Coach’s Mission for Fashion, Essay Example

The upscale brand, Coach, was founded in 1941 as a family run business. It originally began as a collection of leather goods and used the skills that were passed from one generation to the next. The quality of the product was phenomenal and the look was impeccable, thus business grew and the name has synonymously become a staple in the closets of many celebrities, socialites, and even regular people (Coach). This article attempts to explore the background of Coach, beginning with its roots, and offer a sense of why the brand is so popular with such a variety of individuals across the globe.

The Beginning

Although Coach began in a Manhattan loft, the principles of the original branding have remained somewhat the same no matter the change in scenery. They implore the highest standards for materials and also expect the best quality and integrity within every aspect of the company. This is basically what defines the name (Coach). Over the course of the past ten years, the brand has become one of the most recognized American designers and marketers due to its stringent manufacturing process and marketing base. Besides handbags, the label has branched out and now also manufactures men’s bags, small leather accessories, travel accessories, shoes, watches, coats, perfume, jewelry, and a host of other accessories (Coach).

The distribution base is also growing, even as we speak. There are now more than 500 stores in the United States as well as in Canada. There are several hundred stores located globally in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and other foreign countries, with more being added every month (Coach). This, in addition to the company’s online presence, has made the business grow from a company of six family members to a worldwide corporation based on American blooded ingenuity.

Coach’s Evolution of Design

In March, there was a preview of Coach’s Legacy line, which was a special accessories collection and was comprised of slouchy duffle bags, small bags for wearing across the body, modified Chelsea boots, and bags with tasseled trims. This line closely resembled the heritage brand that was introduced several year ago and the public went wild (Fishman). The only difference is that now there is even an online presence to this line and the ability to obtain it is even easier than before.

The updated version, the Legacy line, is multicolored and minimalistic. It is almost logo-free and is quite vintage looking with several color-blocked styles. Celebrities have been flocking to buy their favorites and so has the public. Even better that that is the price, because Coach has become more economy friendly, their handbags, for the most part, are suited for the masses and obtainable for the average person rather than only the rich and famous (Fishman).

The newest line promoted by Coach is the Hugo Guiness line, basically designed for men, but the epitome of every fashion mogul everywhere. The style is said to be “super simple” and “chic” in order to complement various outfits. There is nothing in the collection that is designed to steal the spotlight or overwhelm the eye. The crux of this line is based on accessorizing and not making a fashion statement, if you will. The pieces are not handbags and duffels, but more like iPad cases and wallets with contemporary designs etched on the outside of the soft, yet distressed leather. Very upscale, yet affordable for almost every woman, or man, who envisions himself or herself the epitome of the current ‘gotta have it’ fashion scene (Ogunnaike).

In a recent edition of the Wall Street Journal, the writer spoke of Coach reinventing the “old Coach” bag. This comes as a very big alteration after a fifteen year design in which the handbag industry made a name for itself with brass closures, small logos, and cowhide leather. Now, however, the Legacy collection will be offered in larger sizes, lighter weights, and will contain modern day cellphone pockets for every woman who is on the go (Binkley).

This thinner leather and varied hardware are a bit different from the vintage Coach brand as well as the adjustable strap that the new line will offer its patrons. The price tag is also quite juicy, at only $398. The material actually feels the same, says design executives, but the process that is used to design the material is a little different and more labor intensive; nonetheless, they hope the consumer will love the new bag as much or more than the vintage bags previously made (Binkley).

According to a writer for Glamour magazine, there is something about the sleek and fuss-free shapes that defines a woman as a ‘cool, preppy badass’ (Cernek). Many of these designs have leather that is saturated in color and is definitive of quality American craftsmanship. There is a vault in the main office dedicated exclusively to all of the vintage Coach bags and accessories, even including the pamphlets that explain how the leather is prepared to make it ‘just so’. The vault includes everything Coach and is closed to the public; however, is a piece of fashion history and Cernek was allowed access to obtain pictures representing how the design brand has changed and improved over the course of the years, thusly extending itself into the houses and closets of Americans and global citizens alike.

Unfortunately, with the popularity of such high end fashion, come high end criminals. Such was the case with the campaign known as Operation Turnlock in May 2009. This was aimed at the individuals who made knock off Coach handbags and sold them as originals, thus undercutting the Coach company and bringing a bad name to the fashion industry everywhere. The suit charged $257 million in penalties to any business or individual who sold counterfeit Coach handbags or other merchandise. This was also applicable for those businesses and individuals who had websites that sold the items online (Accessories Staff).

