Tote No. 55
Black/Black
Tote No. 55
Navy/Black
Tote No. 55
Black/Tan
Tote No. 47
Black/Black
Tote No. 47
Black/Tan
The History of the Au Départ Maison
The Art of Wanderlust
The Tote, the harmonious union of elegance and lifestyle, showcasing the House's heritage monogram available in 2 sizes. A timeless companion from day to night.
The reveriable canvas tote bag is a timeless piece made with a spacious interior and a sleek allure for daily adventure.
The story of Au Départ has its origins in an age of exploration at discovery, a time when the world was opening up to heady new ideas and wealth of fresh posibilites. Founded in 1834, Au Départ- one of France's oldest malletiers - was at the cutting edge of this thrilling new era, producing stylish leather trunks and elegantly crafted travel boxes which soon became highly coveted by the French aristocracy and the cream of Parisian society.
1834
Established in the village of Daulaincourt, Haute Marne, Au Départ's modest orgins began with the sales of its products at the Saint-Quentin market before evenutally flourishing into a prosperous business specialising in bags and baskets.
1847-1874
Au Départ opened its first boutique at 7 Boulevard Denain, opposite the recently inaugurated Gare du Nord and in 1874 a year before the grand opening of Palace Garnier, Au Départ opened its second store at 29, Avenue de l'Opéra, specialising in high-end travel goods.
1883
Having gained a reputation as a luxury malletier, the store became a favourite among the international elite, who would visit Avenue de 'Opéra each season.
1910
Au Départ introduced their signature monogram, featuring a four colour motif inspired by France's geogprahical shape. Meticulously crafted, it reflects the Maison's dedication to perfection, elevating each creation into a piece of art. Au Départ has always prided itself on being a Maison of invention, famed for having introduced several patented techni its, includinga new production method for trunks and a new process for rendering hides and leather products.
1928
Regarded as one of the greatest trunk makers of the time, Au Départ often graced the pages of eseteemed publications, uncluding l'Illustration, the epitome of French fashion journalism of the era. Au Départ was selected, along with a number of other luxury brands to be featured in the very prestigous directory of Parisian luxury, Pan-Annuarie du Luxe à Paris, published under the direction of the legendary designer Paul Poiret.
The Inspiration
The Tote pays tribute to the House's emblematic heritage monogram that was introduced in 1910.
The monogram canvas was made up of countless dots forming a repeating pattern mixing stripes andsquares, which creates a pattern formed by hexagons. Au Départ's iconic monogram also represents the shape of France, L'Hexagon.
The Bag
The Tote, a timeless canvas bag made to celebrate versatility.
Light, spacious and functional. The bag's name is inspired by its size and designed to fit all types of essentials.
Inside the bag features a leather and coated canvas detachable pouch.
2024
In the Autumn of September, Au Départ will return to its origins, opening a flagship store at 20 Rue ru Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
The Detail
The attachment point of the leather handles and the body of the bag features the shape of the monogram of Au Départ a subtle nod to the emblematic feature of the House.
A push tab is also featured on both ends of the bag to modify the opening offering different silhouette options.
The Lining
The Simple Tote was designed to be reversible. Lined with durable off-white canvas and featuring the tagline used by the house in the 1930s "Un Beau Voyage Commence", the Simple Tote offers 2 distinctive style options on how it can be used.
A unique piece that can be fitted for different styles and looks.
The Lining
The Simple Tote was designed to be reversible. Lined with durable off-white canvas and featuring the tagline used by the house in the 1930s "Un Beau Voyage Commerce", the Simple Tote offers 2 distinctive style options on how it can be used.
A uniqe piece that can be fitted for different styles and looks.