‘Tis the season for the debut of major Fall 2014 ad campaigns. First, Nicolas Ghesquiere unveiled his vision for Louis Vuitton via three of the world’s most iconic photographers, and now Coach has stepped into the ring with a heavyweight photog of their own. New creative director Stuart Vevers commissioned model portraits by Steven Meisel, which were then layered over a series of landscapes by fine art photographer Joel Sternfeld, featuring the then-abandoned vistas of what is now New York City’s High Line Park.
Coach’s Fall 2014 collection, the first under Vevers’ direction, was heavily inspired by the visual conventions of the American West, which makes both the inclusion of Sternfeld’s photos and the powerful, forward-facing poses of the models a solid fit for the feel of the clothes, bags and accessories. The ads will debut in September magazines, and they’re just the latest push in Coach’s overall efforts to both buoy sagging profits and give the brand a more stylish edge that will appeal to more monied consumers.
Coach and Vuitton have chosen similar tactics for their fall ads; which brand’s do you like better? Do you think the approach will have the desired effects?
