When the past is so perfect, why not bring it into the present? Which is what global fashion brand, Coach, has done with its Spring 2024 collection. Unveiled recently at the New York Public Library, it is based on the vision of its creative director, Stuart Vevers, who wanted to redefine heritage according to the tastes of today’s generation.
With youthful interpretations of Coach’s design codes and archival language, it features tailored silhouettes that reimagine heritage textiles—repurposed leatherware, suede and lace—into unique vintage pieces. Think slip dresses, fringed suede jackets, blazers and more, all created with artisanal techniques that render variations in texture and colour. A key starting point for the new line was the brand’s Coach (Re)Loved programme. First launched in North America in 2021, and then in the UK the following year, it aimed at keeping damaged products that were returned to the stores in use by refurbishing, repairing and recycling. The idea was to give them a second life and create less wasteful, circular practices.
The collection, thus, celebrates not just the beauty of pre-loved pieces that become more valuable the more they are worn, but also challenges notions of luxury that place an emphasis on perfection. It features repurposed pieces crafted with lace and fabric left over from previous productions. For instance, the sheer, raw-cut slip dresses and worn-and-repaired knit dresses are darned and mended by hand. The house also continues to work with botanical dyes derived from marigolds, black walnut, logwood, indigo and more.
Besides sustainability being the primary driving force, the line also takes inspiration from New York. “As I reflected on the past decade, I wanted the range to feel personal, as well as capture NYC’s fashion archetypes that define my imagination and memories of what the city is—then and now,” says Vevers, adding, “The collection distils these memories and translates them through an enduring design quality that inspires people to express themselves freely as they are.”
To that end, he picked out his favourite spots across the Big Apple and introduced their defining elements in several outfits. There is, for example, a series of collegiate T-shirts and sweatsuits printed with the graphic for Donohue’s, the iconic Upper East Side steakhouse, reimagining its iconography as a sporty emblem. The accompanying accessories—bags and footwear—offer a playful, expressive contrast to the collection’s vintage vibe. There are colourful patent sneakers and jelly flats as well as new quilted iterations of the bag line, Coach Shapes, and the iconic Coach Tabby bag. Additionally, Vevers also explores leather versions of bowling bags, oversized basket totes and more.
A curated selection of pieces, including quilted Tabbies and pieces featuring the collection’s kiss print, are now available at Coach House and Coach SoHo in New York City as well as on coach.com.