While it is true that the average woman loves her Coach purse, celebrities are not to be forgotten. Take Octavia Spencer for example. When interviewed for US Magazine and the segment “What’s in My Bag?”, she proudly poured out the contents of her pinnacle leather Coach Allie bag and allowed the staff to have their way with all of the goodies inside. Octavia believes a woman is judged by her accessories, amongst other things, and this Coach bag brings her style as well as sophistication for every phase of her day. She is able to take it around the city during the day to auditions as well as be prepared for the evening’s activities at a moment’s notice (US Weekly Staff).

Kim Kardashian is another celebrity who finds Coach to be her lifesaver, of sorts. She finds the bags sleek and modern with a flair of vintage-like elegance. They are able to take her anywhere she wishes to go and she has yet to find a bag unable to fulfill her upscale tastes. Other stars also love the bags for things such as shopping, organizing their lives, carrying extra clothes, and even to use as small pet carriers. Yes, while some would find this a bit odd, we are speaking about Hollywood (US Weekly Staff).

As for celebrity endorsers, Gwyneth Paltrow signed on in 2011 to be the face of Coach and has proven herself to be everything the company could want and more. She is a mother, wife, superstar, entrepreneur, charitable giver, and all around wonderful person…. exactly what the company wished to portray with their campaign to capture the essence of every woman. Gwyneth was signed on to promote the fall and spring lines and follows in the footsteps of many iconic women who have left quite large shoes to fill (Lago). Gwyneth loves the style of the bags and their utilitarianism as well as their durability. This is a must for a mother constantly on the go. It is in this aspect that Coach has evolved from its first days from simply making a fashionable bag to modern times, when it is necessary to make hand bags and duffels as well as accessories that will be utilized in multiple ways by every kind of woman and man imaginable (Lago).

Perhaps the key question now is who will be the next fresh face in front of the Coach name? Will it be someone new and trendy or will it be a well known fashion icon? Whomever the company chooses, we can rest assured that there will be a vast selection of handbags from several lines awaiting this endorser to utilize and promote for the rest of America and the world in order to strengthen the presence of the Coach enterprise and enhance the company’s worldwide domination.

Also, what will the company decide next? What will the next line be? We have moved in a completely full scale circle from vintage to luxury to contemporary and back to vintage again. Will there be more varied prints available in the near future? Or perhaps differences in the logo and brass accessories on the bags themselves? What about the pricing system? With the recession still at its height, the company must decide how to best handle serving the public what it wants while preserving the value of a product that has earned the reputation of being a luxury item in its own right. This is not always an easy sell and many times companies in the past have failed. However, Coach has survived some of the worst events during the past several decades and the chances of this economic downturn negatively affecting them are quite slim.

Conclusion

One simply does not buy a Coach bag. It is more of an investment. It is an investment in style. It is an investment in sophistication. It is an investment in class. Celebrities would not be seen carrying such bags and wearing such shoes if the brand were not an investment that they felt would promote their own celebrity presence in a positive way. Coach is synonymous with ‘class’ and deserves the respect it has so earned. Through countless hours and hard work, the company has evolved from a small dimension into a designer’s enterprise and the opportunities for expansion keep growing like never before.

One does not simply purchase a fashion accessory. It is often by word of mouth that fashion becomes king. There is often years before a company can reap the benefits of hard work and labor. Coach has proven this hard work indeed pays off in the long term. Its rise to fame is heralded by its success across the world and its domination in the world of fashion. There is no end in sight to what will happen and where the company could branch next. Coach has helped keep the fashion industry afloat in uncertain times and remains a solid name on the lips of stylists and fashion moguls everywhere.

Works Cited

Accessories Staff. Coach bags $257 million in web counterfeiting cases. 5 November 2012. Web. 17 November 2012.

Binkley, C. Coach comes around to reclaim its iconic look. 13 July 2012. Web. 17 November 2012.

Cernek, S. Exclusive: A tour of the Coach archives (Vintage handbag lovers, you’re gonna want to spend some quality time here). 9 September 2012. Web. 17 November 2012.

Coach. Company Information. 2012. Web. 12 November 2012.

Fishman, Elana. Coach’s legacy collection has finally landed. 25 July 2012. Web. 12 November 2012.

Lago, Maria. Gwyneth Paltrow: The new face of Coach. 17 May 2011. Web. 12 November 2012.

Ogunnaike, N. Hugo Guiness for Coach: Simple but great accessories for the no-frills girl. 16 November 2012. Web. 16 November 2012.

US Weekly Staff. Octavia Spencer: What’s in my bag? 18 May 2012. Web. 17 November 2012.