As with just about anything, much of the brand’s recently amassed cult following is thanks to its fascination online, garnering over 343 million views on TikTok alone. Content creators on #LeCreuset teach their followers how to cook with the versatile Dutch oven, promoting the cottagecore lifestyle through baking recipes in heart-shaped pots. They’re alerting eager viewers when a new collection launches or teaching them how to snag a miniature cocotte in clearance aisles for a slash of the price. Some are deep into the Le Creuset archives—they’re discussing which shades are discontinued and how a flame-colored pan fits in a midcentury-modern-styled home. Even its newer, younger fans who don’t really cook still find themselves scouring the web to cop a limited-edition mug or loaf pan, reminiscent of the hype around a designer sneaker drop.
There’s something about the Le Creuset line of kitchenware that separates it from the rest, and many Zillennial fans have lived with them since their childhoods. Romilly Newman, a New York City–based chef, food stylist, and tastemaker, recalls growing up with Le Creuset. (Her parents received a vibrant blue Dutch oven for their wedding.) “When I was younger, I would use it all the time,” she says. Up until now, kitchenware wasn’t considered anything more than what it was—a tool to cook with. However, she realized its uniqueness after formally entering the food world. “I still have the exact pot that was on my parents’ wedding registry ‘til this day,” she adds.
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Le Creuset’s ardor and marvel come at a hefty price tag: The brand’s signature Dutch ovens range from $200 to $700, depending on size. Despite that, Zillennials are still leaning on their French-Belgian Dutch ovens over newer, more affordable direct-to-consumer competitor brands—Caraway, Great Jones, Our Place, and Staub all offer similar alternatives for a fraction of the cost. But Le Creuset has mastered a few things that remain an investment that younger fans are willing to splurge on, even if it may or may not cost them half of a paycheck.
Ella Snyder, a 24-year-old model based in Los Angeles, says that aesthetics, quality, and hype all come into play with the long-term success of Le Creuset. As a self-proclaimed amateur chef, she explains that the allure of cooking with an expensive product is not about the skill, but the feeling behind it, and using a beautiful pot makes the experience much more exciting and less intimidating. “I’m just now learning to cook well at 24, but I feel extremely privileged to learn with Le Creuset cookware,” Ella explains. She also believes there’s an air of exclusivity around the brand based on its price range, adding that “finding it in discount stores makes it feel like you get access to a secret club without paying such a hefty price tag.”