Jean Cassegrain founded Longchamp in Paris in 1948, and the house is still run by his family. It started out covering pipes in leather, and the Longchamp bag most people know today is Le Pliage, which his son Philippe designed in 1993 as a lightweight nylon tote that folds flat like origami.

This edit sorts every bag by size instead of by line, starting with the minis and pouches and working up through small, medium and large to the travel bags and backpacks. That way the nylon Le Pliage sits next to the leather Roseau, Épure and Foulonné shapes of the same size, and you can choose the material once you know the size you actually carry. If you are after a Longchamp mini bag, the pouches and the extra small Le Pliage and Épure shapes in the first grid are the ones to start with.

The smallest Longchamp bags are the ones I would tuck inside a bigger bag or wear on their own for an errand. The Le Pliage Green mini pouch and the Energy S pouch are nylon and almost weightless, the One cosmetic case doubles as a clutch, and the Xtra leather mini crossbody pouch is the polished version. Three belt bags sit with them, the Energy in nylon, the Foulonné in leather and the 3D leather belt bag, and I would wear any of them across the body.

Extra small is where Longchamp gets clever, because the shapes keep their full-size details at a fraction of the size. The Le Pliage extra small crossbody, the Energy XS crossbody tote and the Filet XS mesh bag are the nylon entry points. In leather, the Xtra XS top handle, the Roseau XS handbag, the Épure XS crossbody, tote and camera bag, the Foulonné toile XS tote and the Complice extra small suede tote hold a phone, keys and a card case and not much more. The Panier XS top handle and crossbody bring basket weave, the extra small raffia bucket bag brings straw, and the Xtra passport handbag, clutch and bucket bag and the Le Pliage Passport leather crossbody case finish the group.

Small is the size I carry most, big enough for a wallet and sunglasses without turning into a tote. Le Pliage covers it in nylon with the small top handle, the One top handle and the Energy small crossbody tote, the Panier top handle does it in woven basket, and the Le Pliage leather crossbody is the dressier version.

The leather options are where it gets interesting: the Xtra crossbody and small shoulder bag, the Roseau small handbag with its bamboo clasp, the Looong small shoulder bag, two Les Champs crossbodies, two Foulonné small crossbodies, the Épure small crossbody, the Épure mini crossbody tote and the Épure north-south tote. The Small Day bowling bag, the Xtra round top handle, the Amazone crossbody and the Smart Flow crossbody round it out.

Medium is the everyday workhorse, the size that takes a small laptop or a paperback and still looks neat. The Le Pliage Original medium tote and the One medium shoulder tote are the nylon classics, and the Energy medium crossbody is the sportier take.

In leather, the Xtra medium hobo is the softest shape here, the Roseau shoulder bag, bucket bag, top handle and hobo tote carry that bamboo clasp, and the Épure medium crossbodies, shoulder tote and leather crossbody stay clean. The East/West shoulder bag, the Foulonné toile tote, top handle crossbody and medium belt bag, and Le Smart shoulder bag finish the group.

The Le Pliage Original large tote is the one most people picture, and it is still the one I would buy first. Here it sits in nylon as the large tote, the large shoulder tote and the L handbag, with the One large shoulder tote and L handbag, the Energy large crossbody tote, the Filet large knit bag and the Panier large tote beside them. The One large travel bag and the Le Pliage travel bag are the biggest of the totes, roomy enough for a weekend.

The leather totes are a different commitment. The Roseau raffia tote and Smart large tote, the Roseau Smart hobo, the Foulonné large hobo and extra large tote, the Cadence L shoulder bag, the Smart Flow large tote and three Complice totes are the ones to look at if you want a large bag that reads polished at the office.

Longchamp's first big leap into bags was lightweight nylon luggage in the 1970s, and the travel bags still show it. The Boxford XL duffel and large travel bag are the sturdy ones, the Le Pliage Original and One expandable weekenders unzip for extra room, and the Le Pliage Green large travel bag, the Energy 18 inch travel bag and the One S expandable canvas travel bag keep things light. The Boxford garment bag keeps a suit or a dress flat.

The backpacks take the Pliage shape onto both shoulders: the Energy large backpack, the classic Le Pliage backpack, the medium One backpack and the Xtra leather backpack for a more polished commute.

If you only want one Longchamp bag, start with the Le Pliage that matches the way you carry things now. You can always add a leather shape later. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Polène Bag Dupe and Balenciaga Le 7 Bowling Bag and Its Nearest Neighbors.