Coach
Not too many handbag fans realize that the good ’ole American baseball glove was the inspiration behind the Coach enterprise. It was 1941 in a family-run Manhattan workshop when the first Coach handbag was created. With its rich leather, burnished shade and timeless character, this bag was one in a collection of only twelve. Today, Coach is a leading American designer and marketer of fine accessories and gifts for both women and men, with handbags remaining a top seller. Other prominent products include small leather goods, leather and textile accessories, business cases, footwear, watches, jewelry, outerwear, sunwear and fragrance. Coach designs captivate with class and style, are ever-present for the logo-loving girl.
Enter a flagship Coach store and the gleaming white, crisp cream and striking silver interior elements entice. Handbags instantly catch the eye and pop brightly against this plush palette. With the exception of a few glass-enclosed jewelry pieces, most products are neatly displayed on modern, lacquered fixtures making it quite easy to find your wish-list item.
As any fashion plate knows, a good handbag and shoes make the enviable ensemble. Lucky for shoppers, Coach offers an unrivaled selection of both of these beautiful things. Handbag collections are adoringly named, each offering a sassy definition of what lifestyle it is best-suited for. Designs offer an exuberant array of deliciously daring details like muted-metallics, butter-soft slouchy silhouettes, graffiti patterns, mod font artwork, as well as unexpected fabrics featuring high-gloss crinkle patent and shimmery sateen. The “Signature C” logo weaves its way into both traditional leather and textile colors like black and khaki, but coral, pink, lilac and lime prevail for play. Styles are grand or petite, structured and freestyle. The Coach Satchels and Shoppers are long-time roomier favorites, while the Wristlet is perfect for evenings out when-besides your date-a lipstick, cell phone, mints and cash are the only necessary objects.
Coach’s casual and fancy footwear makes for such effortless style it’s no wonder we all want it. Designs are dainty for relaxing days with leather power flowers and bows on toes, while the office-into-evening look longs for the fabric-covered four-inch heel or a trendy, patent platform pump. Going for weekend casual? Coach is known for its logo-adorned ballet flats and snazzy sneakers, which are now available in mixed-media designs in a variety of happy hues.
From bags to baubles, Coach has indeed become an icon of American spirit whether in Osaka or Omaha. Headquartered in New York City, the company has 297 retail stores and 102 factory stores in North America. Coach is also sold in over 900 department store shop-in-shops in the United States and 167 internationally. Love flying Coach? Various collections are also available in duty-free shops in over 20 countries. For more information on Coach, go to www.coach.com
By Suzanne Petrizzi
