Coach is one of the few global luxury fashion houses with its roots firmly in New York City.
As such, for its FW24 show it was a homecoming of sorts, with the house deciding to launch its new collection in the well-heeled Upper East Side in the James B. Duke House – a mansion designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1912.
But this collection wasn’t just about nostalgia for the history of the city’s elite circles. It was about cultivating access to it for a new generation.
As the house’s creative director, Stuart Vevers explained in the show notes: “This collection is about the next generation accessing classicism and its tropes to redefine in their image and according to their needs.”
A large part of that was tapping into the demand for sustainable fashion, which is particularly present in the younger generations. The new collection featured second-hand denim, leather and shearling, along with cardigan jackets in distressed materials, tuxes and collegiate hoodies.
Elsewhere, Vevers boldly reminded everyone of the house’s New York heritage. In particular, through charms inspired by kitsch nostalgic New York souvenirs (think Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and yellow taxis – dangling from Coach new season leather goods).
It was a collection which had one foot in the past – the house’s 83-year history, rooted in New York City – as well as a nod to the future, with sustainability at its heart.
