If there’s anything I’ve learned and continued to stick to, it is to remain true to yourself. Although this isn’t an easy practice or just something that clicks overnight. Staying true to yourself is not only about knowing yourself, but loving yourself and trusting yourself.
I always struggled when it came to fitting in. Growing up in a predominately white area, the only thing I wished as a child was to fit in. Though I longed for acceptance, I enjoyed other things that didn’t seem “cool” or “fun” due to my curiosity. Art being one of them, when it came to my eye for fashion, I always wanted to know more. I paid attention to what was cool or what the ‘popular girls’ were wearing, hoping to find something similar and hope that people would like me as well.
Going into middle school in September of 2010, I noticed something. My dad had bought me the suede pumas that may have been able to cut it in the South Bronx, but this wasn’t the South Bronx.
Monogrammed ‘C’ print, neon colored patent leather, and colorful prints. The new fad were Coach sneakers, and every girl was wearing them. I ran home that day, pleading with my parents that I absolutely needed this pair of sneakers. The sneakers back in 2010 retailed for $89, and while that may not be as expensive as today, $89 for a pair of sneakers for a twelve-year-old that’ll be running through recess in them is wild.
After months of pleading, my parents surprised me with my first pair. I can recall the joy and excitement on my face as I remember being anxious to wear them to school the next day. My father noticed how much I enjoyed the sneakers, and being the frugal man he is, he was fortunate enough to score a lot of nice Coach sneakers on sale at Lord & Taylor when they were still around. Coach was not only my first designer item, but it also allowed me to pursue my interest in fashion over the years.
Coach started as a family-run workshop located in a loft in the streets of New York. A couple named Miles Cahn and Lillian Cahn took over the company by 1950. During the early years, Cahn noticed the distinctive properties and qualities of the leather used to make baseball gloves. With wear and use, the leather in a glove becomes softer and suppler. Attempting to mimic this process, he devised a way of processing the leather to make it stronger, softer, and more flexible. Since the leather absorbed dye very well, this process also created a richer, deeper color in the leather. Soon after developing this process, his wife suggested adding women’s leather handbags as inventory to the business. The cowhide bags were an immediate hit, which resulted in their buying out the company in 1961. Just like any brand, there are rises and falls. While Coach was at its prime in the early 2000’s, the end of the decade was when the brand seemed to flop. I remember clearly being in Lord & Taylor viewing the Coach display and honestly being confused.
Logomania took the world by storm in the early 2000’s and originated from Harlem’s very own American fashion designer and haberdasher, Dapper Dan. “Logomania is a trend where obvious branding is strewn all over one’s clothes. Rather than a brand name hidden away in a shirt on a tag, a fashion house’s logo is now worn to be seen. While logomania was more common in houses such as Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, etc., more contemporary brands such as Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Coach, or Kate Spade needed to play catch-up when it came to these trends in order to keep customers. Contemporary brands such as Michael Kors branded their signature MK everywhere, while Coach figured out the same with their iconic ‘C’ monogram. Although these two brands had the girls in a chokehold, customers would agree the monogram look became tiresome after seeing it just about everywhere.
It had been a chilly spring day when I had decided I wanted to take a stroll throughout the mall. The cool wind hit my face as I stepped through the east entrance to Garden State Plaza. I usually walked past the actual Coach store (since I usually snagged my stuff on sale), but I decided that day I was going to go inside and check out the new collection. Within 20 minutes of me walking inside, I was in deep conversation with a sales representative that kindly educated me on the background of Coach. She shared information with me on how Coach was actually known for their leather goods and how the maker of the brand was inspired by the making of a baseball glove. The month before I walked into that store, Coach released their 1941 Collection, which consisted of not only handbags but ready-to-wear clothes and accessories. Coach 1941 stands for the established date, and while the collection may be updated, modern, and relevant, it also successfully honors the craftsmanship, creativity, and leather quality of the traditional Coach brand.
I’ve heard through the grapevine that Coach was “back” and on the “up and up,” but taking a look into Coach Resort 23 shows me exactly where Coach is supposed to be. Mixing playful prints of plaid, velvets, and leather, Coach has not only returned to what they know, but they stuck with it. The brand, being known for leather, played with a lot of varsity jackets in this collection, mixing furs such as shearling. Not only did they kill it with the “Back to School” theme, but their approach to handbags since they introduced the Tabby 26 has been very laid back and seems to focus more on the fabric at hand than the leather.
Through society and through the media, it can be super easy to fall into trends. While trends are dope, it’s always important to return to what feels right to you. Instead of following the crowd, be like Coach and set the trend.
What are your thoughts on this seasons collection for Coach? Leave us a comment!