Play Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York and bring in the vagabond shoes as Coach welcomes Fall 2024 in a true New Yorker way. Creative Director Stuart Vevers’ vision to converge American classicism and the robust counter-culture amongst the youth is visualised in the James B. Duke House, a historical landmark on the Upper East Side.
A mirror of the city’s renowned melting pot culture, the collection is a blend of juxtapositions—in terms of colours, silhouettes, and textures—and is a harmonious chaos. “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,” said Vevers. Structured tuxedo jackets and blazers were styled with crest-embroidered hoodies whereas oversized knit pullovers in cotton candy shades were paired with moto boots.
Taking cues from the workwear, cardigan jackets were reinterpreted with distressed materials, contrasting with the organza-underlined taffeta skirts, adorned with huge bows. Through the eyes of the English-born designer, a languid New Yorker is presented through weathered fringed Bohemian jackets, crinkled bow-festooned camisoles and raw-hemmed denim pieces that are intentionally smeared—those that have potentially lived through years, which, is exactly what they are made out of.
The launch of Coachtopia—a sub-brand of the American fashion house, has been deemed to be “Gen-Z geared” due to its popularity within the cohort. The capability to bridge innovation and luxury makes it an accessible portal for younger consumers. The meteoric rise is built heavily upon the offerings that are crafted with second-hand materials, revolving around sustainability. What might not be known to many is that Coachtopia was inspired by the house’s (RE)Loved program that emphasises circular designs on the runways, and the Fall 2024 continues to breathe a second life into the pre-loved bags and materials without fail. “You can’t walk if your feet aren’t on the ground, your references relevant, your design methodology sustainable, timely and accessible to all,” Vevers shared, leaving little to no fabric scraps behind.
For a fashion house with a prominent background in leathermaking, the bags will always be the show’s hero. Named the New York collection, the designer laid out a series of bags in love-worn treatment that, again, sing New York’s state of mind. From the Empire Carryall to the Brooklyn bag—one that whipped the Internet into a frenzy after Bella Hadid sported hers, these deliberately beat-up bags rose to fame for a good reason.
At a glance, the heritage archetypes were crafted on the nose, the takeaway of the show, however, lies within the details. Charms like figurines of the Statue of Liberty, yellow taxis, “I Heart NY” mugs or postcards, think souvenirs, jumbled and clung on the bags, the messier the better. Personalising and treating your bag as memorabilia resonates with the new generation’s penchant for “Jane Birkinifying” their bags, a shot in the arm for self-expression, or as Vevers phrased it, “it’s about finding joy and purpose in being present, and championing the way the next generation is redefining heritage in their own way.”
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