COACH: The Lens of Self-Expression.
At The James B. Duke House, Coach held a runway presentation to unveil its Fall 2024 collection. The subsequent revelation of Creative Director Stuart Vevers' interpretation of heritage through the eyes of the current generation recontextualized the house's true New York heritage and codes of luxury via the prism of individual expression.
Fall 2024 included traditional archetypes in leather, denim, and cotton that were painstakingly damaged to provide a message about the beauty and worth of clothing with character and a narrative. This further evolved Vevers' image of American classicism paired with a youthful counter-culture mentality. In terms of outerwear, the brand kept expanding on its signature trench coat, leather, and shearling jackets. It also debuted a reimagining of the cardigan jacket using worn-out fabrics taken from workwear. The brand also experimented with tailoring and dress styles, bringing in tuxedo jackets and pants in contrast to school blazers and hoodies personalised with the last names and initials of the models that walked the runway, as well as distinctive Coach crests.
Fall 2024 included denim, leather, and shearling pieces made from recycled materials patchworked into new designs, further expanding Coach (Re)Loved, its programme for investigating circular craft that offers a second life to pre-loved Coach bags and materials. Furthermore, the house transformed taffeta party gowns into skirts and shirts that had a counter-culture vibe. The house kept using regenerative materials throughout the collection, setting new benchmarks for common materials, as part of Vevers' aim to redefine craft through the lenses of sustainability and circularity.
Coach debuted the Brooklyn bag and the Empire Carryall in the house's signature leathers as part of its New York range of leather products, adding whimsical proportions to classic shapes. It also debuted a new version of the Tabby bag called the Times Square Tabby, which comes in velvet and washable, love-worn nappa. Charms reminiscent of New York mementos, such as miniature versions of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, yellow cabs, and postcards with handwritten notes for each model, completed the ensembles.
"My vision for Fall was to explore the archetypes of codes of luxury, recontextualized through the progressive spirit of New York today," said Vevers. "I was inspired by the city as a setting for love stories old and new, the tension between the romantic and picturesque and the real and spontaneous that is unique here. Embracing and celebrating love-worn textures and repurposed materials is critical to this vision. For us, it's about finding joy and purpose in being present, and championing the way the next generation is redefining heritage in their own way."
Taking place in the Upper East Side's James B. Duke House in New York, the presentation embodied Vevers' concept with its archival-inspired Coach décor juxtaposed against the collection's attitude and street-casted models. The presentation gave visitors a front-row view of the collection and envisioned a "Coach Club of New York City," complete with ID cards that the Coach Family filled out as they entered the house, with an emphasis on intimacy and places where everyone is free to express themselves. One of the tracks on the soundtrack was "Moon River," which was reworked by The Strokes' music director Fabrizio Moretti.
Coach SoHo, Coach House on Fifth Avenue, and a limited series of upcrafted Coach (Re)Loved bags painted with iconic Coach and New York motifs are among the carefully chosen pieces from Fall 2024 that can be purchased online and at Coach.com. The Brooklyn bag and ready-to-wear items also feature the collection's bow motif.