Coach’s SS24 collection marks Stuart Vevers’ tenth anniversary at the American fashion house. “As I reflect on the past ten years, I wanted a very personal collection that would capture the archetypes of New York fashion,” he remarked in his show notes. “Rather than looking at vintage from that time, I wanted to remember it in my own way.”
Inspired by his own memories of New York in the 90s, Vevers presented a collection of elongated silhouettes, Coach’s signature fun accessories, and an abundance of leather to an eager audience in the main branch of the New York Public Library, an iconic New York monument itself.
The collection is a further exploration of Vevers’ AW23 vision with long, lean trench coats and slip dresses, this time with heavier grunge influences in distressed knit dresses and chunky work boots. Leather remained the star of the show – from coats and dresses to low riding skirts and matching cropped jackets, and soft suiting makes a surprising appearance with button-down co-ords and baggy coats – Vevers notes power dressing execs dashing out of town cars as his influence.
Elsewhere, oversized suede jackets with fringed sleeves and single-breasted blazers stand out in variations of soft leather, while dungarees and sheer lace offer more delicate touches to the collection alongside more relaxed tracksuits stamped with ‘Donohue’s Steak House’ logos.
Notably, Vevers took a fresh approach to bag design this season. “For the first time, I didn’t look to the archive for handbag designs,” he said. “I thought ‘What would a Coach bag be?” – The result is something playful, yet timeless and classic – quilted messenger bags and leather shopping totes are carried alongside short bowling ball style handbags in a diverse range of rainbow hues and daring shapes from hearts to bowties and ducks.
As the brand evolves under Vevers’ direction, Coach is also leaning further into sustainable and ethically conscious manufacturing, which makes the surprise anti-leather protestors on the runway seem a little misguided – especially considering the under-regulated and disappointing vegan leather alternatives. Coach has introduced the Coach (Re)Loved program for SS24, exploring circular craft with an emphasis on reducing waste in the creative process. This season they worked with repurposed leatherwear and denim, dead-stock lace and fabric from previous collections, and continue to replace ‘standard’ materials like cotton with regenerative or recycled options where possible.
Images courtesy of Coach.
