Stuart Vevers is feeling festive.
The creative director of Coach doesn’t believe the company’s Gen Z target customer is big on taking a cruise to celebrate the holidays, but they do like to go out with their friends. So Vevers obliged with a “winter” collection rich in upbeat, colorful vibes that continued his exploration of youthful American style.
“That time of year is festive,” he said. “There’s a definite sense of going out, meeting people, the unexpected — that’s how we envision this moment,” he said.
His young customer isn’t going to choose traditional formalwear, but rather easy-to-wear pieces with a dressy edge such as jeans embellished with sequins, a confetti print dress or velvet blazers with satin lapels that are a little rough around the edges. “When I think of dressing up, I don’t necessarily think of eveningwear at Coach,” Vevers said, describing a more relaxed approach to occasion dressing rooted in separates and the everyday. “It’s a more-useful approach to dressing up — to make it feel more of a sense of ease.”
He paired some of the dressier pieces — which he accented with charms and pins — with distressed skate sneakers and slouchy socks or ballet flats as a nod to that relaxed way of dressing.
A subtle John Hughes spirit ran throughout, filtered through Coach’s established language of thrift-store discoveries, customization and personal expression. Leopard-print outerwear and Fair Isle sweaters reinforced the collection’s nostalgic mood.
Overall, he described the pieces as playful, as evidenced by a pastel-infused lineup of tulle party dresses and skirts and leather jackets in a rainbow of light colors such as faded pink, powder blue and mint green. The inspiration for that palette came from a 1980s East German film called “Coming Out,” he said, which featured cars in a variety of pastel shades, Vevers said.
The collection also included a range of skinny suede or leather ties for both genders as well as preppy undertones such as plaid shirts, pink cardigans, roomy pin-striped pants, and a striking color-blocked varsity jacket with distressed leather sleeves. “It’s still very American in spirit,” he said.
Throughout the collection, Vevers returned to a character he used a decade ago: Felix the cat. He put the feline’s face on everything from the brand’s signature Tabby purses to blazer buttons, and his entire, fully sequined body made an unforgettable appearance on a holiday sweater.
Coach being Coach, there were also a number of different bag silhouettes. Soft frame bags, heart-shaped purses and patinated leather styles underscored Vevers’ ongoing interest in objects that feel lived-in. The bags, in particular, reflected a continuing emphasis on simplicity and function, drawing on Coach’s heritage while appealing to a younger customer.
If much of the formula felt familiar, that was also the point. Rather than reinventing Coach’s youth-driven aesthetic, Vevers focused on refining it. “There’s something about this collection that’s very IRL and being together,” he said, describing a season built around going out, holiday gatherings and the pleasure of getting dressed for the occasion.
