans, Paris Saint-Germain, and photographer Gabriel Moses.

The business operates primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model powered by Shopify, shipping to approximately 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, with localized currency, tax-inclusive pricing, and a physical stockist locator as a secondary channel. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time unit sales of physical goods; no subscription, licensing, or service revenue model is disclosed. Distribution is globally accessible but the brand does not operate its own branded retail stores in the source material, and there is no evidence of a parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds — the business appears independently operated. A single named senior leader, Silvia Christina Antonini (Head of Global Sales), is identified. No headcount, revenue, or financial metrics are disclosed.

Name

Au Départ Paris

Legal name

Au Départ Paris

Website

https://eu.audepart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1834

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Au Départ Paris is a privately held French heritage luxury leather goods brand, founded in 1834, that designs and sells limited-edition monogram jacquard bags, accessories, and luxury trunks to global consumers via direct-to-consumer e-commerce and select stockists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Leather Goods

NAICS

Luggage and Leather Goods Retailers (458320), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (3169), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Leather Handbags & Totes (CRAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Leather Goods & Handbags (CRAKAFAB), Luxury Handbags & Leather Goods (CRAAAFAD), Small Leather Goods (Wallets, Cardholders, Keyholders) (CRAKAEAB), Leather Travel Goods & Luggage (CRAKAEAC)

Keywords

• Luxury leather goods
• Designer handbags
• Monogram jacquard bags
• Luxury trunks
• Heritage fashion accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase model for luxury leather goods, accessories, and trunks sold directly through the e-commerce platform. Products include women's bags, men's bags, accessories, and custom trunks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Au Départ Paris designs, produces, and sells handcrafted luxury leather handbags, small leather accessories, and bespoke trunks for men and women. Products are built around a signature monogram jacquard textile and offered as limited edition pieces (typically 50 per design), sold directly through the brand's e-commerce site and select stockists worldwide.

Product overview

Au Départ Paris is a luxury leather goods brand established in Paris since 1834, offering a unified portfolio of handcrafted bags, accessories, and trunks. The core product line centres on women's and men's bags across multiple named collections (Riviera, Cité, Céleste, Savoye, Belleville, Madeleine, Monceau, Charlotte, Tuileries, Alina, Jeanne, René, Émile, Étoile, Pierre), featuring signature monogram jacquard designs and limited-edition pieces. The portfolio extends to accessories (wallets, pouches, wash bags, charms, travel items) and luxury trunks (watch trunks, jewellery trunks). Strategic collaborations with Elie Bleu, Gabriel Moses, Vans, and PSG expand the brand's reach into co-branded products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Riviera Collection

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elie BleucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration producing luxury trunks and accessories. Products include Au Départ x Elie Bleu Humidor, Au Départ x Elie Bleu Jewellery Trunk, and Au Départ x Elie Bleu 6 Watch Winder. These are limited edition co-branded pieces combining both brands' craftsmanship.
• VansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating Au Départ x Vans branded products, bringing together the luxury heritage brand with streetwear footwear.
• PSG (Paris Saint-Germain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the French football club PSG on a collection of co-branded bags and accessories.
• Gabriel MosesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with photographer/creative Gabriel Moses on a collection, bringing artistic vision to the Au Départ brand aesthetic.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Moynat: Parisian heritage maison (est. 1849) specialising in handcrafted leather trunks, bags, and small leather goods with a monogrammed canvas. Closest analogue to Au Départ in category, heritage, and limited-edition strategy.
• Longchamp: French family-owned leather goods maison (est. 1948) producing leather bags, small leather goods, and travel items. Comparable in category and French heritage, though at a lower price tier than Au Départ.
• Mark Cross: American heritage luxury leather goods house (est. 1845) known for its travel trunks and structured handbags. Comparable in trunk heritage and limited-edition DTC model.
• S.T. Dupont: French luxury maker (est. 1872) of leather goods, lighters, pens, and travel accessories. Comparable in trunk/travel accessories and French luxury heritage positioning.
• Goyard: French luxury trunk and leather goods maker (est. 1853) famous for its hand-painted chevron canvas and exclusive in-store-only shopping model. Direct competitor in the heritage trunk and leather bag niche.
• Berluti: Paris-based LVMH-owned luxury leather house focused on men's bags, shoes, and accessories with Venezia leather craftsmanship. Comparable as a French luxury leather specialist adjacent to Au Départ's menswear offer.
• Le Tanneur & Cie: Historic French leather goods maker (est. 1898) producing handbags, wallets, and small leather accessories. Comparable in heritage positioning and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Hermès: Ultra-luxury French maison (est. 1837) anchored by leather bags (Birkin/Kelly) and trunks. Comparable category leader and the benchmark for Au Départ's heritage positioning.
• Louis Vuitton (LVMH): World's largest luxury leather goods house and the archetype for monogram canvas trunks and handbags. Sets the price ceiling and competitive context for Au Départ's category.

Emerging players

• Smythson of Bond Street: British heritage luxury maker (est. 1887) of leather goods, stationery, and travel accessories. Comparable in heritage-driven DTC model and small leather goods/accessories portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Au Départ Paris