Coach: The Comeback Kid

The Comeback Kid

    

    If you've ever seen some of the iconic early 2000's red carpet photos, you have probably seen a celebrity holding a Coach bag. This is because Coach was the 'it' bag to have at the time. Anyone who was anyone had some kind of brand deal with Coach or they were seen carrying it in paparazzi photos. Their iconic 'CC' logo was plastered on almost every bag they produced in a range of colors from neutral brows to neon pinks. Monogrammed bags were all the rage at the time, and it was no different with Coach. They were competing with some of the biggest fashion houses in the world such as Louis Vuitton for whose neon colored monogrammed bag would be seen on the most celebrities. However, this high did not last forever; by the turn of the decade Coach was still turning out similar designs as they always had and were becoming, for lack of a better word, irrelevant. 

    For the better part of a decade Coach was still seen as a brand that could make a quality bag at an affordable price, but it was no longer a brand that fashionistas were lusting for. Coach was for the everyday consumer, something for the practical woman who didn't need something luxury to bring with her to work. Fashion and its trends were moving on from the monogram look, and Coach got left in the dust. 

"The label refused to

pull away from its clean-cut,

preppy aesthetic"

The Comeback Era

   

    By the year 2020, Coach had lost their status as a sought after brand, but they still had a little fight left in them. They relaunched one of their classic bags, The Swinger, but this time in not just neon monogrammed prints, but classic black, white, and brown leather as well. And, not only did they launch their redesigned bag, but they had Paris Hilton be the first one to show it off. From a PR perspective, this was genius move on behalf of Coach. Paris Hilton was the 'it' girl of the early 2000's, similar to when Coach was at their peak, so to have her reintroduce the brand to the new decade made a statement. This move got the attention of the internet, buzz started to spread about Coach's rebrand and they took the momentum and ran. This was just the beginning of their new era.

The Pillow Tabby

    Coach was starting to be talked about again and they made sure to be heard. The bag that really gave them back their fashionista status was not the Swinger, but the Pillow Tabby. This bag is simple, practical, doesn't have too many logos, and comes in a variety of colors - and it's fluffy like a pillow. This the perfect mix of risk and safety for Coach, the design was safe yet chic in its essence, but it still stood out from all the other basic bags on the market. However, what really made it stand out was the marketing campaign that went with this new bag. Many stars were posting picture with a giant version of the bag of pillow tabby, making it almost impossible to ignore. And with that, Coach was back. 

    It is now three years later and Coach has managed to stay as relevant as ever. The pillow tabby is still popular and even comes in a mini size, as well as many other new bags from Coach being very well received by the masses. If you ask me, I think that Coach's rebrand is one for the fashion history books and will be studied by future fashion brands for years to come.