A few months ago, Coach unveiled a return to its roots with the Coach Legacy collection of handbags and accessories. I spent a long while perusing the bags in all their color glory and realized that this is the Coach I knew and loved. This is the Coach I desperately wanted to see make a resurgence, and it has finally arrived.
Coach Handbags and Purses
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No, you haven’t traveled in some kind of time warp back to Monday. (How cruel would that be?) Yes, these are man bags. Just like men’s oversized watches, oxfords and loafers have become a trendy (not to mention totally chic) option for women in recent years, a men’s bag can also add a fresh, slightly unexpected element to an ensemble. Plus, men’s bags tend to be more neutral and less expensive than similar designs for women, so they’re an amazing option for everyday schlepping.
Louis Vuitton may have pioneered the idea, but now handbags designers collaborating with high-profile artists is all the rage. Everyone from Dior to Coach has given it a shot, and in the case of Coach, it seems as though the company has judged such collaborations to be a roaring success. Fresh off of a much-loved menswear teamup with Hugo Guinness, the American handbag company has tapped New York artist James Nares to lend his prints to a collection of totes that will debut a week from today.
Nestled right in the center of New York City overlooking 5th Ave on the perfect last day of winter, Coach found a spot to showcase their Fall 2012 Legacy collection. The new location from their typical preview gave way to an entirely new look for the brand, almost like a relaunch. Gone is Coach monogramming (at least from the featured lines), and in its place is classic leather and beautiful colors.
One of my favorite winners from this year’s Oscars was Octavia Spencer. The Best Supporting Actress from the movie The Help heard her name called out and was completely and totally in shock. I love seeing someone genuinely surprised and thrilled by an award, and clearly Octavia was. Her acceptance speech was personal and moving as she stood at the podium barely able to hold it together, I was jumping off my couch clapping.
I have shared this before, but my first ever handbag was a Coach bag. From that day forward I was hooked on bags and it clearly changed my life going forward, as I get to talk about the accessories I love every day. While many designers have come in and out of my collection, Coach will always have a special place in my heart.
A couple months back we had the privilege to take a first look at the Coach Men’s Collection for Spring. The line mixes rugged and cool with some influences of boxing and baseball.
Particularly interesting was the line of wallets that were made out of old baseball gloves. The gloves were taken apart by Coach artisans and then each wallet was sown together by hand.
Images via WWD
First Louis Vuitton, then Dior, and now Coach – the artist-designed handbag doesn’t seem to be a trend that will fade any time soon, and based on the lovely, modern pieces that make up the Hugo Guinness for Coach collaboration, that’s a boon to both the accessories and art worlds. Guinness, a London-born, Brooklyn-based artist, lent some of his drawings to a range of 17 Coach men’s accessories that will debut in stores in February with prices ranging from $68 to $398.
Yesterday, Vlad, Amanda and I headed west to what seemed like the end of the world, aka the Hudson River. (Geography for anyone living in Manhattan is utterly skewed.) I would gladly walk 6 avenues any day for the chance to preview Coach‘s upcoming collection of bags and accessories, especially when hosted in the Archive at the Coach Carriage House.
Photos via Coach
We all know that I’m not exactly the kind of girl who’s happy with a closet full of black, tan and chocolate brown bags. I need variety! I need color! I need chartreuse and coral, if possible! Not to mention that a classic shape with a crazy color is just about the freshest thing going in handbags right now.
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