Inside Longchamp’s Viral Shanghai Pop-Up: A French Countryside Escape in the City

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As temperatures rise, Shanghai’s streets are growing lively with weekend crowds. Among the city’s hottest attractions last weekend was the “Longchamp Vegetable Garden,” a picturesque pop-up that quickly became the most sought-after social media check-in spot.

To bring its 2025 Summer Collection, “Live Green,” to life, Longchamp transformed the WHO Garden greenhouse in Zhongshan Park into a lush, French countryside-inspired retreat. The immersive space included guest dining tables adorned with candles, place settings, and fresh decorative garden vegetables. It set the stage for an elegant, early summer gathering, where Michelin-starred young chef Li Zhanxu and celebrated chef Guang Tan reinterpreted French culinary traditions through an organic, farm-to-table dining experience.

The unconventional concept quickly went viral, with reservations for the three-day activation fully booked within hours of going live. On RedNote, the campaign hashtag “Longchamp Vegetable Garden” amassed over 1.8 million views, highlighting the strong consumer response to the brand’s unexpected pairing of “luxury” and “vegetable garden”—a contrast that sparked curiosity and engagement.

At a time when experiential marketing is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, standing out requires more than just aesthetics—it demands a compelling narrative. Longchamp tapped into consumer intrigue by allowing visitors to adopt a “vegetable persona” via a WeChat mini-program, invite friends to gain entry and participate in interactive games. Through playful engagement and hands-on experiences, attendees submerged themselves in French countryside living, reinforcing the brand’s core message in a playful yet sophisticated way.

Beyond its innovative execution, the “Longchamp Vegetable Garden” resonates with a broader cultural movement. Over the past two years of accelerating urbanization, consumers have been increasingly drawn to themes of nature, escapism, and well-being. According to Qianniu Data’s “2024 Top 10 Lifestyle Trends” report, the phrase “Life is an open field” has emerged as a defining mindset, fueling trends such as “20-minute park plans,” “urban escapes,” and “returning to the countryside”—all of which underscore a growing desire for nature-infused experiences.

The “Longchamp Vegetable Garden” is more than just a limited-time activation: It represents a shift in luxury branding—one that favors effortless, lifestyle-driven storytelling over traditional product-centric narratives. By seamlessly integrating its brand ethos into an experience that feels both aspirational and accessible, Longchamp has redefined how luxury can flow naturally into everyday life.