If Vevers can't congratulate himself, someone should. The Yorkshireman, who now resides full time in NYC, has transformed the aesthetic of the American fashion house from “heritage” to “happening” since he took over the top job, adding a whimsical vein to all of his collections, and using words such as "spontaneous", "fun", and "innovation" to express the direction he wants the brand to take. The result? Critical acclaim and a whole new generation of fans - no more so than in the UK where Coach’s reputation as a desirable luxury label is growing.
"A lot of people are still discovering Coach in the UK - we’ve not been a part of peoples’ lives like people who have grown up with it in America," he says. "Along with our store on Fifth Avenue, this is our biggest store in the world – we’ve been busy! This is the fullest expression of the brand, where you have access to the full offer of the runway collections, both men’s and women's. There’s a lot of touches that I introduced that were about making you smile. At its heart, Coach is a very inclusive brand so I wanted it to be inviting and warm and friendly."
"A lot of people are still discovering Coach in the UK - we’ve not been a part of peoples’ lives like people who have grown up with it in America," he says. "Along with our store on Fifth Avenue, this is our biggest store in the world – we’ve been busy! This is the fullest expression of the brand, where you have access to the full offer of the runway collections, both men’s and women's. There’s a lot of touches that I introduced that were about making you smile. At its heart, Coach is a very inclusive brand so I wanted it to be inviting and warm and friendly."
With a massive fluorescent pink dinosaur (Rexy The Coach Dino) residing in the flagship's windows, friendly is certainly the first impression customers will get when they walk through the doors. That is before they discover all the other playful elements of the store, such as a monogramming service that, in addition to the usual initials, offers symbols such as unicorns and the large wall that can be moved around "that was inspired by New York dry cleaners", according to Vevers.
"I guess it’s another opportunity for me to say, 'This is a new day at Coach,'" he continues. "When I first joined, I used our history as a touch stone so it was for me to discover the things that would be believable at Coach. I felt it was important to be bold and look forward and explore what the next generation want from luxury and fashion."
Back to looking forward again - which for the designer means gearing up for his first co-ed show in December, when he will show his autumn.winter 2017 menswear and pre-autumn/winter 2017 women's ready-to-wear together on the runway.
"I'm really excited about our show in December," he smiles. "I want to continue to challenge the preconceptions about luxury. We’re in a position to do something different and offer a fresh take at Coach and I’m really excited that a sneaker or a sweatshirt or a backpack can be luxury pieces today. The idea that luxury is about formality or something that’s perfect – that doesn’t feel relevant. I'm happy that Coach is grounded in the reality of what people want to wear. It’s not a fantasy jet-set brand, it’s a reality. That’s what I’m looking forward to developing in 2017."
When the future looks as interesting as Vevers explains, who wouldn't prefer to look forward than back?
"I guess it’s another opportunity for me to say, 'This is a new day at Coach,'" he continues. "When I first joined, I used our history as a touch stone so it was for me to discover the things that would be believable at Coach. I felt it was important to be bold and look forward and explore what the next generation want from luxury and fashion."
Back to looking forward again - which for the designer means gearing up for his first co-ed show in December, when he will show his autumn.winter 2017 menswear and pre-autumn/winter 2017 women's ready-to-wear together on the runway.
"I'm really excited about our show in December," he smiles. "I want to continue to challenge the preconceptions about luxury. We’re in a position to do something different and offer a fresh take at Coach and I’m really excited that a sneaker or a sweatshirt or a backpack can be luxury pieces today. The idea that luxury is about formality or something that’s perfect – that doesn’t feel relevant. I'm happy that Coach is grounded in the reality of what people want to wear. It’s not a fantasy jet-set brand, it’s a reality. That’s what I’m looking forward to developing in 2017."
When the future looks as interesting as Vevers explains, who wouldn't prefer to look forward than back?
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