The Evolution Of Coach

This year, we were delighted to present the partnership with Coach for our M2 Man of the Year Awards. As a lifestyle magazine that delivers all things luxury with a humbled approach, it was an obvious decision to create an alignment with Coach. It is a brand that pertains to quality craftsmanship, quirky creativity and design that’s wholeheartedly liberal American and unapologetically dismissive of the elitist attitude that resides in the fashion world.

The man behind the ever so successful evolution of the American label is British designer, Stuart Vevers. Following his tenure at Mulberry and Loewe, Vevers was appointed as the Executive Creative Director of Coach in 2013. Coining the concept of ‘American Luxury’ that may at first seem paradoxical, the forward-thinking perspective encourages individuality, relieving it of the original essence of formality and exclusivity. It celebrates spontaneity, youthfulness and a luxury with ease; an idea that carries through into the first men’s Eau de Toilette.

Green, crisp and woody, Coach for Men has an energetic and everyday upbeat appeal. Warm yet cool, sweet yet fresh and an underlying hint of suede is an ode to Coach’s legacy as well as the optimism that’s so authentically Americana. Pop culture clearly reverberates in the humorous and playful identity that is Coach today. Embodying the confident, fearless yet grounded Coach man is non other than James Franco; intelligent, complex and accomplished in all creative art forms, there could not have been a more harmonious collaboration.

Vevers shares with us how Coach now lends itself onto the modern spirit of escape, freedom and self-reflection.

Describe the Coach brand today.

Coach is first and foremost today a fashion house. With a strong heritage of leather goods. Coach is America’s house of leather. Coach is grounded in something real. It’s part of people’s everyday lives. I think that’s one of the things that makes Coach different.

Describe the fragrance? What were you trying to achieve?

Fragrance is instinctive, it’s emotion. But I also wanted something enduring. I started by thinking about how I see the Coach guy. A maverick with a nostalgic heart.

Who’s the Coach guy?

He’s the quintessential cool guy. There’s attitude but there is also charm.

Why did you choose James Franco as the face?

I think James is charming, interesting and cool. He’s prolific, multi-faceted. He’s thoughtful, he’s challenging. James is also handsome; he looks like a movie star. James embodies many of the references I’ve used at Coach.

What is the relationship between the Coach Guy and the Coach Girl? Are these fragrances meant to complement one another?

The fragrances are partners: The Coach Girl and Guy come together at this point. They spark off of each other. You can see it in the references for the fragrance and the campaign imagery – this idea of freedom and the road trip, adventure.

What were you trying to achieve with the bottle design and what it is trying to convey?

There’s a tension to the design that’s very important. You’ve got some of the references to our heritage, a touchstone to the past. The horse and carriage is the part of Coach that comes right back from when Coach began in the 1940s. We wanted the effect with the raised glass, and created many, many prototypes to get that right. That’s our hallmark of ‘this is from Coach.’ The color choices create a more contemporary feeling – it gives a cool attitude.

You often reference films as inspiration. Any films that inspired you for this project?

Cinema has a big influence on my work and played a part in coming up with the qualities of the Coach guy. True Romance is one of my favourite movies. One of my favourite ever movie moments is when Patricia Arquette writes, “you’re so cool” on the napkin in the hotel and gives it to Christian Slater. Even Harrison Ford in Working Girl: He’s a good guy, but he’s got some danger about him. He’s quite impulsive.

Is NYC a source of inspiration for you?

I’m very inspired by New York City. Its energy and the way people put their look together. There is a lot of self-expression and celebration of individuality, but at the same time people get dressed fast so fashion has to function and make people’s lives better. I like that. I think its very Coach.

What is your relationship to fragrance?

I like to wear fragrance everyday. Fragrance is emotional. Having my scent around me is comforting. When I smell it, it gives me pleasure. I enjoy it. It’s also that thing – if I ever forget to spritz, I’m not quite complete.